..to think that the school is wrong about study leave?

[gov]

I have twins doing GCSEs starting on the 14th May. I fully expected them to go onto study leave next Friday, and only be required in school when they have exams (as was the case with their older brother) but it turns out that they are expected to be in school every day, and in lessons if they are not in exams right until half term starting Friday 25th. DS has 14 exams in these 2 weeks - and he needs peace & quiet between the exams to prep for the next ones (DD less exams, and probably better prepared). AIBU thinking that the school is wrong to not give them study leave? What are other schools doing? Two other local schools that I have heard of - one starts study leave today, one next Friday.

I'm thinking that our school is doing it to keep their attendance stats higher - and that it isn't in the kids best interest.

I wish our year 11s would go on study leave! It’s probably for the best for the majority but I think those who want to study and those who just hate school by now and are causing loads of problems atm would be better off at home

I've allowed my son the last 3 days off to study at home as he's very self motivated and they've finished the courses.

@Enidblyton1- it doesn't impact on attendance. It's about results.

I had study leave way back a million years ago when I did my GCSEs. I did zero studying. I watched telly. I would of prefered to be at school. Plus I always thought it showed that school really was just about the exams and nothing else. Like absolutely nothing else in life was important. Exams were done with early in June but the school year finishes in July. Wouldn't it be lovely if those last few weeks teens could be at school doing something fun - daft art projects, massive class vs class frisbie game, a day out to a nearby fun place (beach, leisure pool, country park), doing a bit of community work - even groups working as a team helping with end of year school things like doing a library sort out. I would of loved that at 16. The end of school being a fun, happy, relaxing time. Spending time with people soon going their separate ways. But no. 11 years of school comes down to one thing. Exams. And that's it. What a shame.

DS didn't finish until May half term when he did his GCSE's. After that he only went in for exams or specific revision sessions. Both the local schools here used to operate that way. One of the schools then changed it so that their students had to go in after half term and attend any lessons for which they still had to sit exams - so they didn't actually finish until they had their last exam.

Thank you for your help - it does sounds as if no study leave is more common than I thought. My eldest DS had to apply for it, and the school said that it would be authorised for only a small number of students (although it actually was quite a lot who had it authorised in the end). This seemed like a good system to me, but the school have stopped doing it. My kids are pretty motivated, good students. I guess we'll see how things go, and they can have some sickies if that's what they prefer at the time.

@gov - no study leave is common practice in schools now, it does improve results.
Good luck to your twins, and they could always have a sick day or two!

My dd's school year doesn't leave until the very last exam. Most schools in our area are the same.

I work in a school (not teaching) and our pupils stay. It's much better, they are made to revise and concentrate and any lessons are revision ones to keep them on track.
When they go home not much study is done; they also get out of a routine and parents allow them to stay in bed half the morning etc. This means they aren't used to getting up early and the days they have to - for the exam - they are overtired and don't concentrate as well.
It really is the best way....

I loved study leave. Did maybe 30 minutes of revision in total. It was an awesome extended summer break really.

This sounds like a good idea to me. Although it was a long time ago that I had study leave, I know for certain I would have got a lot more done at school. I was useless at home with the TV, the fridge and the opportunity for a quick nap all so enticing.

At my school the kids don’t get any study leave at all. They’ll be in school full time until the 15th June when they sit their final science exam. The day before each core exam we do a double booster lesson and exam walkthrough, to give them confidence.
If they had study leave, 80% of y11 would be down the park drinking and likely smoking weed. I’d rather them sober and in my classroom the day before their exam!

My school scrapped study leave about 6 years ago, possibly 7. As others have said for some students it ensures they are still in the correct frame of mind as they prepare for the exams, even those who don't want to be there initially do find it beneficial. I was sceptical when we started it but it really does work for the majority of students.

I think YABU.
It is FAR better that the vast majority of dc - I'm sure there will always be an exception, but we are talking 15 and 16 yr olds here - go to school. They will get FAR more work done, by getting up and getting in to school to have to do 6hrs revision, than they will by staying at home / staying in bed / surfing the net / playing X-boxes / watching TV etc.etc.
I for one am very glad that schools changed to this (some years ago now).

