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Original poster

Year 11 half term - in school?

39 replies

Ohgetreal · 25/10/2023 18:37

Is anyone else's year 11s being asked to go in during half term?

Our school are pushing for them to go in and are even buying in a company to run seasons. My child is adamant that no one will be going and it's a waste of time.

OP posts:
K4tM · 25/10/2023 19:53

I think do what’s best for you. My DD is doing loads at home and I’m proud of her. She has ambition and wants to do well. Preparing for her mocks will stand her in good stead for the real thing next May.

Our school isn’t offering, but if they were I’d give her the choice. Some kids don’t care, some say they just don’t know how to revise, others plan it and do it themselves.

BungleandGeorge · 25/10/2023 19:41

I guess it depends on the child but many of them need a break more than they need to be doing extra in school. Year 11 is very pressurised and it’s very early in the year.

Needmorelego · 25/10/2023 19:39

@NeverDropYourMooncup but surely there's only so many times they can go over and over the same work again? They won't be learning anything new. The constant "revision" is what turns many Year 11s into zombies. They need a break.

Poke · 25/10/2023 19:21

My year 11 child is going in for a day.

I don’t normally agree to extra school work, but GCSE year is important. Only 7/8 months left! 😬

NeverDropYourMooncup · 25/10/2023 19:14

Needmorelego · 25/10/2023 18:56

@NeverDropYourMooncup a lot of families use half term to visit family in other parts of the country. It's not that parents "can't be bothered" to send their teens in it's just half term breaks are the only time you can do these things.

The OP isn't saying 'we're 200 miles away visiting my 98 year old grandmother' though. Her DC is saying it's a waste of time and nobody wants to do it. Which is completely different.

Parker231 · 25/10/2023 18:59

Needmorelego · 25/10/2023 18:56

@NeverDropYourMooncup a lot of families use half term to visit family in other parts of the country. It's not that parents "can't be bothered" to send their teens in it's just half term breaks are the only time you can do these things.

That was us - our families don’t live in the uk so school holidays were precious opportunities to travel to see them.

Needmorelego · 25/10/2023 18:56

@NeverDropYourMooncup a lot of families use half term to visit family in other parts of the country. It's not that parents "can't be bothered" to send their teens in it's just half term breaks are the only time you can do these things.

EarthlyNightshade · 25/10/2023 18:56

Ours had after school sessions every day from September, but no holidays in school until Easter. Not compulsory but were well attended.

Needmorelego · 25/10/2023 18:54

When I was in secondary school I remember being annoyed at being given homework to do during half terms.
I remember having a discussion with a teacher once along the line of if they wanted us to do work why don't they just not have half term and give us an extra week holiday at Christmas and a couple of extra weeks in the summer.
I find it odd to give children a week holiday and then expect them to go to school or be doing loads of work.
It's a holiday. If an adult has a week off work they have....well....a week off work.
@Ohgetreal I think your child should have a break from school work and use half term to actually do something that interests them.

Spacecowboys · 25/10/2023 18:51

No our year 11 hasn’t been asked to go in , if school were offering sessions he would have gone to them though. He has been set a lot of homework for the half term.

Original poster
Ohgetreal · 25/10/2023 18:45

NeverDropYourMooncup · 25/10/2023 18:41

We've had some in.

It's a shame when funds are spent and people give up their half term (as it won't be just one person on site) to facilitate opportunities, only for kids or their parents to decide it's not worth the bother.

Well yes, quite.

How do you get this across to a teenager who thinks they know everything?

OP posts:
Parker231 · 25/10/2023 18:42

They need a break - no revision over holidays (we were always away so couldn’t have attended anyway).

NeverDropYourMooncup · 25/10/2023 18:41

We've had some in.

It's a shame when funds are spent and people give up their half term (as it won't be just one person on site) to facilitate opportunities, only for kids or their parents to decide it's not worth the bother.

clarepetal · 25/10/2023 18:40

I know the school I work for does in some holidays for revision. I know it's annoying but it is a good opportunity for them. It's only a short period in their lives to sacrifice their social lives!