Going away during GCSE exams

[changedmyname24]

Would you allow your DC to go away for the weekend during GCSE exams, for something they desperately want to do & may not get the chance to do again. Would be on weekend 2 of 3 weeks of exams.

Said child is very bright & got nothing below a 4 in Year 10 exams, also got 2 8s & 2 9s (taking 11 subjects). Is capable of 9s in most subjects (except about 4 of them). School report indicated areas of concern in 2 subjects re independent learning (teacher feels lack of effort).

One parent is ok with this, the other is not.

Well then . maybe the lad should just not bother with any of his GCSEs then

I think some posters live in some kind of time warp when GCSEs weren't as important as they are today.

I vividly remember DD sitting her GCSEs 8 years ago, and they were as important then as they are for 16 year olds today. Her A* in maths helped her gain her university place.

DD did her GCSEs last year and while we pulled her away from the books at the weekend, going abroad is not the same as a trip to a theme park.

she needed 6-7s in one 6th form, 6a on another so good grades are importantly as the next step. Her 6th form was heavily oversubscribed so not a lot of leeway for lower grades.

Yep that exactly. Definitely balance work and play by doing some fun things from home but going abroad is nuts.

we are in wales and the WJEC have published a provisional 2025 exam timetable. obviously it is open to being changed at any point so I wouldn't rely on it if planning something on non exam days etc

No, not something I would even consider.

Big no from me. Results don't look nailed on. GCSEs are fierce & there'll be distraction before and after because of the event. Needs focus.

Absolutely not in another country.

Too much risk of actually missing the exam/getting stuck in France. ATC strike/volcano/whatever and then you miss a week of GCSEs.

And you wouldn’t get special consideration for it.

And that’s ignoring lack of revision opportunities.

Talk about drip feed. Go in November!

@BaconMassive - If those two exams are core subjects, or subjects he’d like to study at A level /University, then missing the stepping stone by a bit could be catastrophic.

once you’ve nailed your GCSEs and stepped on to the next thing, then they don’t really matter, but if you fail to step onto the next step, they are a hindrance.

worse case scenario is an only just pass - few schools/colleges will let you resit a GCSE you have passed, but only at a 4/5. If you haven’t got a 6 (or higher in some selective schools) in a particular subject, you can’t do it at A level. Some universities won’t offer a place to someone who’s only got a 6 in a subject at GCSE even if they are predicted A/A* in that subject at Alevel, unless there’s a good reason for the low gcse and “I went to france the weekend before then got stuck due to a strike and didn’t get home until 2am before the exam in the morning” isn’t a good reason.

Not when he has two exams the next day. This is really foolish. Any student no matter how good they are needs to revise the weekend before.

Tell him he go on his own in November.

OP - I would say that the only option is November. So options are you go with him, or his dad tries to get the day off work, or they drive back and take an overnight ferry etc. but June isn’t an option.

Is the event this November or the following November ?

I would definitely see what you can do to facilitate your DS going in the November . If it's November 2025 - could he go with a friend ?

I assume this is for a concert or sports event kind of thing. It would be no from me during the exams. With France it can be risky with strikes etc and that will be peak holiday time and things like strikes normally occur then.

I would consider November. Could his df take time off to take him if you work term time or does he have an uncle, aunt, cousin, trusted family friend who could go with him in November.

Missing the point of the thread, but if your DH is not allowed term time holidays, then how come he can go in June?

Depends where, big country! Within a 2 hour drive of Calais is quite different to flying to Marseille.

If Paris or north i would say yes but book flights/train for 11am no later so home by early afternoon

Hell no. What if there are hackers/strikes/electricity failures/sabotage and he gets delayed by 24 hours or so? Which is not unlikely these days, is it? Even if he got back just in time, that's so stressful.

He'll need to be revising anyway. GCSEs are pretty brutal. A levels and Uni exams are at least over quicker and only in subjects they're interested in. I'm glad I have no more children to encourage through GCSEs!

My youngest was supposed to go away on a Scouting outdoor activity weekend in the first May bank holiday before GCSEs started and, the week before, asked not to go. We'd all thought that date would be fine, a nice break, but it turned out to be another stress. Clear the decks, really.

Ok - to put a stop to the Marpling 😁 It's a concert. A French band (DS is passionate about French music & TV) who are touring but only have 8 dates all together. 1 in Canada, 1 in USA, 1 in London which would have been perfect but no under 16 & DS will be 15.11 🙄 Then 5 in France - 2 Friday, 2 Sunday, 1 Saturday.

The Fridays are 8pm. DH finishes work at 6.30pm, non-negotiable & can't take time off. Works at a University hence term time. June is a Saturday which is why he can go then. He starts work at 8am, non-negotiable & it's physical & if done tired could be very dangerous.

One Sunday night is in south of France & too far to get there & back with time constraints. Other Sunday night they might be able to make work- starts at 6pm, venue 4 hours from Calais. But it would be tight, mean Eurotunnel at I think 3am then home 2 hours before school/work, if roads are kind.

I personally think it's too much, but DH is fine with taking him during exams & it's causing massive arguments & DS can see we are not United on it.

November event is this year btw.

What you can see is the dates of this year's exams, next year's exam timetable won't be released until (based on DD's GCSE's and A levels) Feb next year so you've no way of knowing really.

However - to answer the question about whether I'd do this, the answer is yes and we did. Download falls right in the middle of exams and we went the year DD did her GCSE's but we had the advantage of being able to book once the timetable came out. So exam on the Fri morning, picked DD straight up from school, drove down and were in the arena by mid-afternoon. Exam on the Mon morning so missed the last 2 bands on the Sunday and home by 7pm ready for the next day, if there hadn't been an exam the Monday we'd have stayed and drive back first thing. DD got all GCSE's at 7 and above so no harm done.This year for A levels it was a complete no no as - IMHO - they're way more important than GCSE's and DD had 3 exams the week after on Mon/Tues/Thurs.

Big difference between our situation and yours I suppose is the distance required to travel back and risk of delays if there is an exam on the Monday. Is there the possibility that you can wait to book until the timetable comes out?

Next year's exam dates are out (I plan my course around them) but they are technically provisional.

So he’d be travelling back Sunday night/Monday morning. No, no, no!

For the November event. June is on Saturday so travelling back daytime Sunday, but 2 exams following day.

You are in a difficult situation Op. Basically the position of 'bad guy', despite having best interests at heart.

GCSE's are a long slog, especially if they are doing maths/science which tend to go on until the end.

Having been through it a few times in recent years with our kids and their friends, as happy and healthy as possible is the way to get them through. Having something to look forward to and motivation to get work done in good time is important. Boys of that age have been known to be difficult to motivate - news to you I'm sure 🤔😂. It is great to have a passion and if it provides self motivation to get work out of the way early, I'd be inclined to book June (if the costs were reasonable) on the firm understanding that if travel disruption looks likely near the time, then the sensible opt-out option needs to prevail - it is a risk, but hopefully one that won't materialise.

Perhaps the bigger risk is that he may outgrow the band by next year? But your DH sounds keen and could take someone else if it comes to it.