Study leave massively disadvantages any child who doesn't have a home environment suitable for studying. We have many many year 11s whose parents have issues of various kinds, meaning they are better off at school. We are even opening on a Saturday morning so they can come in and use the facilities if they want a quiet environment to work. Plenty of time for independent revision in the evenings and at weekends!

I was a very good student and I still spent vast amounts of study leave procrastinating. I’ve always worked in schools which have still had it, but I’m sure for the vast majority it is better to stay in school (though not in all teacher led lessons). School I’m in at the moment has already started it for GCSE which I do think is way too early.

Same with DDs school. They also seem to have a bloody great coyntdown on the wall and when they login to the school computers. Talk about ramping up the pressure. Is this conmon in other schools too?

It is in the kids vest interest. The majority of teenagers either won't study, or the study the do is highly inefficient. Teachers are there get your DCs to make use of their knowledge

I work in a secondary school that did away with study leave a couple of years ago. Initially, I was against it but I'm convinced it's the right decision and I can see more schools going the same way as it does have a positive impact on results. It's nothing to do with attendance figures as study leave doesn't impact them anyway.

The thing about study leave is it only benefits students who are academically bright, find it easy to work independently and have stable home lives with engaged and supportive parents. But those are the kids who will do well regardless. Kids who come from chaotic or unsupportive home environments or who struggle to work independently because of SEN are already at a significant disadvantage, so keeping them in school where they can access support (emotional support as well as help with revision) is an attempt to even the playing field.
We have kids who come back after every school holiday having visibly lost weight. We can't change their shitty home lives but at least if they're in school we can make sure they're fed and watered instead of going into their exams hungry.

My school never did study leave and that was 10 years ago!

We had to be in lessons until we sat the exam for that subject and then we didn't have to turn up for that lesson but we still had to be in tutor time every morning and afternoon until after our last exam.

Some people seem to suggest that schools don't give study leave so they can help those from deprived backgrounds who might find it hard to study at home. However, it seems schools don't give it because they believe most students can't or won't study effectively at home.

I wonder 2 things - firstly how far is this a self fulfilling prophecy - that when everything is laid on and they don't have to even consider what they should revise today or how they might do it, that they just cease to take responsibility for their own learning - if they do well or don't do well - how can it be their fault if they didn't play a role in it and the teacher did it all for them?

My 2nd query is when exactly should they revise themselves? IS A Level the right time? Some schools don't give study leave to 18 year olds now, saying they won't prepare effectively and do something similar to we have read about on here. Those kids start Uni never having prepared themselves for exams and not really knowing how to do it. Is Uni the righ time or should the tutors also be running revision sessions and providing revision materials?

Personally I think some study leave time is really important - there can be support available within school for those who need it, but students need to given some responsibility for the last phase or part of the revision phase - they are 16 after all.

What is all this independent learning and 'learning to learn' if even by 18 schools don't believe students have the skills or capability to do the last phase of revision?

God I loved study leave. But then I was an academic self motivated student who drew myself up a revision timetable and actually stuck to it. I can see it doesn’t work so well for the majority!

ChocolateWombat

Most 15 / 16yr olds are not at that emotional development though. There is still plenty of time that is free for students to choose to study or not to - every evening, every weekend, all through the holidays. This just means that those that aren't self motivated (the overwhelming majority, IMO) will at least get 25 - 30 hours a week where they need to be awake, not distracted by social media, and in a room that encourages them to study.

YANBU

It may help the kids who struggle with independent work, but it's no good at all for those who prefer to work quietly on their own. It's also terrible preparation for further study when they certainly won't be sat in a classroom being spoonfed.

I suspect that fully independent study was easier in the days before social medial and smartphones.

One of the downsides of the proliferation of technology is that it has almost certainly increased the need for parental and pedagogical supervision.