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Original poster

When is a good time for holiday in Yr 11?

38 replies

whoamitojudge · 09/06/2019 14:58

As the title suggests, My DD will be going into yr 11 next year and we are hoping to get a family holiday booked.
I know that Easter and May half terms will be out but would October half term be ok?
Unsure as don’t know when the mock exams will be.

OP posts:
foxtong · 09/06/2019 15:41

I'm a head of English and I think it's worrying that people are ruling out family holidays for the entire year Hmm. Students need time to switch off too. A week or short break at Easter would be fine, and October half term would be fine too. Schools can't make holiday revision sessions compulsory.

Punxsutawney · 09/06/2019 15:37

Ds is going into year 11 in September. We are going away for the two weeks at Christmas. I have an older child so we have experienced gcse year before although he did the old gcses. Ds has undiagnosed sen and the last year has been difficult. If its taught me anything it's that academics are important but so is the wellbeing of my child. We felt that time away at Christmas would allow us all to escape from the year 11 stress. His mocks will be in November, his school do not run holiday revision sessions though.

GaraMedouar · 09/06/2019 15:32

I was thinking of getting away Feb half term with my DS.

TeenTimesTwo · 09/06/2019 15:31

Watch out re Bank holidays, the press is reporting the early may one is shifting to the Friday next year. (See my thread in Secondary and a very long one in AIBU).

We went away for the Easter break Thursday-Easter Monday, as we knew they wouldn't be running revision sessions over the actual long weekend.

NannyRed · 09/06/2019 15:31

August?

MitziK · 09/06/2019 15:28

Oh, and there were mocks in late November, December and March. Along with lots of other exam practices.

Forgot the Saturday/Sunday interventions as well. The Bank Holidays were the only other times that no sessions were held.

MitziK · 09/06/2019 15:25

We had revision sessions every single holiday except Christmas.

In all honesty, there probably isn't a good time in Year 11, especially if there are any subjects that have a coursework/portfolio component and DC isn't already getting straight 8s in every subject.

Round about the 1st July is probably your earliest chance to do it without affecting the GCSEs or any prizegiving/end of term show or Prom.

dreygrey · 09/06/2019 15:25

October half term would be a good option.

kmammamalto · 09/06/2019 15:20

The school will most likely run revision in Easter but usually in my experience they would be over one of the two weeks as teachers like to go away/have a break/Mark coursework too! So maybe check with them or ask what happened this year as it will most likely stay the same x

wheresmyliveship · 09/06/2019 15:15

Our school does revision days in Easter (local comp) so would avoid that. You may have mocks after Feb half term but I wouldn’t see any problems with October half term!

Pipandmum · 09/06/2019 15:13

I’d say any time before Easter, though it wouldn’t have made any difference to my son! We were contemplating a trip and he could have taken some books along but didn’t in the end. It’s not realistic (or healthy in my opinion) to think they will be revising all day every day. A short break might do them good (though not May half term when it will be right smack in the middle of exams!). October, Xmas, February half term, maybe first week of Easter all seem fine to me.

BringOnTheScience · 09/06/2019 15:04

Mocks timing depends on the school - there is no hard & fast rule.

noblegiraffe · 09/06/2019 15:04

Lots of students go away for one week of the Easter holiday.