To take my son away over GCSE results day?

[baublegirl454]

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

I think it's fine to be away - we were with my DD; we were just emailed the results. (I wouldn't do it for A levels though). However, please remember that you could go away the day after his last exam - so much earlier than normal and much cheaper - although this of course won't be possible if you have other school age children.

I wouldn't. And the fact that he has mentioned it probably means it is on his mind too.

I would go so long as you are willing to make international phone calls on the day if need be. But most of the decisions don't need to be made asap. It's not like clearing for university where I really wouldn't want to be away.

I was head of yr 11 last year. Its fine. Get someone to pick his results up (ypu can sign a form). Get him to apply for a second choice college as a 'just in case' situation. If it all goes wrong he has a place somewhere. He can accept several places then decline on results day. Some of my kids opened their results on a spanish beach with champagne - sounds great to me!

Majority of the girls at my school were at Reading on the day! My DS got his results on line which is quite usual. Enrollment at the local 6th form was a week later. If he's staying at the same school I wouldn't worry too much

I'd say no - sorry!! If there's any change of plan like changing A level options it will be so much simpler if he's there. And as others have said, courses can get over-subscribed and allocated first-come first-served. Annoying i know!

Bank the money, add to it over the year. Go the year after.

@Teachermaths sadly I also have a middle one who really can't have time out in July ☹️

No way would I go then. You have to enrol in sixth form/college.

We went on holiday before the results this year as we usually go last 2-3 weeks of August.

Ds got his results on the Thursday and enrolled in the college that day. Anyone who wasn't in a feeder school had to queue up outside on the next day (Friday) on a first come first served basis.

A couple of his friends didn't get the grades they needed (ie got a 5 in maths rather than a 6 so couldn't take maths A level) and needed to decide on a new A level within the next hour.

Results day was also a time to see people again and thank the teachers, plus say goodbye to other students who were going to different colleges. He also picked up his leavers' hoodie.

It depends on the child and whether they would be bothered by it.

My DD did not want to go away what so ever for results day and wanted to get them with her friends. She also had to take her results to the college in the afternoon to confirm her place.

Ask your son see what he wants to do?

Take him, don't worry about it

My school's sixth form we're accepting people last week. I highly doubt there will be a problem that cannot be fixed via email or once you're home

People on MN make such a fuss about these things.

People in RL do, and schools especially do

It depends on how the school releases the results. DD’s old school only releases results to the student in person or a nominated person, or by post. They don’t email them or post them online. Enrolment for 6th form takes place on results day.

If you are planning on going to university it is even more important to be able to collect results on results day as there is a lot of admin to sort out.

We were away on GCSE results day. We'd signed off one of my sisters to collect and open the forms and immediately photograph and send them direct to the student. We'd also stored up all the phone numbers and email addresses we might possibly need if there was a bit of a wibble about the required grades for the desired sixth form courses. In fact one result was a bit lower than expected, but a single phone call got this sorted. Job done.

We had similar issues for both my DSs and had low key holidays that didn't interfere with results day. It wasn't so much that the results themselves matter - colleges will probably still be enrolling when you get back but that they were very keen not to miss the social day with their friends.

We were away for mine. We were going to wait until we got home. But there was about 10 other teens we'd made friends with who all got there's via family members so my neighbour went in and opened them and read them to me!

I don't remember it being an issue (we went away for 3.5 weeks camping the same time every year). I don't even remember a discussion - my parents just told me we were going camping as usual!

We are always away that last week too and ds is she his results next year. I doubt I'd forgo the week for it. Ds was happy to wait this tear until we returned and probably will this year. He could get them via someone else but he didn't want to!

For GCSE just go and don’t worry about. If something does go unexpectedly wrong you can phone the school or colleges just as well from abroad as at home. Schools have unlimited flexibility when it comes to accepting students to take A levels if they have unexpected GCSE results than a university would if you didn’t quite make your A level grades.

Ok to clarify — obvs it depends on your own specific circumstances, likely grades, college/school policies etc. Also your destination. We’re always in Europe where you can just as easily be on the phone all day as in the U.K.

We’ve now been away or my 3 DC have been away on 5 separate A level/GCSE results days. DC do a specific hobby where the summer activity always goes over one results day or another. They’ve also done several exams early so only 2 of those 5 were “big ones”. But for us, it was no issue at all.

ok yes you can call from Europe I am sure, but it's a bit easier to get advice on clearing from the head of sixth form if you are actually in the school.

Also being in uk meant dd could go to a clearing offer day the next day, which was a massive plus .

Also and this is not nothing, it wasn't as bad, despite dd missing grades for her top choices, because lots of her friends had got into a second choice, and a good number of others were there on the phones alongside her, moral support on a tough day. We wouldn't have got that if we were in a hotel in France.

Sorry op that's all A level obviously.

Just asked him - he's not bothered about not being there. I've emailed his head of year to ask their advice.
This is likely to be our last family holiday and we've been planning it for ages, I can't believe it didn't occur to us. But thanks for all your different opinions, it's been useful to see all sides.
I think it doesn't have to be a huge issue but I will rely on the school to guide me.

I would take the holiday!
I am the Careers Lead and oversee Yr 11/13 destinations in two secondary schools.
Your son should be offered a 121 careers appointment to discuss post 16 options to put plans in place. If in the UK, he will be applying for his own sixth form usually around November time, as all other sixth forms and colleges open their enrolment for Sept 2020.

My advice would be to have a Plan A (sounds like his sixth form is this) a Plan B ie somewhere else he likes and can offer his subject choices (with slightly lower entry requirements) and another back up (most FE colleges look for 4 GCSEs including English and maths at grade 4 to access a level 3 course - the equivalent ofA Levels)

Write to the schools' Exam Officer to ask for results to be emailed on results day.
By having three applications in place he will meet the criteria for at least one of his choices. Students do not need to be in school in person to secure a place at sixth form. It's not first come first served!
Teachers see the GCSE results the day before students receive them so we already know who has applied and met/not met the sixth form criteria. If he applies and meets criteria then he would just email Careers Adviser or Head of Sixth to let them know he intends to accept offer. As students have already made applications to back up choices they then accept their place where they have met entry requirements and let others know they won't be attending in September.

The only problem I could foresee would be if the school dropped a subject in their A Level offering due to numbers or not enough students meeting grades. If they withdrew a subject your son had applied for he'd need to rethink subject (issues could arise with timetabling and blocks that subjects fell in if a replacement subject clashed with other subjects chosen) If this happened he could take his second choice place if that sixth form could offer original subject combination.

DM if any questions, it not as complicated as I have made it sound!

Thanks @KnackeredHag that's really helpful! We heard from the school today and they said similar - that they could email us and to enjoy our holiday, so I'm feeling much better now. Will follow your advice and enrol elsewhere too.