To let DD go on camp mid GCSE exams?

[Onlygoingforward]

Help! I genuinely don't know what to do.
Have NC.

To avoid drip feeding I have put as much info as possible.

DD starts her exams this week. She is not academic at all and is not predicted to pass most subjects at a 4.
She MAY scrape a couple.

She attends an activity which she intends to persue related jobs when she leaves school as a career.

However she has been invited on camp related to this activity on the weekend before the last week of her exams.
This is a training camp which is for those who will be promoted. As far as I know they need to attend to be tick off part of the section towards promotion. She COULD wait but it is likely to be over 6 months possibly longer.

The camp would be Friday after school travelling and away Saturday and Sunday and would be quite intense.
She IS in school Monday as they don't have study leave but she does not have an exam that day.

Over to Mumsnet!

' It doesn't sound as though you set much store by academic subjects'

Not at all llangennith. I've really pushed , encouraged, supported her all the way. I have been heavily involved with school and really wanted her to do well , especially in maths and English because i know if it's only the Maths and English she passes it will make her life a lot easier.
I have even moved her to private at one stage to give her some sort of a chance even though we really couldn't afford it. I've had tutors the lot.

But she just isn't academically able.
We were predicted 4s at one point but she had a hell of an 18 months due to some school related issues where she just totally fell apart and things took a tumble from there.

I suppose I'm resigned to the fact now that it is what it is and we can hopefully have a fresh start and another shot in September.

No, I wouldn't let her go.
She should be studying for her exams during exam time.

Bloody hell, up to A levels too? Somebody needs a word with this group about the timing of this trip as it obviously affects more than just Year 11s.

I would let her go if she is going to get more out of it than a couple of days' extra revision. How much revision can she genuinely do (and retain) in a weekend?

I would let her go, and I would also keep her home Monday (if she isn't off anyway) and supervise revision - she could also have an extra hour in bed to rest and make up the time studying.

Disclaimer - I have a DC (with SN) who school tactfully refer to as "on the vocational pathway" and things are just different than they are for academically able DC (I also have these too!) For example, mine is taking fewer GCSEs to get better grades in the important ones, and needs more rest as the effort of concentrating and learning is greater.

is it football?

How much revision can she genuinely do (and retain) in a weekend?

A hell of a lot more than if she were to do none.

I don't think I would OP, and I say that as a parent who has one non-academic and sporty dd.

I'd want to know I had Done The Right Thing for her educationally. Even if she does fail maths at least she'll have given it a shot.

I can see it must be a very hard decision and I don't envy you.

A hell of a lot more than if she were to do none

No need to swear at me. I doubt staring at books for hours is going to help very much when she wants to be elsewhere doing something more useful.

What does she want to do?
FWIW id let my child go, life isn’t all about exams, she’s already got a plan for next year and a weekend at home isn’t going to make any difference. It sounds like she’s had a rough year or two, and a fresh start in September will be really refreshing. She’s not far off an adult, support her and go with what she wants to do rather than putting walls up in your relationship. More likely to make memories and have great experiences on camp than at home revising