Study leave for GCSE's

[mummymeister]

When I was at school we broke up at Easter and didn't go back in except for our exams (o levels then obviously!!). I thought looking at other posts that this was the case now. however, DC's school are currently having a huge stress about this. they are saying that they have done it in the past but might not this year due to the attendance changes bought in by Gove. at the moment they are saying the kids don't break up until the start of their exams with no at home study leave. its tough to study at school, you don't have all your books and notes plus difficult to find a quiet space. what are other schools doing this year? thanks for the info.

[ToFollowJulie]

My DD said this morning that they may have to go into school after their GCSEs as well as a result of the changes. They didn't do work experience this year and I'd been hoping she'd find a job for the summer from mid-June... I'm not sure when we'll know what they're doing.

[mummymeister]

ToFollowJulie - hadn't even thought of that!! We are taking her on holiday once the exams finished. we all just assumed (friends parents as well) that once the exams were done that was it. what would they do in school then? start the a level courses I suppose but what about teachers timetables. really interested to hear what others school policies are.

[Reincarnatedpig]

At my elder child's school virtually all stay on for A levels and they started the A level courses straight after GCSEs. They also had two weeks for work experience. The DofE trip also took place over a long weekend in July.

[Reincarnatedpig]

They got study leave before though - at least 3 weeks? I remember being envious of other schools who made the kids revise in class as DD did f-all for revision!

[mummymeister]

Thanks reincarnated. in the past our schools have waved them off after GCSE's with no need to come in again until September so really surprised about this. also the change in policy of our school will hit a lot of families who worked on the assumption like we have that they complete their GCSE's and have the summer off until Sept.

[TeenAndTween]

Our school keep them in school until ~week before May half term.
It keeps normal timetable and does teacher-led revision in lessons up until the exam is taken, then if the exam is done they can do self-revision in their lessons.
I think that will probably work well for my DD as she can lose focus if revision time is too open-ended.

[ToFollowJulie]

My DD can't start A Levels after GCSEs because there's no sixth form at her school. I've no idea what they'll do with them.

Personally I'd rather they went in for revision, or at least for some of it, because some structure will be helpful.

[hottiebottie]

No change in policy whatsoever at our school - it's exactly the same as in previous years. The increase in participation age makes no difference to Y11s being allowed to take study leave and not to return to school after GCSEs!
www.usethekey.org.uk/sample-articles/raising-the-participation-age-responsibilities-for-schools

If it did, Gove really would have a riot on his hands.

[mummymeister]

sorry to be thick hottiebottie so at your dc's school are they being given study leave before the exam or not. are they expected to come back into school after GCSE's finish for a couple of weeks too? To Follow - so how engaged do they think a child will be who cant stay on at the school anyway? I bet the lessons during those 3 or 4 weeks will be great fun for the teachers.

[Starballbunny]

I don't think DD gets official study leave until the start of the exams in May and one of her exams is right at the start.

Core subjects are having revision sessions even after that I believe. given the amount of time CD wastes on the bus and the fact it's far easier for her to work at home, I'm going to be taxi again.

They have started after school revision sessions which seem extremely unfair in an area with very little public transport. DD can only do them because I don't work.

[Starballbunny]

I don't think they are expected back in school after the exams.

I can't see how that is meant to work anyway, DD doesn't know which sixth form she's going to until she gets her English GCSE grade.

Another local sixties are doing this and had an in term taster day. I t makes it very difficult for external applicants to consider them.

Personally losing the lovely long post exam holiday would have had me and several of my friends seriously considering the sixth form collage, that is their main rival.

[hottiebottie]

Mummiemeister, our school's "official" final day for Y11s is 9th May, after which they only have to come in for exams. Study leave is discretionary though, and is only allowed with the parents' permission and if the school thinks the pupil will make proper use of it. Supervised study is provided for those who wish or who have not been granted leave for whatever reason. There are a couple of 6th form taster days at the end of June, which are compulsory for those planning to stay on, otherwise everyone is free from the end of their exams.

[mummymeister]

Sounds good Hottiebottie. this is what I hoped for my DC but looks likely that after she sits her last GCSE they will expect her in school each and every day until the end of term. not sure how this will go down with those going elsewhere. just wondering if their parents will be fined for non attendance. my school/lea seem to have adopted the end of the reasonable scale in all things at the minute so perhaps this shouldn't have surprised me. I wonder how many would have gone to festivals etc and now cant.

[hottiebottie]

mummymeister - I'm not sure what the legal situation is, but since this seems to be a bit of a grey area I don't think parents should be fined as the rules are clearly being interpreted differently from school to school.
www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/education_ni/education_school_education_ew/access_to_education.htm

[HamletsSister]

In Scotland they get 3-4 weeks off for exams and then go straight back into the next year's course, giving 4-6 weeks of learning before the summer. I found this odd when I first moved here but actually it is great. They enjoy going up a year and teachers still have time for course planning etc as the new intake have not arrived.

Exam leave is vastly over-rated as a way of learning as the vast majority do not make best use of the time. Far better for schools to be running focused revision sessions and supporting pupils who might not work at home.

[RaspberryLemonPavlova]

We aren't sure what is happening either. They used to finish the last day before half-term, with celebrations then too. Last year they still went on study leave at the end of half-term, but came back in June for Last Day (Fair rides in school grounds, then assembly). DS said they haven't decided this year. Last Day is in June, although they have moved it when they realised it clashed with Further Maths GCSE.

He is expected back for 2 days at the beginning of July, when they will do induction, start A level courses and have study work set.

DS is on school band trip for the last 2 weeks of term anyway.

[dottyaboutstripes]

Here, study leave was stopped a few years ago.

[hottiebottie]

Some useful info and DFES answers to questions here

[mummymeister]

Thank you Hottiebottie. that is a brilliant link. there are rumours coming to parents from the head teacher that it is the law that you cannot have study leave or not come back after GCSE's. I will be sending this link over today - really helpful thank you.

[wordfactory]

DD's school allows the girls to take study leave from the second week in May.

But they can go in if they like. And there are some revision lessons. Most seem to mix it up.

It's a private school though, so I don't know if attendance issues apply.

[hottiebottie]

Mummymeister - I think the actual study leave is still up to the school's discretion, as part of a package including revision lessons. Such absence is recorded as "authorized" under Code S. The point is (as I interpret it from the above Q&A link) that schools have to make provision until the end of term for pupils who want to come in, but pupils don't have to use it. However, parents can't be fined if for example they're planning to go on holiday straight after GCSEs, since for pupils on a school's register, the "official" leaving date is still the last Friday in June (though pupils theoretically still have the option of attending until the end of term.)

[Scholes34]

No full time school for DD, but a timetable of revision sessions pupils were expected to attend, plus teachers available at the time they would have been teaching if anyone wanted to drop in. Also, sessions immediately before exams to help relax students (and make sure they're all there). State comp.