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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

Which years during secondary do pupils need to study during the summer holiday?

26 replies

GreenGinger2 · 29/01/2017 08:17

Trying to organise a big trip,are there any years we should avoid being away during the entire summer holiday?

OP posts:

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CaurnieBred · 29/01/2017 08:27

Results years as it is helpful to be on the ground on results days to accept places (6th for and Uni) or to negotiate back up options/arrange re-marking.

Disclaimer: I am not at this stage yet: this is just observing what friends have had to do with their kids. None of them have actually studied during the summer holidays; they studied during all the other holidays though

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MaisyPops · 29/01/2017 08:31

Results days for y11-13 are usually the end of August.
In terms of actually needing to study, I'd say a little bit in y10 depending on the subjects they're doing buy nothing massive. I tend to just set y10 a revision booklet over the summer ready for y11.

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OddBoots · 29/01/2017 08:33

There may be one younger in areas with the 11+ but mostly I would say it is fine up until y10 into y11 or maybe the year before if you have a school with a 3 year KS4. Even then they can bring stuff with them to do as there isn't loads and loads to do.

Even if you are away it doesn't mean learning stops though, there are lots of ways children learn through the experience.

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GreenGinger2 · 29/01/2017 09:26

Thanks that really helpful.Don't want to take anything. What are they studying in year 10 going into 11?

Currently got dc in year 8 and 7.

OP posts:

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Witchend · 29/01/2017 10:40

Depends on your dc's school.
I only remember having very little ever during holidays. Occasional GCSE projects in year 10 and 11. Actually I only remember that being 2. graphics in the summer holidays between the two and RE Christmas year 11.

Dd1 seems to always be given heaps, even in year 7.
Dd2 doesn't get as much (same school) although whether that's school policy has changed, she has different teachers or her attitude is different I don't know.

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Ontopofthesunset · 29/01/2017 11:23

Never! It might be helpful to be at home on A-level results day in case of not getting your offers. I have one at university and one doing GCSEs and they have never really had much, if any, work to do over the summer - certainly nothing that couldn't be done on a holiday. As it happens DS1 wasn't at home for A-level results but fortunately he got his first choice. We didn't have to be around for GCSE results as they were available online and his sixth form place was assured.

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Needmoresleep · 29/01/2017 11:38

I encouraged DD to learn some MFL vocabulary over the summer at the end of Yr 10. But it was more "little and often" so did not take up much time and meant she was at a real advantage going into Yr 11, on top of the vocab and able to focus on grammar.

If your DC has weak maths skills I would also suggest a bit of practice through the same summer so they don't lose what they have. But again little and often, rather than making a big performance of it.

The end of Yr 12 is a bit different. DS entered a couple of essay competitions, DD was busy doing medicine application related things, some will use the summer to gt on top of an EP, or perhaps to do some immersion in a MFL, or attend a University outreach programme. Plus a good time to write a first draft of a UCAS Personal statement, or research courses.

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AuntieStella · 29/01/2017 11:41

Yes, you should be at home for results days if at all possible.

Otherwise, it should be OK in all other parts of the summer. Take revision with you, if you must, but even between years 10/11 it's unlikely they'll see exams as imminent and actually revise (whether at home or not)

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Ontopofthesunset · 29/01/2017 12:46

Did any of you ever revise over the summer holidays for exams that were nearly a year away?

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clary · 29/01/2017 12:59

Year 10 to year 11 is the only one IMHO. I usually set my year 10s some revision work. (MFL teacher)

Also need to be there last Friday in Aug after year 11!!

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Ontopofthesunset · 29/01/2017 13:09

Why do you need to be there the last Friday in August after Year 11? If you have a confirmed 6th form place or are staying at the same school what do you need to be there for? My son did no work last year between Y10 and Y11.

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DrScholl · 29/01/2017 13:15

only results years
I am a teacher

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cece · 29/01/2017 14:58

We are away on results day this summer. DD not happy but the school seems OK with it.

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TeenAndTween · 29/01/2017 15:10

Being away on results day potentially means that if you haven't got the results needed for the school / course you want you need to be sorting out what you are doing instead ASAP. Also some 6th forms need you to sign up on specific days, eg day after results day or whatever.
Plus you miss out on the excitement of the day with your friends.

