Should I not book a family holiday in GCSE year?

We haven’t done anything in year 11 apart from a weekend away in the October half term. DS wouldn’t have wanted to and it would have increased his levels of stress.

teachers have put in extra lessons in holidays since the end of the Christmas holidays so he’s had a couple of days in school for each holiday. We are just saving it for after.

We had a few days away in Feb half term, but decided Easter or May half term weren’t a good idea in Y11.

We have younger kids too, so I took the younger ones away on holiday at Easter and left the Y11 at home with DH to get some peace and quiet and concentrate on revision.

Then DH took Y11 away at the beginning of July for a holiday just the two of them.

It actually worked brilliantly, they really appreciated having their own holiday where they could choose the destination (within reason) and didn’t have to compromise on what their siblings wanted to do.

We plan to do the same again with the younger ones when they are in Y11/Y13

We went away on 20th June the year dd2 took GCSE’s because dd1 finished a levels by chance the same day

Long weekend is ok but not the full Easter holidays. October is better probably but weather wherever you are going will be different in October to April

Don't plan a big holiday between September of year 11 and GCSE exams. Yes they need breaks from work/revision, and a week away might be just the ticket, but you need to be happy doing what you daughter needs at the time.

Spring half term - we just had a full week away. Mocks had just finished and a restful week was the best use of that time.

Easter break - fine to use up to half of the break for your holiday - having ensured your teen is onboard with the rest of the break being for revision. Factor in jet-lag recovery time as part of the non-revision time if travelling far.

Summer half term - it will depend on which subject options your Teen is taking. Some students are nearly finished by then and could have a short break.

The GCSE exams are normally completely over by the end of June so you can get away with a cheap holiday before the official end of term in July.

We went away at Oct half term (we get 2 weeks, so it used up 1 of those 2), and Feb half term skiing. Mocks were in January. Going away at Easter apart from a long weekend (maybe) is unfair to your child imho.

The Easter half terms are often full of additional classes and taking your kid away in the May holiday, wedged between GCSEs on either side, is far too risky - beyond the fuss and disruption - you are only one plane delay from fucking up your kids education.

They finish GCSE mid June so could you go early after they're done? Mine finish 17th. My DC had exams just before Oct half term and then just before Feb half term so actually those wouldn't have been too bad but it depends on the school.

Agree Monday. Unless your child is a rare genius the grades reflect efffort. Dd1 got all 8s and 9s her holidaying friends did not. Dd2 has 4 gcses this week so still right in middle of it!

Dd went on an amazing trip with another family Oct half term. There were mocks after the half term so she probably shouldnt have gone but she had a fabulous time and got away with it. . Christmas would have been fine to go away not that we did.

But Feb half term both mine had “locked in” and genuinely would not have wanted fo go away as not in that head space. They had the odd day off but they mainly worked and saw pals as downtime.

Well deserved holiday booked shortly after prom early July.

My DD said no to holidays all year, and most certainly not at Easter. Depends when mocks are for the October half term if you are determined to go. My DS would not have minded, but that’s the difference between someone who got 3/4/5s and someone who got 8/9s.

It's tricky because they put on revision classes during holidayd and they are really helpful. Book it for after

Depends on the individual though. Maybe some are better at pacing themselves?

Mine too, during the gcse years and 6th form.
we had great hols in the summer. and something in the oct and feb half terms. Perhaps a few days in the U.K. at Easter but certainly not a big foreign holiday, and not the May half term.

I should add that I’m my child’s secondary Headteacher as well as Mum. These year 11s are exhausted. A break from the relentless revision slog is much-needed - for them as well as us parents.

One thing we’ve learned from this year (child in Year 11) is that May half-term, when they’re smack bang in the middle of the exams and you think it’s great that they’ll have a full week to revise ready for the second round, they’re actually exhausted and need a break. With hindsight, we’d have gone away just for a couple of days the week before last just to get a break and a change of scenery. It’s been one long slog since January and the end is in sight, but a break would have done us all good. Easter of Year 11? Absolutely no way. Half-term or Christmas - potentially, depending on when mocks are.

Lovely article from the Times on this subject- I think a change of scenery can be good for everyone. Year 11 is such a slog. https://www.thetimes.com/article/30287562-2abd-4cb0-9c23-8e817f026efe?shareToken=bbcba4436b3d2403c216cceed3ea903c

Hmm be careful of booking. My friend booked a few nights at Easter before her dds gcses and ended up cancelling last minute and losing her money as the trip was stressing out her already anxious Dd.

We normally go away in either Easter or May half term but next year (yr 11) we are not going away until summer. I’m toying with a few nights away over Easter itself as a break from revision but haven’t decided yet and it definitely won’t be more than 2/3 nights.

Not Easter of year 11; we usually ski at Easter but went Feb half term instead that year. We’ve done a long weekend for Easter and May BH to give them a bit of a break. October half term and Christmas might be tricky depending on how your school does mocks.

Mine would have refused to go away in May half term smack in the middle of exams even if we wanted to. Poor kid revising on plane etc. You can go on holiday anytime why choose then?

Sorry but going away May half term during gcses is madness. Wouldn’t go away at Easter either. Why on earth would you?

I wouldn't go away I'm Easter or May half term for y11 or y13.

I might not even go away for those in y12 depending when their exams were because these are the exams which often form the basis upon which predicted grades for UCAS applications are based.

2 weeks at Easter is out I think personally. A week away over one half term would be ok. My DS was away October half term and it wasn’t great but he had a lot to do. Depends a bit on the child. If you have a consistent worker, dilligent, more flexibility. As pp said find out when mocks are