MISSING A GCSE DUE TO CHANGE OF FLIGHT TIME-HELP???

6 weeks summer break starting in roughly 7 weeks time. I think posters are keeping it in perspective :)

I cannot understand how so many people think that a half term holiday in year 10 can have been such a bad thing? (ok, OP got a bit out of order with her replies)

It's one exam in year 10 - for which loads of revision will have been done previously and supposed to be returning in plenty of time the afternoon before. The problem is the flight change, not the holiday in itself.

Speaking from experience of three children where the youngest is now year 11, given the different items for mocks, modules, course work etc if I. 'd never Have booked a holiday when someone had something on I'd never have gone away at any half term, Christmas, or Easter for a straight 8 years.

One exam, plenty of revision before, books in the suitcase for on holiday, k,rep it in perspective.

You cancel your holiday. What kind of parents take their Y10 GCSE-taking child on holiday abroad, returning the night before an exam?

My DS has spent all of half term revising and this is just for his rather meaningless Year 7 end of year exams. What possessed you to take your family on holiday the week before exams which are so crucial to your DC?

I know that you are after advice and/or support but I have no advice so all I can offer is criticism.

What happened in the end? Did he sit the exam ?

OP your message to mermaid was foul. Shame on you.

Mermaid, hope things get a little brighter for you and your son.

What I find indefensible is the idea you just nip down to your GP, who might actually be expecting to see an ill person, and just get a note to say your child was ill so never mind..... Last year my dd sat her Prep for Working Life 1/2 course GCSE in the am. It included a question on CPR. 4 months earlier she had had to attempt with me to administer CPR to her Dad who tragically died, naturally this distressed her. In the afternoon it was Paper 2 of her GCSE English as a result she did not do as well as expected. We had to fight to get that included as special consideration. Not only do I think you are deluded but what will you do when ds spends the week before finals in Magaluf? Bad, bad example.

A note to the exam board will have absolutely no effect given that the child is not in their final year and so can take the exam in a future sitting. Ditto trying to make an insurance claim (am curious as to how you would put a financial value on this other than the tenner for the future exam entry).

Bloody hell OP, I'm not sure I even want to post this now after seeing your earlier posts to mermaid.

But I was going to suggest checking your Ts & Cs - Ryanair's, as an example:

9.1.2 When we accept your booking, we will notify you of the scheduled flight timings in effect as of that time, and it will be shown on your Confirmation/Itinerary. It is possible we may need to change the scheduled flight timings after you have booked your flight. If you provide us with your e-mail address and an away contact number, we will endeavour to notify you of any changes by such means. In the situations not covered by Article 9.2 below, if, after you make your reservation, but before the date of travel, we change the scheduled departure time by more than three hours and this is unacceptable to you and we are unable to book you on an alternative flight which is acceptable to you, you will be entitled to a refund for all monies paid in respect of the time changed flight, without further liability.

Would've thought it was at least worth checking with the travel company and seeing what they can do.

Eurostar I can't see that mermaid was even rude. OP's response was indefensible.

All the very, very best mermaid, anyone with any empathy or imagination would say the same.

OP - I know Mermaid was rude but you did accuse people of making their children suicidal and have I just read that right that you have written two insulting posts in a row to this Mum who is going through the terror of caring for a suicidal child?

rathlin well done/ poor you. If I was your mum I'd have been seething - how selfish and mean.

OP, by far the most objectionable thing in your post is the suggestion that you can get a doctor to collude in what is clearly a not great situation but one which is entirely of your own making. A return flight the evening before a GCSE is just self-centred.

I don't really buy into the 'I'm a grammar school mum so I'm a cut above/ know it all' routine. I have seven at a 'top' grammar (well actually three have left) and it was always notified well in advance when exams would be taken. I've certainly never chained mine to a desk, not least because I wouldn't be able to enforce it but also because it would be counter productive - time off is as critical as time on, so they spent/ spend a lot of time during the exam period just chilling out. But maybe you should buy into the general culture that these exams are something you respect, or your DS won't, or might not.

My eldest five have over 50 A* between them not because I monitored their work in the smallest way or oppressed them but possibly in part because I ring-fenced the period around the exams and indicated it's importance and that I cared.

You might actually to be able to claim on your travel insurance for the extra tickets in the circumstances, as there's an exam involved.

You can get flights on the Saturday for about £130-£250 each from Ankara to London, and about £150-£250 each from Istanbul to London. I would not travel on the Sunday if your DC has an exam on the Monday.

I'm amazed that the OP has a child who wants to go on holiday immediately prior to their exams. When I was doing what was then O levels I would have hated to be away then. I'm impressed at the OP's and her dc's confidence in booking a holiday then in the first place. Personally I would do what others have suggested and book a separate flight that gets back within sufficient time to sit the exam.

Where are you going in Turkey?

We're not all
Judgemental mums though
Some are teachers as well as mums

I would usually expect the pupil to turn up and have a go regardless, but with a note to the exam board about the circumstances.

However this is one of those occasions where you really ought to flash the plastic and book a separate scheduled flight with one parent to get home earlier IMO, so your child does the best they can. The whole booking thing was very risky.

To be fair, you asked if anyone '(preferably a teacher)' could advise you as to what would happen, & the response you've got has pretty much been honest & straightforward - he can turn up & have a go, or forfeit the exam, there aren't any other options involving sicky-throwing.

People are going to think this is a fairly foreseeable problem, tbh - whether it's really all that much of a problem depends on how vital this particular exam is to your ds.

Have a nice holiday, anyway - I'm buried under 500 exam scripts here & would much rather be packing for Turkey tbh!

Rs is a point less subject

Do you think many students will re sit, say if they don't get their target grade? If it is common for pupils to resit there's no reason to worry. As I said this isn't something I would do myself but you'll know not to do it next year now!

Heap as fallen said, and I would think for top scientists they will be sitting one whole science in year 10 and probably English Lit (or maybe English Lang with a chance to resit).