Unauthorised Absence Year 10 (science module) HELP PLEASE

I really didn't know that mnistooaddictive. I remember us being urged to resit if we got under a certain mark, so the staff obviously thought we'd do better, and I'm pretty sure most people did do better the second time around.

Perhaps it's depends on whether you could have had a higher mark the first time, by revising better for example.

I have just read this thread. I think sitting the exam is much more important then going to Glatonbury. You don't have to miss the whole event but just go down late.
Yes I know you said distance is a problem but teenagers should be fine travelling long distances.

agree totally abbierhodes. There are after all lots of music festivals over the summer that you could go to as a family - you have made your decision and now are trying to big it up - just be honest - you don't give a flying f* about this module and you are looking forward to the glastonbury line up. (Leeds fest/Reading are in the school hols btw for anyone else wondering about wrecking their kids exam results)

You're coming across a bit pompous to be honest. '...festival of performing arts...' and this bit :

'Missing an exam should not be condoned but I believe in this instance the impact would be minimal and the life experience and bonding with the family would be worth it. I feel privileged that my teenagers want to spend quality time with us and are keenly planning our trip. How many parents of teenagers can say that? For many parents 5 nights in a tent with two teenagers would be a living hell this is our family holiday and this will be a lifelong memory.'

I'd have more respect for you if you just said 'sod it, we're going to Glastonbury, I know we're shouldn't but he's quite bright and he should do OK in the resit'. You're really trying hard to justify it to yourself though, aren't you?

You mean that the impact on you would be minimal, and that's the important thing eh?

It will be a royal pain in the arse for the school who have to organise the resit (oh, but there will probably be kids who genuinely need to resit and didn't just bunk off, so that makes it ok), and for his teacher who would quite like to have that module result for all sorts of planning.

It will be a pain in the arse for your kid who will have to study for the resit without the extra support he would have got when the whole class were taking it, and the fact that he will probably be slacking off when the rest of the class are studying because hey, he hasn't got an exam coming up so will miss out there too.

Not to mention the implicit lesson that GCSE modules aren't all that important.

Regales without tuition almost always get lower marks.

Scatterchase- the vast majority of retakes DO get lower marks.

I'd come back early for the exam.

Your DC is likely to get a lower grade in January, and most schools will charge you for entry.

It's really not an acceptable example to show to your DCs that exams can be missed for a festival!

I think going down on the Friday would be the best, if you had the car all packed etc. and went straight from school.

BUT if you do go and don't do the exam, I would imagine an awful lot will be re-sitting in January anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

I also don't agree with whoever said he was bound to get a lower mark in January. If that were true, nobody would ever take a resit!

If the children's school is a popular one, might you risk your younger child's sixth form place - knowing the child's parents prioritise going to a music festival over sitting a public exam. Know my son's school would have taken a very, very dim view of this. Think the worse thing you are doing is teaching your children that study and work is not that important; just don't come back on mumsnet moaning if the Head declines the younger one for the sixth form, they have to retake or miss getting into uni. Surely one of you can miss the first evening's acts for the sake of your child's education?
I did take my son our of school once for a long weekend when he was about nine, with the school's permission and with all the class work and prep completed prior to going away.

I'm usually quite laissez faire about holidays during term time I can never quite understand why people get all bent out of shape about people doing it but have to say I'm quite that you would let your dc miss an exam for a festival (adding performing arts onto the end of it doesn't make it seem more educationally beneficial )

i think you should consider what people are saying here about re sits not being that simple

As long as you don't mind the fact he is almost certain to get a lower grade in jan than he would now, go. The revision etc up to this exam will be wasted and not repeated in January so he will get s lower grade. You also leave yourself open if you gave issues with his work ethic as he will continually throw it in your face.

Obviously his science result is not important to you so go. Just make sure he understands the consequences in case he disagrees with you.

As a teacher I would be exceptionally pissed off about a parent letting a kid miss a module. We work our arses off marking mocks and past papers and putting on revision sessions so that the kid can get the best possible result and you're going to say 'fuck all the hard work you've put in, he can resit in January' for a festival? Kids, in my experience, do worse on resits when they haven't had all the specialist revision and teacher input up to the exam.

very short that should be

How many modules is it and what board? Some of them are very ie 30 minute exams.

there may well be some who have to resit in January to try for a better grade. and there's always BBC bitesize.

It's their last chance to go as a family.

I would not meddle with exam schedules for something as frivolous as Glastonbury.

It will be much harder for your DD to do these modules without the coaching, and when the material she is learning at the time is totally different.

Oops missed the bit about you living miles from Glastonbury. But tbh the module will only be short and they start at 1pm usually don't they so unless you're in John O'Groats you very probably could get there.

Now you'll tell me you live in J O'G - but perhaps you don't realise how short the modules are and how quickly you could get away. The school couldn't reasonably object to you snatching him straight after the exam.

If he is year 10, then I would go to glasto. He can surely sit that module in january/march/june next year and still be within the timescale?

You would have to take the cost of the resit on the chin though, but I would go to Glast in your shoes

No chance of schools arranging for a DS to sit a module at a different centre just so that you can go to Glastonbury. Exams Officers are up to their ears with work at the moment, not sure it would even be technically possible.

If I was dead keen to go, I'd do what jgbmum suggested, then you're toeing the line at school and not making a scene and getting a good part of Glastonbury.

I think OP has considered that - it was the absence of exams that was the critical factor, it would just have meant both children taking a couple of days off normal lessons, before that darned science GCSE reared its head

Good point, jgbmum - ours are straight back onto A2 courses once their study leave finishes.

Would you consider your DH and other DC going on ahead then you can meet up with them on the Friday evening?

Plus have you checked that your Y12 does not have to be in school? Ours have to return to school once the exams are over as they start the A2 syllabus straight away.