Private school teachers are being stalked to their homes during the weekend and harassed via email and SMS by helicopter parents anxious about their children's homework.

A Queensland University of Technology study of nearly 900 parents whose children attend an independent or Catholic school found those who tended to overparent had greater expectations that teachers would be responsible for their child completing homework. These expectations of teachers rose as the child moved through school.

School's out, but some parents still expect teachers to be on duty when there's homework to be done. Credit:Leah Anne Thompson

"Teachers were seen as falling short in their actual responsibility in the higher grades," researcher Judith Locke said.

Ms Locke said overly involved parents could be too invested in their child's academic achievements, "which may result in excessive emotional reactions if the academic expectations are not fulfilled", and a tendency to blame the school for their child's failings.