Parents have described a new program that gives children as young as eight digital homework as a "gateway drug" to the internet.

Key points: Students as young as eight will use a Google program for their homework

Students as young as eight will use a Google program for their homework Parents are worried about distractions, online safety and the demise of handwriting

Parents are worried about distractions, online safety and the demise of handwriting The NSW Government said online proficiency is needed for future employment

Google Classroom is a free online platform developed as a paperless teaching option by the American internet giant to streamline communication between teachers and students.

Schools across NSW are ditching pencil and paper homework and instead making students use Google Classroom from grade three onwards.

Sydney mother Kristy Blom was surprised to learn her eight-year-old son would have to complete all tasks on her laptop at home.

"I thought 'ooh, that's early'," she said.

"I wasn't ready to add more screen time to our weekly routine and it can take longer."

Ms Blom said her son could be distracted by the computer.

"I just don't think I need to be dealing with that at 7.30am," she said.

Ms Blom acknowledged students needed to be prepared for typing out test answers as NAPLAN went online.

But the mother of two is worried about the chat room feature within the Google Classroom.

"I hadn't even introduced them to the idea of a chat room ... what does that have to do with homework?" she said.

Sydney father Martin, who declined to give his surname, said he was uneasy about the program.

"I feel like it's just a giant advert and school shouldn't be an advert for anything," he said.

"It feels like a gateway drug to not only Google products, but social media — and that's what really gets me more than anything."

Martin said he was also disappointed about the demise of handwriting and felt there would be a loss in creativity.

Kristy Blom's daughter still does her homework the "traditional" way. ( ABC News: Paige Cockburn )

Fine motor skills to decline?

Child psychologist Brad Ridout agreed. He felt students should not be doing all of their homework online until high school — and until they had mastered handwriting.

"Information tends to be processed on a deeper level and better retained when handwritten, as opposed to being typed," he said.

"Writing by hand links together more parts of the brain compared to typing and that aids in cognitive development, processing information [and] fine motor skills.

"We also know that there's a strong association between handwriting skills in the primary years and academic achievement later in life."

The New South Wales Department of Education declined an interview but in a statement, said that "using digital devices and online proficiency are essential skills students will need in the jobs of the future".

Some parents are concerned that Google Classroom is just a "giant advert". ( Supplied: Flickr )

The department said all of its IT programs were subject to strict security protocols and internet filters so that inappropriate material could not be accessed and students communicated on a secure network.

"Features that would facilitate "online chat", such as Hangouts and Google Groups, have been disabled," it said.

The department said it was not centrally monitoring how many schools were using Google Classroom.

Although the leap to digital homework has caused stress among some parents, many schools do not mandate that homework is compulsory.

One Sydney school told parents "alternative arrangements" would be made if there was no internet or computer access at home.

The program is only being trialled at the school Ms Blom's children attend and will be evaluated at the end of semester one.

Despite the downfalls, there was one major perk, she said.

"You don't have to remember to pack your homework in your bag ... it's one less thing to forget in the morning!"