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Original poster

GCSE and A Levels - exams same time?

63 replies

ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 18:18

Hello

New here and perhaps should have been here earlier!!!!! DS is y10 and DD y12.
perhaps I should have spaced them out a bit more but next year they will be taking GCSE / A levels at the same time?😱

are GCSEs held first then A Levels or vice versa? Or could they be same time? how does the timings work?

They are at different school / sixth form respectively.

DS just last week finished his y10 school set tests (at his school getting a 7 in maths and each individual science will determine if can do individual sciences next year).

DD started yr 12 exams (AS I think) yesterday carrying on into next week.

Anyone else had this and Any tips too for coping with two teenagers taking key exams roughly at same time?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 15/05/2024 22:29

clary · 15/05/2024 20:16

Is your older dc actually sitting AS exams @ThisPerkySloth as that's pretty unusual now, apart from IME HE students who are sitting international exams?

Our grammars still do AS levels.

clary · 15/05/2024 20:16

Is your older dc actually sitting AS exams @ThisPerkySloth as that's pretty unusual now, apart from IME HE students who are sitting international exams?

Ioverslept · 15/05/2024 17:55

Sorry I misread, so AS this year and GCSE plus A Levels next year so 2 summers in a row. Well, it's life, you will all be fine!

Ioverslept · 15/05/2024 17:52

A 2 year gap between siblings is very common, therefore so is your situation. Exams overlap and regardless of what school they attend, exams on each subject are at the same time (I think across exam boards too) unless there is a clash and there are special arrangements for students affected. In a way it could work in your favour, have both kids studying at the same time and going through the same in a shorter period of time, then it's over and done with. A bit like having twins I suppose! It could be worse to have two summer in a row spoiled by exams or having one child that has to study and other one can be having fun... Good luck to them in their exams!

Stoufer · 15/05/2024 17:45

I always thought a two year gap would be awful for this reason (exams at same time), but I have come to realise that having external exams in the house (whatever stage) is awful anyway… we have a 3 (academic) years gap, so it has been a relentless year after year after year after year of important exams - I want a year off!!

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 15/05/2024 17:43

Examexsham · 15/05/2024 07:09

I've twins coming up, too. So A-levels and 2x GCSEs next time. And I know what's coming ... 🤯

Show quote history

@Examexsham i getting off lightly then in comparison 😱

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Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 15/05/2024 17:40

@Notellinganyone thanks, I’m hoping DS finishes first as I fully see DD being disruptive/ loud at home when DS trying to revise. Or I pay her to stay out the house 🤔

OP posts:
Notellinganyone · 15/05/2024 07:52

Yup - lots of overlap. You have my sympathies. Start and end dates depend on subject choice so some students, particularly at A level might finish significantly earlier/later than others in their cohort.

AuntieMarys · 15/05/2024 07:41

Mine did them at same time. Just got on with it!!!
Then one went to Reading Festival and one to Disney land Paris

EasilyDeterred · 15/05/2024 07:37

RookieMa · 15/05/2024 00:53

A levels have just started but I'm not sure how long they last tbh

My DC’s last one is 19 June

Shinyandnew1 · 15/05/2024 07:11

NeverDropYourMooncup · 14/05/2024 19:19

Buy plenty of snacks. And noise cancelling headphones for everybody.

On the bright side, once it's done, it's done and you'll be out of the woods, never having to worry about both of them taking exams at once again!

Not necessarily, mine are now at university and both have exams at exactly the same time again!

Examexsham · 15/05/2024 07:09

ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:15

@Examexsham better to know what I’m in for, and I appreciate everyone who’s replied for taking the time to give advise / share experience👍

I've twins coming up, too. So A-levels and 2x GCSEs next time. And I know what's coming ... 🤯

RookieMa · 15/05/2024 00:53

A levels have just started but I'm not sure how long they last tbh

ouch44 · 15/05/2024 00:14

CointreauVersial · 14/05/2024 22:32

I had three doing exams at the same time. DS is a year above DD1, but had to repeat lower 6th, so they ended up both doing A levels at the same time as DD2 had GCSEs. That summer nearly killed me!

On a positive note, they were all done by the end of June, so we were able to take a big family holiday before peak season prices kicked in.

