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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take my son away over GCSE results day?

48 replies

baublegirl454 · 12/09/2019 20:15

Just realised the only dates we can go are over the day when he would get his results. It's the holiday of a lifetime and we have a good price which I was just about to book when he mentioned this.
He's concerned in case he didn't get the grades to stay in his school (unlikely) and had to move to a college. Is this likely to be an issue if we aren't home until 31/8?
I know I need to speak to the school but obviously can't do that until tomorrow and just wondered if anyone had done this

OP posts:
thegingeningeclansmum · 12/09/2019 20:25

We were away for my sons exam results a few years ago. I organised them to be emailed to me so that he didn't miss out. They came through around lunch time and I was more nervous than him waiting 😁

LynetteScavo · 12/09/2019 20:26

I wouldn't do it unless I knew 100% DS would get the grades to stay for 6th form.

With DS1 I could have done it. No problem, someone else could have collected grades and let us know.

With DS2 I needed to take him to college on the 23rd...one of his exam results wasn't as expected, it took 20,000 emails to sort out, it's still in going. The emails you could manage...the actually enrolling I'm not so sure.

lastqueenofscotland · 12/09/2019 20:28

What Lynette said
Also will it make him so anxious he’ll just have a miserable time ?

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 12/09/2019 20:28

Don’t do this.

RuthW · 12/09/2019 20:30

No,just no.

IgnoranceIsStrength · 12/09/2019 20:30

I work in a college and we are still taking late enrollers so might be worth checking out the local colleges enrolment policy. Then at least if they are lower than expected you know the college will be able to take him.

Iamtooknackeredtorun · 12/09/2019 20:30

If it’s genuinely a holiday of a lifetime I would do it but have a plan of what to do if he doesn’t get what he needs.

Maryann1975 · 12/09/2019 20:31

Some of my friends dc have had gcse results this summer. It seemed to be quite a social thing all going in together, sorting out with the sixth form and then going out celebrating together in the afternoon. I guess it depends on your child and their social network though. Personally, I think it would be important to collect the results in person.

ChChChChangez · 12/09/2019 20:32

People on MN make such a fuss about these things. If I’d listened I’d have come back early from holiday for A level results day. I didn’t and it was completely fine.

Marnie76 · 12/09/2019 20:33

We accidentally did this when my son was in year ten. He was only waiting for results from 2 exams and thought he wouldn’t mind. But he hated seeing his friends opening their results on social media and not having his. It ruined the last few days of the holiday. So my advice would be don’t do it.

Justgivemesomepeace · 12/09/2019 20:33

We were away this summer when DDs results came out. I didnt really think about it to be honest and in hindsight it wasnt ideal. The few days in the run up to the results she was foul. Said she didnt care, but clearly did. She was snappy, edgy and blew up st everything. Poor DP got a flip flop thrown at him at one point. The day before she was virtually silent. Results day was great as she got good results. I don't know what it would have been like she hadn't.
Enrollment was the day after we returned so was fine for us.
A couple of her friends were away at time. They contacted the colleges in advance and they were given alternative dates for when they returned.

Ffs1608 · 12/09/2019 20:34

Check with school/6th form about enrolment day or procedures. They vary in the colleges round here.

Original poster
baublegirl454 · 12/09/2019 20:35

Ok - mixed replies.
He's at a good grammar and coasting along somewhere in the middle of the class. He needs 4 6s and then 7s in the subjects he wants to take if he wants to stay. We also have very good colleges here that he would be happy to attend. He's very laid back mainly so wouldn't be stressed I don't think. We cannot go after as my youngest is starting secondary with earlier term dates
We can't afford to go earlier as it's too expensive. Bugger

OP posts:
MrsPatrickDempsey · 12/09/2019 20:38

Like a pp we went away when DD was yr 10 and waiting for two results. We provided an envelope for results to be sent to our home. She decided while we were away that she wanted to see them and asked a v good friend/neighbour to get them. She then opened then on face time so dd got first look.

clary · 12/09/2019 20:40

wow chchchangez I and dd spent the whole of A level results day on the phone (clearing)! It's a very good thing we weren't away.

GCSE hmm, not such an issue. I mean, I wouldn't plan to go away, but if it's the only reasonable option then it's not the end of the world. A mate of ds2's was away this year and had his results emailed. tbh if he was at DS's school he wouldn't have been allowed to stay on and do Alevels, so would have needed plan B, but his school appears to have a different view (he got a 3 in one of his A level choices).

Is yr ds likely to do ok op and get what his school requires? bear in mind that some schools ask for 6 in A level subjects and 5s in a certain number (five subjects most likely). Do you know what is list-16 choice asks for? If he will easily get it then it's much less of an issue IMO.

maternityleave234 · 12/09/2019 20:40

My DSS got his results this year, he had to enrol in college the day after results day. Late enrolment meant that some of his friends didn’t get spots.
There were courses that were totally over subscribed so people didn’t get on them.

also if you didn’t get the grades you needed you had to attend college on the day of results day and look at diff courses etc so I really wouldn’t go away!!!

skippy67 · 12/09/2019 20:41

We did. We had to nominate someone to go and collect the results, and enrol ds in 6th form. Dsil went to the school on results day, showed her ID, and it was plain sailing from there.

Original poster
baublegirl454 · 12/09/2019 20:42

@clary he needs 6s and 7s. He should be ok, but won't know for sure til after mocks. He's always been a lazy toad before, maybe this will be an incentive to work his socks off!

OP posts:
Original poster
baublegirl454 · 12/09/2019 20:43

Ok I def need to speak to the school. Let's hope the prices don't go up in the meantime!

OP posts:
Teachermaths · 12/09/2019 20:43

We cannot go after as my youngest is starting secondary with earlier term dates

Go once your older sons exams are finished and before your youngest child breaks up. Unlikely to be fined if she's leaving and will be much cheaper.

clary · 12/09/2019 20:44

sorry cross posted with yr update. If he wants to go to that sixth form, those are high grades IMO, are they well within his reach?

Justgorgeous · 12/09/2019 20:44

Absolutely go. My son got his 3 days after and there were no issues at all. Don’t worry x

clary · 12/09/2019 20:45

haha X post again, I must type faster 😄😄

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 12/09/2019 20:45

I wouldn't.

it's such an important result-he will need to pick A levels etc

you need to suck this one up

Ohflippineck · 12/09/2019 20:48

Line up a College place in advance, he doesn’t have to take it up. School emailed us at 7am on results day, standard practice in many schools. Where he is when he receives them won’t make any difference to his results.

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