GCSEs and holiday 2023

[LayeringUp]

DS is Y11 and will do GCSEs next year. I've been looking at holidays and wondering if we would be OK to book a holiday for very end of June/early July as it would be the cheapest family holiday we'd have had in years. Nearly 3k cheaper than when school hols start!
I rang school to ask about dates and they just told me that they don't know yet.
Have found provisional dates for GCSE 2023 online and looks like they would be well finished by around 20th June for DS.
Just wondered how reliable these dates are likely to be.
Any teachers who can confirm usual dates or parents whose DC sat exams last year?

The provisional timetables are out and I cannot imagine they will change a lot (secondary teacher here). I would avoid June just in case but all the exams should be done by July.

Now they have been published they are likely to be OK.
But

• there is always an emergency date at the end you should stick round for
• we don't know if the coronation will impact anything
• there may be prom
• there may be 6th form taster days
• official school leaving date is usually last Friday in June iirc
• if school has a 6th form they may want them back in to start bridging work (less likely but possible)

Proms too - often happen after exams

@PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister Thank you.
It's not much more expensive for 1st July so I'll look at that.
Making the most of it as 6th Form means back to school hols year after 🙄

@TeenDivided school doesn't do a prom but rest all good points I hadn't thought about...

Our local large college has its taster days 29&30 June next year.

You should be safe for first week in July. Provisional timetables are now out and although they might still change slightly i don't think it will be much.

I work as an Exams Administrator at a Sixth Form College (so mostly A levels) and our last exam is something like the 26th June. There is also a Contingency Day on 28th June (set by the Exam Boards not us). I am telling our parents not to book anything before that date. I think GCSE's finish a little earlier than A levels but don't know if the contingency days applies to all levels. The Exams Team at your school should be able to advise.

All exam boards have provisional timetables available - just Google them.

As I said I work in Exams and I've confidently booked a holiday for 1st week in July!!!

My daughter’s school told those attending the sixth form that they had to go in for 2 weeks after the exams finished. Until about 10 July I think. They ended up being really good as the children could test different subjects to see what they wanted to opt for in 6th form. We didn’t know this until towards the end of the school year.

My son had a contingency day of 28th June for GCSEs last year (set by the exam boards)