Voices is the Dorset Echo's weekly youth page - written for young people by young people.

This week James says homework at secondary school should be reduced.

For many years, there have been massive debates on whether children should get homework.

The popular belief is that primary school children should not get any - or very little homework - but secondary school children should. But is this right?

When I was younger I found myself doing not much at all but now I am in secondary school, my work load is constant and it is difficult for me to fit it all in without sacrificing huge amounts of my free time.

In primary school, you are working on the foundation of you education so I believe that children should get homework at that age for about half-an-hour a night.

If primary school students start powerfully by doing lots of learning, then they will become more able as they get older.

By the time they are in secondary school, they have a solid knowledge base and entrenched work ethc so when it comes to doing their GCSEs, there is less reason to stress.

Many children find school boring enough as it is, but then even when they get home, they still have to continue with work.

I see being at home a time to relax and do what I want, not extra schooling hours.

I comprehend happiness to be the most important thing within everyone’s life. Young adults may not be happy due to these high-pressure long hours of extra schooling.

By James Sullivan