For those who have kids doing GCSEs, are you giving them a gift when they finish?

[JenniferEckles]

Festival ticket, bag of sweets, holiday in the sun, family dinner out, new Range Rover, kick up the arse to get a job...

My first of three kids is just about to finish and I wanted to do something for/with him to celebrate but I'm not sure where to pitch it (it won't be a RR, that's for sure 🤣).

What's everyone planning?

The pizza would be on last day of exams. I don't reward for results; the results are earned for them.

In the half term between exams we went for a night away and nice meal - her choice. We also got her an additional gift when there, unplanned.

It was to reward her effort and resilience during the exams.

We didn't want to wait for results day and just be rewarding grades, so it felt better - for us - to reward effort at the time of the exams instead.

DD had her 16th birthday after her GCSEs, so we had a joint birthday/post GCSE holiday to Florida.

Few years back, I paid for DD1s nails to be done for prom as a surprise, and we had a meal out.

I also struggle with the payment by grade thing tho I do understand that it can help those who are bright but lack motivation.

But some children are simply not academic and won't get near a 9 no matter how hard they work so it feels a bit unfair in groups of friends to me. But each to their own.

DD was last year. She had prom and then went away on her own with friends for a few days as one of them has a holiday home in the UK. And we also bought Taylor Swift tickets but that was really unconnected to GCSEs.

On results day I sent her some money that wasn't calculated to specific grades and was to recognise her hard work. Her dad sent her some money as well.

We did mocktails/cocktails and meal out at favourite tapas bar as mine finished a levels and GCSEs on the same day

Taking DS to Barcelona for a few days after prom. I was thinking of giving him some money after physics to go out to lunch with his friends, but I may get him his favourite takeaway too.

I plan to take DD out for lunch at a local Japanese restaurant, not expensive.

We'll give her some money when she gets her results, no matter what they are.

DD is in year 9 and desperate to go to Iceland so we'll be going the summer she finishes GCSEs as that's how long it'll take me to save up and pairing it as a celebration for the end of school is just a nice fit.

DS is out with his friends on Friday (tradition to go to the beach on the last day of the year).
He and I are getting posh burgers on Sunday as DH is away. We will have a celebration/ Father's Day meal when he is back.
Family term time holiday first 2 weeks in July.
He will be 16 at the end of July.
Day ticket for the Friday of Leeds festival (day after results day- yikes).
I have no plans other than that, but I would like him to get a job!

I agree with no reward for results. Rewarding effort is far more important.

We did cash. £50 for meeting target grade, £100 for exceeding, £25 for missing it. They didn't know the amounts when taking the exams but it kept them motivated during revision. Don't care what others think. Only you know your own children

To be fair it's not always easy to assess effort without results. I think families can do what works for them.

I agree with this. My child with SEND was thrilled to get rewarded for achieving grades - never got any form of recognition in school for academic stuff so was great. We started with passes and then small increments not some weird tiger parent thing people seem to assume.

We're off on our first beach holiday abroad ever (with DS anyway) in early July. He has chosen the destination and itinerary. I've bought him some new clothes and holiday bits which I'm going to give him at the end of the exams and we'll probably get a takeaway.

I'm still debating cash for grades on results day. I would like to do something to reward him but I'm not sure what.

Different things work for different children and you seem to have got it just right. My problem (as a granny, not that it makes any difference really) is that I have one high achiever who works hard and enjoys school work and the second one who doesn't but works even harder to possibly achieve lower grades (their last exam is Friday). And me? I work hard to appear scrupulously fair!

@Lifestooshort71 yes it's really tricky being fair and appearing to be fair. I think as a granny I'd do the same amount/reward/activity for them all tbh. As a parent I think you can get away with a bit more nuance maybe?

Nah! The reward is not hearing me ask every day if they've done any past papers!

I buy my dd lots of little gifts anyway and obviously covered all the prom stuff, which has been quite expensive.

Will give her some money when the results come out - either as congratulations or commiserations!

Was this with you or with friends?

We'll be taking DS and his girlfriend out for a meal at some point...still not quite sure when as DS may be doing stuff with friends on Friday night, his girlfriend may be busy at the weekend - trying to pin teenagers down to make plans is like juggling jelly!

There'll be no cash for grades but we'll probably do another meal out or a takeaway or BBQ to celebrate results too, whatever they are.

We're doing Year 10 mocks here. We reward effort, rather than attainment. If my DC has got 5 grade 2s they will still have done the best they can. We're funding a trip go-karting because of how hard they worked at their mocks.

My mother awarded for attainment, so I got more for my exam results than a silghtly underperforming sibling. It was hugely devisive and not something I'd ever consider doing myself.

Serious reward for results at play in this house. He knows the deal.
After exams probably a meal of his choice but nothings big. He gets his freedom back and probably a list of chores for the very long summer holidays! Or he could look for a job before 6th form!

One went with just me, the younger one last year went with her Dad.

Mine will do it next year and I think we will take a holiday in the sun when he finishes. I invigilate exams on a casual basis and one of my 1-1 students told me his parents were taking him and his twin on a long cruise. I love the idea of that.

This is so lovely!