OP: My DD1 didn't need to work in summer holidays for the whole of secondary. We often chose to do some maths, especially in the last 2 weeks before going back, but that wasn't set schoolwork.
NB a lot of the other holidays and half terms in y10 and y11 were 'lost' to schoolwork.

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WyfOfBathe · 29/01/2017 15:17

August Y11 & Y13 it's helpful to be at home for results day.

DC might receive some homework or revision in the holidays between Y10/11 or between Y12/13 but it's unlikely to be a lot. They could always complete it on a plane or in an evening at a hotel.

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Bobochic · 29/01/2017 15:26

Our DC have all done residential MFL courses of some description every single summer.

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Ontopofthesunset · 29/01/2017 16:22

My boys got their results via logging in to the school portal. There was no excitement with friends. They didn't need to sign up or anything so I guess our situation is different. A-levels are different again in that they need to be in place to deal with clearing if they haven't made the grades.

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cece · 29/01/2017 19:46

DD wants to go to the school's 6th form. They know we are away. If needs be we can always phone or email them from Turkey. If not they have said we can sort it out when we get home.

TBH it was a complete mistake - I completely forgot about exam results when I booked the holiday!

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clary · 29/01/2017 19:55

Well I think it's a good idea to go in for results day as it may not work out as you thought.

DS1 needed Ds in maths and English for his college place - he got Es in English (not really a surprise) tho a C in maths - so we needed to go in to the college that afternoon to talk to them about the place. (he got in btw :))

I would assume similar for A-level - eg if you didn't get the B you needed but got it in another subject, or didn't get what you needed at all? Tho if your place is guaranteed then I guess there's no problem. But most schools ask for at least Bs in subjects for A level - what if you don't get them?

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Ontopofthesunset · 29/01/2017 22:27

Nobody goes in at all at their school so I guess it is unusual.

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DrScholl · 30/01/2017 06:52

I'd always be there fircresukts. I've seen too many disasters to want to have to sort that shit out remotely or let results ruin s holiday.

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Iamastonished · 30/01/2017 07:41

"What are they studying in year 10 going into 11?"

I take it that you aren't from the UK? Years 10 and 11 are when they are studying their GCSEs. Some schools start some of the GCSE work in year 9, especially those doing triple science.

DD is in year 12 and has never been given a lot of homework for the summer holidays. In years 7 - 8 and 8 - 9 she had a science project to do, but not much else.

It is usually important to be at school for results day for GCSEs and A levels but it depends on how the school issues them. DD's school will only hand them out to the student (or their parents if written consent is given) or post them. They do not issue results online.

At DD's school you have to enrol for 6th form on results day and this has to be done in person. My friend's son was away for results day and turned up at 6th form on the first day back at school and nearly got turned away as he wasn't enrolled. There is often a lot of subject switching because students didn't get the required grades at GCSE, which is why they ask you to enrol in person on results day. For A levels it is even more important if you intent starting university the same year because you need to confirm your university place.

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Whiskers4 · 30/01/2017 09:59

As said, we'll certainly be here for results day.

DD is in Year 11 and she's taking 11 GCSEs. Going back to last summer after leaving Year 10 I think she had homework in 4/5 subjects, three lots were substantial though. So personally between years 10 and 11, I'd say to allow a couple of weeks for homework and them actually winding down, having a bit of fun - work was stepped up a lot the second half of year 10.

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Ontopofthesunset · 30/01/2017 10:40

Yes, I'm from the UK. Two sons, one in first year of university so done GCSEs and A-levels, one in Y11 so just done mock GCSEs and doing GCSEs this summer. They didn't have any work to do over the summer between Y10 and Y11. It was a holiday. They did their work in school, finished in July and started again in September. Unusually, it seems, at their school all results are online and you're already registered for sixth form. Any issues about grades and subjects could be dealt with by e-mail.

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catslife · 30/01/2017 11:01

It obviously varies from school to school. Few schools actually release actual GCSE results on-line - they mostly expect pupils to be there in person.
Schools and colleges also expect students to enrol in person.
dd was in Y11 last year. Both her (old) school and the sixth form college she now attends had pre-enrolment Summer tasks that had to be completed before the start of term. For some A level subjects e.g. further Maths there were additional aptitude tests that pupils had to go into sixth form to do as well.
I also expect that there will be Summer project work to do between Y12 and Y13 as well.