Year 11 half term - in school?

It's part of Covid catch up provision possibly - this is the last year of that

I think if they’ve got Mocks after half term they need to be working now. Well that’s if they want to do their best in their GCSEs. Most kids actually do, and 5 GCSEs at 5 or above is something to have. They can have Christmas off, then it’s the final push until May. Revision Feb half term and Easter, but time to chill as well.

Doing revision is still less intense than a ‘normal’ school day with the whole school in. Sessions are shorter and small groups and teachers often provide tea/hot choc/snacks. It’s quite a pleasant atmosphere, like conference. And there isn’t the rest of the school to deal with.

Year 11 is the real thing. Exam year. They’re not babies anymore and can stand a bit more work. I do agree younger children absolutely need their short days and long holidays and I absolutely don’t believe in holiday homework for younger years.

Would I go in as a teacher? I’ve done it in the past, but I would say that now, with my own teenagers, they’d have to pay me.

My children, Y11 and Y13, study at home. My son’s school offers ‘paid for’ Revision courses but he’s doing ok so doesn’t need it. My daughters school don’t offer but if they did I’d consider.

I don’t see the issue? Do it or don’t do it, but don’t moan about it.

You misunderstand me. This is patching up a system not fit for purpose. Time to stop the insanity, and the unrelenting pressure on young people, and their teachers.

Teachers don't get paid for this but some schools do give toil instead. Our HOD used his last year so he go to his daughters sports day and other things he normally wouldn't get to do as working during term.

It's great that the teachers will do it though.

I'm assuming it won't be every day during half term or full days?

If it was my dc, I'd most likely give them a nudge to go (and we are a family that usually travels across the country every holiday to visit family).

They don’t need much budget (heating and lighting). The teachers would be guilted into attending - do the the best for the students. They don’t get paid extra.

No, my DD's school isn't doing this. I've not heard of it happening round here. Like the idea of them being required to attend just a few sessions but also having time to relax and spend time with friends and family outside of that. I can't imagine her school would have the budget for it though

At my DS school, sessions in school give a chance to children who don't have the space, time or inclination at home. Some work better in the school environment.
Those who think that revision is just going back over and over are not thinking of children with low attendance (for whatever reason) who has missed sections of the course or children who find a particular topic hard. Or maybe a high flying child who wants to ask the teacher a question.
DS school had a record number of 5s this year across the board - many kids who may have failed or scraped a 4 did better. We're not talking 8s and 9s (although school did offer "predicted 7+" sessions as well), we're just talking about giving a lift to those who really need it.
Take the break if that is best for your family, especially if you have an independent learner - most schools start ramping pressure after Christmas rather than October half term.

Those poor teachers! Do people on here know that the teachers providing this (unless external providers are brought in) are not being paid extra for this service?

Schools that provide this often put huge amount of pressure on teachers to go the extra mile - run an extra lesson after school every week, booster breakfast club, give up their holiday (which is fixed when they can take it, no toil). Then there is the hidden time, every revision session needs planning and preparation, marking and administration.

Given teachers are routinely working 45+ hours a week, adding on hours/ days on top of this is totally unreasonable.

Plus, students need a break, they need to time to see family (and possibly travel to do so), spend time with friends and just time to chill. That isn’t to say no work at all, but give them (and teachers) a break.

They tried doing this when I was doing my GCSE's way back. I didn't go in and guess what? I had a lovely week off, relaxing, which did me far more good than sitting in a classroom revising for yet another week would have done. I came away with excellent GCSE results.

Sometimes kids need a break more than they need anything else. There's already way too much pressure on kids these days to achieve the best at school, way too much homework from a very young age, constant pressure from teachers and many parents.

The teachers and pushy parents will totally disagree with me, but I think a week off is exactly what most kids need. Time to just be kids and forget about their upcoming exams for a short while. They can come back to the hard slog when term starts back up.

Also a lot of the extra sessions DS went to were about exam technique which he found very helpful.

It depends upon the subject. I've been at holiday classes where kids have needed 121 tuition because for various reasons, absolutely nothing has gone in and stuck. Sometimes their behaviour in class has prevented learning, but the prospect of free food and help has meant they've come in and worked hard without distractions (and having breaks) to achieve understanding and consolidate knowledge that wasn't there a week before.

Urrgh reading this (and similar threads) it shows the GCSE system really is awful. To much to learn in the time given, constantly going over and over the same thing (aka "revision").
It's just horrible. So horrible.

@MigGirl it all depends on the cohort, if they need more time to absorb the information then yes they are still learning content close to the exams. In contrast Ds's science finished combined content before the end of year 10 and some were moved onto triple content that was taught in lessons but also one hour after school every week and a couple of Saturday mornings over the year! But the children wanted the best grades so all went willingly.

Ds had sessions in holidays but it was only 2 sessions so either a morning or afternoon maybe 3 hours max and targeted to bring up a grade no matter what that grade was ie you could be a 7 and they wanted you in. Ds had November and February mocks though so any help toward November mock revision was welcome.

Year 11 is intense though, usually October half term is for some revision work especially if November mocks, February half term is right before February mocks and deciding foundation and higher tier. Easter usually has the first week as revision sessions offered by school and May half term is in the middle of GCSEs so no full break then but 10 whole freaking weeks over summer to make up for it all.

The school my children were at basically said we do all this so that on results day we can say we have done everything we can to get your child the best grade for them. If they choose not to engage with it then that is their look out.

My son did his GCSEs last year so I'm pretty sure their year 9 learning was affected by Covid. I was just aware that schools were struggling to finish the content before the exams started from the GCSE threads on MN.

I suppose this year probably didn't have any of year 9 to 11 impacted by covud so shouldn't be as much of an issue.

In science at my school they aim to finish the combined science content by Christmas. Separate science take a few months longer.

I'm not totally up on other subjects, but they shouldn't be learning new content just before the exams start. There a lot more content in these newer GCSE'S, which is why science, maths and English normally start teaching GCSE content in year 9 now.

My DD did this last year, both half terms and one week at Easter.

She choice which session to go in for depending on the subjects. Yes she did a lot of her own revision, but what she found useful about the extra revision session was there where less students than in a regular class so they got to discuss things more and ask questions.

Individual revision is great, but sometimes you do need to ask explanations on certain points.

@shamoola I can understand going in to do DT work as that's hands on and you presumably don't have the equipment at home but why aren't they doing the discussion in the actual English lessons during the school term?

It shouldn't but in some cases it is. Some teachers are not going to have covered the whole syllabus by the time exams start, some children can't or won't revise independently.

Attendance is voluntary and the fact it is there as an option for those who want to make use of it can only be a good thing.

It shouldn't be necessary.

My DS was predicted all 2s and 3s he went to every before school, after school and half term session. He came out with all 4s and 5s.

I think they are very valuable IF your child wants to make the most of them.

My son was in for English revision on Monday (3 hrs) - he said it was really good and there was lots of discussion and has helped with understanding. He was also in all morning yesterday for DT focusing on the course work.

The school has also laying on a couple of before school lectures and after school exam skill lessons.
He goes to all of them - he likes them much more than studying on his own.

I am v grateful to the school and there is a really good turnout from the kids.

It’s a really long term. They need a break.

Some days fully off with no work and done with revision / homework. But not in school and not full days. My school doesn’t offer this and I wouldn’t be sending mine in if they were.

But surely you would get numbers before committing to the sessions? Half terms are family time and a lot of families go away or have plans for that week.