to think these GCSE revision sessions are a bit of a pain in the arse.

[AtYourCervix]

Obviously not a bad thing overall, but science and english are being held at the same time. So the kid that is going to flunk both has to choose which revision session to go to.
Humph.

But if you are head of department, and students do not meet their targets, your head in on the line.

Over a barrel? Yep.

I do have to do those sessions because the parents and children have been told. After the department agreed that they would staff two after school sessions each and I would do all of the lunchtime ones. If any of the staff had said they were unwilling then I would have just offered for my own classes.

I do not pressure my staff, but I do expect them to do what they say.

We do after school sessions for year elevens, plus Saturday mornings, and we have to do two days in the Easter holidays too. There may well be a choice of sessions to attend.

There are no SLT present on a Saturday morning at my school. I wish there were!

Spare a thought for the schmuk who has to pick them up next too!

If they get D in English and Maths I have to get them through Functional Skills - or a GCSE. But if they have been supported, scaffolded, hothoused and crammed over the last 5 years to get that D grade how the hell do I get them to better it with only one single hour a week, an expectation that they will do some work outsife the class (in my dreams) and no extra support, all in less than a year? Especially when they came to do something exciting, like horses, sport, plumbing etc.

Alternatively they come to me for an A level subject.... and they can't organise their own time, won't read for information, scream 'why don't you just tell me the answer?' and generally find the transition really traumatic - as do I!

Kids do not need revision sessions. Schools and teachers need permission to teach. As parents you can tell the Goviots that! As a teacher I can't, I'll just be told that if I can't stand the heat.....

I am offering 2 full days in the Easter holidays and will, no doubt, have parents on here moaning that I am cutting into their child's holiday. But the exams (Scotland) are 2 weeks earlier this year with no warning (CfE -don't get me started) so it is the only way really.

My DC and I were really grateful to all the teachers who put on the revision classes when they did GCSEs. They went to every one they could, even the ones in the holidays. They found them incredibly useful.

To all you teachers who do them, thanks!