GCSEs, year 11 and study after Easter . Does your school state or private give them study leave ?

State school in Scotland not sure of the exact dates yet but my DC will have study leave from around April 25th until May 28th. Then back for 4 weeks and break for summer.

Should add though that Dd is, and was, very focused and self motivated. We worked a revision plan out together - she asked for this so I didn't force it on her.

She worked longer than school hours whilst at home but with built in breaks in the morning, afternoon and for lunch. And no revision later evening, nothing after 5pm once she was in study leave.
Built in time out with friends and for out of school activities, even right through the exams themselves too.

Last year DD's school (independent) had study leave for GCSEs (and mocks). Study leave for exams started about 2 weeks before the first exams.

For Dd it was really beneficial. She did way more revision in her time away from school than she did in school. Though I guess that depends on personality, independence, and also the availability of revision space at home.

Teachers were available in school hours and via email if they wanted additional help or advise, or revision support.

We only applied to schools where study leave was standard.

Ah, so that's why my state school educated DC are destined never to set the world on fire - I can safely say that back when they in year 5 / 6, it didn't even occur to me that this was something that should be on our list of criteria for our prder of preference. What I do know, now that we've got child 3 just about to sit exams, is that what DS1's school's policy on study leave was when he sat GCSEs was different from what it is now, with DS2 about to sit his at the same school.

What would you have done, if the school had radically changed its policy when your DC were halfway through year 10?

I am 19, so was only 4 years ago. I went to sate school that offered no study leave at all. We where all required to attend school (every day, 9-3) until our final exam: Which was mid June. the school said the reason why they didn’t give it is because too many people where going on holiday when they offered it. The problem I had with it was they were only focused on maths revision and we had very little time to revise other subjects, as they were deemed less important 🙄

No study leave, in fact they keep them beyond exams to do other stuff like finance study, CV writing and making a film project as a legacy to the school although if students don't go to these extra things they don't make them - they have to go to lessons until they have done the last exam in a subject though.

Yes, specialist/private/ boarding school and they are on study leave for quite a while, can't say how long as mine is only Y10.

DS and DC are both at schools offering study leave for both GCSE and A level.
We only applied to schools where study leave was standard. Both schools offer revision classes for those who wish to attend. Forcing kids to go in is a massive waste of time. Time wasted on travelling, time wasted following standardised revision plans rather than your own tailored one that reflects what exams you are taking and when, kids stirring each other up and wasting time chatting to each other. Both kids at selective independent schools. I reckon compulsory attendance is the best way yet of stopping bright kids having the focus they need to get top grades. I think there was some research showing that denying ileave stopped weaker kids messing about on computer games and web but that is not a reason to blight everybody’s carefully worked out study plans.

State school - no study leave at all.

But parents can ask for study leave if student is deemed able to revise at home. DD is looking at 26th April as her last 'school day'.

State school- no study Leave.

Not best chuffed about this. Two
And a half weeks of lessons (towards the end of which about 3 exams happen) and then that is it - no more lessons all term. Although I believe the sports commitments continue. Boarding, so the boys will I guess have 15 hours of unstructured time except for meals and sport a day. Quite what we are paying for, I don’t know. I am hopi f there will be revision seminars but rumour has it not.

Private school

• study leave after Easter hols but dd needs this as homework is still coming in and no time for revision yet. Also no Easter revision sessions offered. Only after school

Sorry forgot to say we are a state school.

Ds school used to have study leave when I was there, but some away with it- I’m so glad because none of us studied! Now they go in, have the teachers on hand for help, and even run extra classes 7:30am-8:30am in subjects like maths, if children express that they feel they need extra support, want to go over certain topics etc. I think this is a way better system, and am so grateful that staff are willing to do this for GCSE and A Level students.

This year at DS2's (state grammar) school, year 11s can earn the right to 'home' study leave by having got above a certain points average in the recent mocks. Going on his results so far, he should be entitled to leave, but says that he will probably go in anyway.

That's been 'then norm' for several years now.
Far better. It means they are up and working in the morning, and have no access to social media.

In school revision lesson until that exam completed so amount of time in school tails off. Plus full after school revision sessions and some weekend sessions before exam. On morning of a particular subject most teachers available from 7:30 am in school for last minute help. This is at a state comprehensive which performs as well/ better than many local private schools. Both my ds did very well and I think the focused revision helped, I am very grateful that the teachers did this.

Private school - study leave from 13/5.

DD's old school stopped study leave several years ago. The results rocketed when they did this. Her school was in a similar situation to that of MsAwesomeDragon's - situated in a small market town with most pupils only able to get to school on designated school buses.

DD was one of the few students who revised better at home than at school, and I was more relaxed about her staying home on non exam days after half term.

I think more schools don't offer study leave than do these days.

No study leave here.

My DS is at private school. He can go in during Easter holidays for pre-booked and paid for revision sessions with teachers. He’s doing 5.

After Easter break he’s back to school for 2 weeks and then on Study leave

My school has done away with study leave completely. We expect all year 11 pupils in school full time until the last exam. So they sit in lessons for subjects they've already done the exam for and use that time to revise for exams yet to come.

As teachers we don't like it because those lessons after your own exam where you're supervising revision for other subjects are really hard work. The pupils don't like it, because they'd rather be at home. The parents mostly like it, because otherwise they'd have to find a way of bringing their children to school for exams or collecting them after exams. The general public of the small town we're located in love it, because so many of our kids get to and from school via school transport and actually have no way of getting home during the school day (don't suggest public buses, for a lot of the villages round here there's one bus a week!) So when we used to have study leave what the kids used to do was hang around the town centre messing around and generally being pains in the neck. We also got our best ever GCSE results last year, which does back up SMT that the kids do more revision if they're in school than if they're on study leave.

We do get loads more year 11 who are suddenly "ill" on days they don't have exams, or dentist appointments for half days, but that's only the kids who can get to and from school easily. The vast majority just do as school say and sit revising in classrooms rather than "revising" at home.

I can't imagine any state school now starting study leave before the exams start.

Our school doesn't do study leave. In school revision sessions are compulsory until all GCSEs for that subject are done and in practice it means that even towards the end of GCSEs they don't have more than the odd morning or afternoon off. It worked for DD1 and I'm happy with it.

I guess we must be one of the few comprehensives left that have study leave. Ours is from 28th April.
The teachers are expected to be in class during their normal lessons, however, and that means the DC can go in and have full days in school if they wish. During the couple of days study leave before the mocks in December, DS went in, and he found it brilliant, said it was like having a one to one tutor.
This year the Year 13s have their study leave only from May 8th, but if they are performing to expectations and they request it, they can have from April 28th.