Whether you agree with it or not, children are barely out of reception class before they are coming out of school with homework. There is nothing wrong with doing it on the kitchen table, but if you can squeeze in a desk they can call their own, here are some of our favourites:

If you want a desk that will take your child from finger-painting to algebra, look for a timeless piece that doesn't have a childlike quality. 

And even when space is really tight, you may be able to squeeze a drop down desk in.

Or go up with a high sleeper bed with a desk below it. Or sneak a little vintage flip-top school desk into a hallway or landing or the corner of the bedroom. Check out the desk and chair set I picked up for £34 on eBay here

And read on here for more on high sleepers and here for how to turn even the tiniest corner of your home into a study.