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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask year ten daughter to revise during half term.

178 replies

examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 18:27

And if it's reasonable, how much per day/altogether?

I don't want to be too pushy, but their school is low key where other local schools help with timetables and advice and I think she should be doing at least some during the holiday so she doesn't panic afterwards.

I certainly did in year ten.

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 27/05/2021 18:57

I don't think we can answer this question for you. I couldn't have got my DSs to revise over half term.

DD would have done a bit, but not more than an hour a day.

You can encourage, and set aside the time,but it doesn't mean she will actually do it. She has to want to revise for it to be effective. I certainly wouldn't start punishing if she doesn't actually do it.

MatildaTheCat · 27/05/2021 18:57

she’s NOT 10 She’s in year 10

I’d say that at this stage of education this half term holiday is more or less committed to revision. Three hours a day of well planned and targeted revision sounds very reasonable and doable. If she’ll let you help her plan a timetable and how to revise effectively.

Mojoj · 27/05/2021 18:59

She's 10?? At that age she should be out playing with her pals. 3 hrs per day? Seriously?

KaleSlayer · 27/05/2021 19:03

She's 10?? At that age she should be out playing with her pals. 3 hrs per day? Seriously?

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

FrankButchersDickieBow · 27/05/2021 19:03

I may or may not have been normal, but for gcse I did 6-8 hours a day Christmas and Easter and in year 10, a full half term holiday

That is ridiculous!!!

I think your username says it all.

It's been a horrible year for schoolchildren. Let her have some downtime ffs.

FrankButchersDickieBow · 27/05/2021 19:04

@Mojoj

She's 10?? At that age she should be out playing with her pals. 3 hrs per day? Seriously?
No. She is in Year 10.
MacCoffee · 27/05/2021 19:05

Seriously. Leave her be. I say this whilst having a Y10 DD and working in exams. This year has been beyond hard on them. We’re seeing burn out and anxiety in Y10 through the roof. Let her have a week to recharge and she may well do better for it.

caringcarer · 27/05/2021 19:05

My Year 10 son will be having 2 hours a day tutoring in Maths/Science all except Tuesday when he has a day of cricket camp. He will also be expected to make revision cards on topics he covers. This is necessary because his school got a long way behind because of Covid, as many schools did, but his school refuses to allow any catch up lessons with tutors at school. He did no Sports Science at all in first term and only 2 Science lesson a week. No catch up of this either.

caringcarer · 27/05/2021 19:06

He is never given homework either. I think he has been given 2 pieces in 7 months.

TheMarzipanDildo · 27/05/2021 19:06

“I may or may not have been normal, but for gcse I did 6-8 hours a day Christmas and Easter and in year 10, a full half term holiday“

Not normal! Shock

KaleSlayer · 27/05/2021 19:08

For all those saying they need rest etc, they’ll most likely be awake for 14 hours a day, so spending 3 hours on revision still leaves plenty of time to rest, see friends etc.

MagnoliaBeige · 27/05/2021 19:12

2 hours a day for end of year exams is normal in my house, they need to show what they’re capable of as much as possible in school assessments in case their GCSEs end up being teacher assessed again.

Original poster
examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 19:12

@KaleSlayer this is what I think. I'm letting it rest for a while. But I think it's fair enough. Trying to help DD see that revision now isn't just about the tests/mocks/whatever you call them but is about more deeply embedding this year's learning.

OP posts:
Original poster
examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 19:13

@MagnoliaBeige I'm trying to avoid explicitly saying this to DD but this is in the back of my mind too.

OP posts:
DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 27/05/2021 19:15

their school is low key where other local schools help with timetables and advice
Sometimes you have to ignore what other mothers say their schools/children do or don't do and just look at your year 10 child.

Do you or the school feel she's lagging behind on any particular subject. Surely the teachers are suggesting what they should do.
If you feel she's struggling then maybe half term is where you help her organise her filing and notes so that she can get them ready for revision. They get loads of handouts and these can really pile up. And if she struggles with this, you have to get hands on and help show her how to do it.
Maybe browse some CGP revision books which make revision nice and easy for them, used ones are cheaper on Amazon.

Try not to pile on the exam anxiety as they already get a lot of that at school and it really doesn't do any good whatsoever.

Having said all that, its called a Half Term break for a reason and having a full daily schedule of revision sounds completely lacking in fun .
If she really needs to catch up, can you mix up the studying week with some pyjama time, brunches, and a few outings and time to relax.
Good luck to you both

jeanne16 · 27/05/2021 19:18

I am a secondary school teacher and would be telling my y10 pupils that they should treat half term as a revision week. I would be suggesting 4 to 6 hours revision per day. I remind them that it is not long before they have long summer holidays.

toocold54 · 27/05/2021 19:19

I’d give her a break because she’ll probably get given homework anyway. With the lockdowns I would be encouraging her to just get outside as much as possible.

stevalnamechanger · 27/05/2021 19:20

30 mins a day isn't unreasonable

toocold54 · 27/05/2021 19:21

We’re seeing burn out and anxiety in Y10 through the roof. Let her have a week to recharge and she may well do better for it.

I completely agree with this!

TeenMinusTests · 27/05/2021 19:22

Not unreasonable if she has end y10 exams soon.
a) We don't know how the pandemic will go, so good results here might be important
b) making revision notes on y10 work now will stand her in good stead later
c) revising properly now will mean less next year

cupsofcoffee · 27/05/2021 19:22

@examstresshelp

I may or may not have been normal, but for gcse I did 6-8 hours a day Christmas and Easter and in year 10, a full half term holiday.
Not normal at all.
MagnoliaBeige · 27/05/2021 19:25

@toocold54

I’d give her a break because she’ll probably get given homework anyway. With the lockdowns I would be encouraging her to just get outside as much as possible.
Homework has been largely suspended due to studying for end of year assessments in the local schools
MacCoffee · 27/05/2021 19:25

@jeanne16

I am a secondary school teacher and would be telling my y10 pupils that they should treat half term as a revision week. I would be suggesting 4 to 6 hours revision per day. I remind them that it is not long before they have long summer holidays.
Do you cover pastoral at all? Because our Y10’s are on their knees right now and if we suggested that we’d be negligent in our duty of care to their mental health after the year they’ve had.

1 week will not decide their educational fate, but it may well finish many of them off if they were told 4-6 hours per day.

LynetteScavo · 27/05/2021 19:29

@jeanne16

I am a secondary school teacher and would be telling my y10 pupils that they should treat half term as a revision week. I would be suggesting 4 to 6 hours revision per day. I remind them that it is not long before they have long summer holidays.
So glad you've never taught any of my DC! If teachers are telling Y10s to revise for 6 hours a day no wonder there are so many kids suffering from poor mental health.
LynetteScavo · 27/05/2021 19:30

I work term time only and if I was expected to work from home for 6 hours a day next week I would actually cry right now.