GCSE study leave

[hertsandessex]

Wondering what is the norm at other schools in recent years? Just found out that for my daughter sitting GCSE this year study leave won't start until after summer half-term by which time she will have taken half her exams. In previous years I believe study leave had started before the first exam but even during the first half of exams she will have to attend normal lessons in between exams. This seems crazy to me but wondering what happens elsewhere. After a quick Google search am I right in thinking thank study leave counts as an absence and hence brings down school attendance figures which perhaps is factor?

[LIZS]

Last day of school is 12th May but dd will have sat 2 papers by then.

[hertsandessex]

Thanks Lizs - two weeks before us which sounds much more sensible!

[imnottoofussed]

DD said hers starts after the April holidays but she's not sure if she has to go in for some lessons. We've not had any official notice from school it's just what she had been hearing at school.

[pieceofpurplesky]

Many schools no longer have study leave. It is nothing to do with attendance - it is to do with keeping the pupils revising and focused. Many pupils will do little or no revision at home. It has made a difference to the exam results at my school.

[hertsandessex]

I did wonder about that too pieceofpurplesky. Even if it works overall seems very unfair on those would study who end up wasting time on wrong subjects and the wrong topics.

[Iamastonished]

More and more schools don't offer study leave until after half term. DD couldn't have study leave until the last week of exams.

The school said that the students manage to get more revision done at school than at home. Given that last year the school had the best GCSE results ever (82% 5 A* - C including English and maths) perhaps they were right. I don't think last year's cohort were any brighter than in other years. It is a non selective comprehensive school.

Also, the school is in a market town with many students travelling in from rural areas on the school bus. With no buses or parents to drive them in for an afternoon exam they would have had to come in on the school bus in the morning, so they might as well have revision lessons at school.

[Iamastonished]

Cross posted with pieceofpurplesky

[hertsandessex]

Yes I can see how it might encourage many to study more but it penalises those would study well as they have less time to focus on the key areas for them - penalise the good students for sake of the average perhaps. I could understand if they had free time at school but this seems like normal timetable. I read somewhere that at some schools it is amazing how many children seem to get sudden illnesses on the days between exams ;)

[pieceofpurplesky]

Herts kids where I work have a different timetable around their subjects - a ball ache to arrange but worthwhile. They still get a long summer off

[hertsandessex]

If they get a special timetable that makes more sense. I am checking and hoping that is the case. Don't really care about the summer - exams all done by then!

[clary]

At my school students have to be in lessons until half term. Obv once the exam is done (eg French is may 16) they can revise what they like, but we do find it helps them stay focused if they are in school (= working environment). Also their French teacher (ahem!) may help with their maths work! (Well. I did last year 😁)

[Iamastonished]

They got a revised timetable at DD's school, so all the lessons were revision lessons. DD got extra free periods because she took maths iGCSE in the January so used the not maths lessons to talk to her friends revise.

[Witchend]

Dd1's school cancelled study leave last year after bad behaviour from year 11s. They got a surprisingly good set of results.
Dd1 is now year 11 and they're doing very similar to your school.

[greathat]

Lots of schools do this. We also get lots of parents phoning in to say their child is "ill" every day. Nothing anyone can do it about by that point, so they do all tend to vote with their feet anyway. We are just left with the very law abiding. It is good for most students who might not have done much revision at home though

[Iwantacampervan]

After half term for both of mine (different schools). They had to attend lessons until the subject was finished and then could revise anything, PE / non exam subject slots were also turned into general revision sessions up to half term.

[Trifleorbust]

It is increasingly the norm. I agree it penalises good students, but with the pressure on schools nowadays they have no option but to prioritise the borderline students. The Head gets fired if the results tank.

[TeenAndTween]

2 years ago DD1 (who has dyspraxia) was meant to keep going in all the way to half term, and then after half term to any lessons she hadn't yet done exams in.

School turn a blind eye when she stopped going to all bar the English sessions after half term (and possibly a bit earlier, I can't remember) as they appreciated she would get far more done 1-1 with me for Maths and Science than she would in revision sessions at school. The only sessions she did go in for was between the two maths exams so she could get the 'topic spotting' list from her teacher. I believe her results showed we were right in her case to take the approach we did.