Oh my word! I do not envy you! We are having a big holiday when my DC are finished with A levels and GCSEs but only just getting away before mid July because DS is going on holiday with friends.

ouch44 · 15/05/2024 00:11

@ThisPerkySloth it's definitely a busy year. My advice if your DC are planning on going to Uni and/or learning to drive: start doing open days early, if they are undecided go to any subject talks they are interested in at your nearest Uni as it will help them decide. Re learning to drive book theory as soon as 17 and then when they pass that book actual test because it takes forever to get a date. Having a driving test in March when you have mocks is not the best timing! 😬

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:15

@Examexsham better to know what I’m in for, and I appreciate everyone who’s replied for taking the time to give advise / share experience👍

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:12

@BrieAndChilli so I was thinking it would be tough but looks like lots like yourself have it a lot tougher. 😱 DS got on with his revision, DS started a bit late but we’ll see. Whoever said it gets easier was lying. I just want to do my bit for them ❤️

OP posts:
Examexsham · 14/05/2024 23:11

It's a nightmare. Sorry. You did ask.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:05

@CointreauVersial yes there is that silver lining over in one go and go on hols ealry, but three… that’s challenging. 👍

OP posts:
Londonloubelia · 14/05/2024 22:45

A levels can be spaced out depending on subject choices and exam boards, but, like I have found one child doing 3 subjects has 5 A level exams in the 1st week, one a day, then their combination of subjects means 2 days with 2 exams each day. The pattern of exams shifts each year.

BrieAndChilli · 14/05/2024 22:44

I worked out I will have 7 years of someone doing exams.

DS1 is in year 12 so doing some A-level exams this year (having done GCSE exams the past 2 years
DD is in year 11 so doing the rest of her GCSEs

next year will be both doing A-level exams. Then the following year DD doing A-levels and DS2 doing year 10 GcSEs followed by yr 11, 12 and 13!!!

i did a big snack shop today. Luckily mine don’t seem to get too stressed and have been revising for a while

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:37

@PenPotter looks like there will always be some overlap somewhere then but that will certainly help with A levels being spaced out, DD is only doing three A levels. I think DS is doing 10 GCSEs I’ve lost count. 👍

OP posts:
crazycrofter · 14/05/2024 22:35

It wasn’t too bad for us because at least they were both in revision mode rather than one if them being noisy/staying up later etc and distracting the other!

The main stress for us was that they went to schools quite some way in different directions. Dd got a 40 min train which was fine (until.. train strikes!) but ds had a long journey with a change . I didn’t want him to risk being late due to one or other bus letting him down, so I committed to drive him every day. We only have one car and I was really stressed that there’s be a train strike the day they both had exams.. (no decent bus options for dd). In hindsight she could have got an Uber but in the end they trains only let us down once and ds didn’t have an exam that day.

CointreauVersial · 14/05/2024 22:32

I had three doing exams at the same time. DS is a year above DD1, but had to repeat lower 6th, so they ended up both doing A levels at the same time as DD2 had GCSEs. That summer nearly killed me!

On a positive note, they were all done by the end of June, so we were able to take a big family holiday before peak season prices kicked in.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:30

clary · 14/05/2024 21:05

Yes as eveyone says, they will overlap.

Obvs A level student has fewer exams - one year 13 I know doesn't even start until about 5 June and has nine exams in total - whereas GCSE as you will know @ThisPerkySloth can be anything from 20+ exams. But yes, chances are they will both be in exams together.

I had this with DD and DS2 (DS1 didn't sit A levels) and it was stressful; DD was overwhelmed with it all and even laid-back DS2 had had enough by about the fourth week of exams.

Second massive snack buying; and just be on hand to help if needed - whether with questions, revising past papers or even expert knowledge (if you have it - DD took A level French which is one of my subjects). But actually I never was asked to help much. More about being a listening ear - sometimes your exam student just wants to rant. And who better than Mum?

Best of luck to all exam candidates this summer and next.

@clary thank you for all that advise much appreciated as are all the other responses - so that’s just be there ready and waiting when they need /want you, and just listen whenever required, buy tonnes of snacks, and provide whatever materials they need! 👍

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