Attending school after GCSEs?

[Dancergirl]

What is your school's policy on this?

Dd is in Year 11 at a girls' grammar. In previous years, the girls were supposed to organise a week's work experience for the last week of June after GCSEs have finished.

We have had an email from the school to say that this year will be slightly different - for the last week of June, girls will be expected to attend school for various enrichment opportunities both on and off site. That all sounds fine to me. However, the work experience is still to go ahead and girls should arrange it at a time convenient to them.

I am a bit annoyed about this. Firstly dd is planning on attending a youth residential camp just for Year 11s which starts in early July. After that we'll be having a family holiday. I'm not sure when she's supposed to fit this work experience in.

Secondly, how useful is a week's work experience for a 16 year old who could have at least 5 more years studying to do? It just seems like a box-ticking exercise to me.

Dd is already stressed about the exams and I'd like her to have a week of down-time to relax after the exams. Plus writing a CV and sending it off to companies will be just another thing to worry about in the run-up to the exams.

[goodbyestranger]

All of my DC (who went to the same grammar school) finished their GCSEs and then had a long summer holiday with only the Prom and a two day sixth form induction getting in the way of relaxation - and both of those things were very soon after exams ended so yes, basically one long holiday to look forward to. Very sensible policy.

[Cherryburn]

I agree with Goodbye. And I share your reservations about the usefulness of work experience at this stage Dancergirl.

[Dancergirl]

Just wondered what the norm is at other schools.

[goodbyestranger]

I think our other local schools do this weird thing of a week's work experience after GCSEs so I'm very glad for that reason alone that my DC passed the 11+. I'm very doubtful about the idea of 'enrichment' after exams too. They just need a break at that point, not stuff to think about.

[noblegiraffe]

And what will the penalty be for not having done it? Having left the school?

[Cherryburn]

Sorry Dancer, should have said! DS had to do a weeks work experience at the end of June. Total waste of time really as he has no clue what he wants to do yet.

[Dancergirl]

I imagine most of these 'work experience' weeks will be spent in a random office photocopying!

[Dancergirl]

They just need a break at that point, not stuff to think about

Yes exactly. Depends what they're doing though I suppose, it might be fun stuff.

It just annoys me - school is full of very bright, high-achieving girls, many of whom are under intense pressure from the 11 GCSEs they're all made to do. School tries to acknowledge the stress by putting on 'well-being' weeks (again another box-ticking exercise) but now they think it's ok to fill every waking moment with activity AFTER the exams have finished

[TheThirdOfHerName]

Y11s are usually on roll until the end of June.
Many schools schedule study leave for several weeks during/after the exams, but this is at the school's discretion.

Both DS1 and DS2 had to do work experience for the last week of June when they were in Y11.

[noblegiraffe]

But they’re doing enrichment till the end of June and the work experience will be after.

[Pumpkintopf]

Just don't do the work experience and explain to the school this is because it didn't fit in with your planned holidays given you'd expected it would be done after exams as per previous years.

[Dancergirl]

pumpkin I'm certainly not going to enforce that dd does it, as I explained above she'll have very little time anyway.

Apparently they are spending PSHE lessons on writing CVs and doing applications

[TheThirdOfHerName]

In that case I don't think the school can expect to have it both ways. They can either put on enrichment activities for the last week of June, or ask the pupils to do work experience in that time. It seems a bit much to extend the time of compulsory schooling into July when they won't even be enrolled in school at that point.

[Sadik]

I'd agree it's of very limited use. I don't know if it will be possible in your area but a young man I know did his work experience in our local primary (ie the one he attended) helping out with the Early Years class. Similarly my dd did her Welsh bacc community service with a couple of her friends helping sort out another local primary school's library area - the primary had specifically asked to be sent some helpful 16 year olds.

If she has to do it, might that be worth considering? I did the same thing in the dark ages after finishing O levels, and it was just lovely - really relaxing after exams spending time with very young and wildly enthusiastic children.

(It also seemed like the young chap I saw volunteering was being genuinely useful, perhaps because reception classes are used to making use of parent volunteers to read with children etc.)

[NC4Now]

Ours did their exams and left.

[GoodHeavensNoImAChicken]

At a private girls school we finished exams, had sixthform induction for two days about two weeks later and had the rest of the summer off.

I agree with you; except for a few girls who know why they want to do eg medicine, vet med, dentistry, work experience at that age is a total waste of time.

Work experience was integrated in year 10 but also had the opportunity of a week on an outward bound thing...interestingly most of the extremely academic girls chose to do the outward bound and only about a quarter of the girls actually did work experience...and very few had a positive experience!

[Iwantacampervan]

Nothing after GCSEs for both of mine (different schools) apart from Prom and a hour handing in books, locker keys etc. - if the eldest had decided to stay at her school for Sixth Form (and not go to a college) there would have been a couple of induction days. Work experience was in Year 10 for both of them.

[clary]

wow I've never heard of yr 11s doing anything school-related after their exams finished apart from prom, and maybe a leavers' day (more often before exams tho).

DC go to one school, I worked in two others and kids have mates in several others in area, all exactly the same.

is it a GS thing? Anyway op, agree on the work exp being a pain then. Tho I do think work exp us a good idea if well planned - my DC did t in yr 10, dd went to the library and ds1 worked in a kitchen.

[goodbyestranger]

No it's absolutely not a grammar thing. In our area it's a comps only thing.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

DD1 is in year 12. After GCSEs she was not expected in school at all.
But she did have her DofE residential (long weekend), Prom and a sixth form induction day. She did do some volunteering during the summer holiday, which I guess she could have counted as work experience if necessary.

[pointythings]

Nothing other than prom at our school. They do work experience in Yr 12. How valuable it is really depends on whether they know what they want to do after school and whether they arrange something that is relevant - DD1 worked in the local town archives for a week, because she wants to be an archivist. It was great.

I'm planning to take both my DDs on a 'term time' holiday next year, since they'll be done with their exams by the end of June. nothing better get in the way of that!

[JustRichmal]

Is it because there is the possibility next year that 26th June may be needed for an exam day if there has been any disruption to the timetable? So they are keeping all their students on until the end of June just in case.

[OlderThanAverageforMN]

Our indie school likes everyone to stay after GCSE's for end of term "stuff". There are always post GCSE events, prom obvs, but also stuff the school does, farewell tea parties, welcome to the 6th Form days, prize giving. Not everyone bothers to stay, especially those who are moving on, but most people do. Annoying as I would like to skip off on holiday early next year, but DD doesn't want to miss anything.

[greencatbluecat]

My DD did her GCSEs this summer in a comprehensive. She didn't have to go to school at all after the exams, except for the prom and the 6th form taster day. What's more, she was absolutely exhausted.
She really truly needed a break.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Did had to stay in school until mid July. But she was at a vocational school & they went into full time dance show rehearsals (with prize giving, leavers lunch & prom interspersed).