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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:
Justbeenjabbed · 27/05/2021 20:25

Honestly I’d leave her be.
Only reason would perhaps be if she is the type to be disorganised / last minute with things, in which case it’d be good for her to get into good revision habits before the stress of gcses jicks in and makes it harder.

jazzandh · 27/05/2021 20:25

I too would encourage revision over this half term regardless.

My eldest son Y11 has been doing end of year tests/exams since Y4 (prep) so they get into the (reluctant) habit of doing revision during certain holidays.

I too revised over all holidays prior to GCE's (including Christmas) and that was 35 odd years ago.

It's not a bad habit to get into - needs to be balanced - but consolidation at this point can be really helpful.

Mojoj · 27/05/2021 20:28

Ha ha still laughing at me thinking you were going to make your 10 year old swot during the holidays😂😂😂😂😂. Apologies - trying and failing to do too many things at once😀

BurbageBrook · 27/05/2021 20:28

@jeanne16 that is ridiculously excessive.
Also a secondary teacher here and I couldn't disagree more. This is the first holiday with any degree of freedom they have had for a long time. Let her enjoy herself. As long as she does her homework, I see no need to spend hours on revision in Year 10. Year 11 will be a different matter. I think 4 hours over the whole half term would be reasonable, not 4 hours a day, that's mad! It won't be productive and focused revision if she overdoes it.

Nightbear · 27/05/2021 20:28

I’d be very worried about any teenager who was happy to be told to spend hours revising Grin

Original poster
examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 20:29

@Mojoj I do have a ten year old...she won't be revising over this holiday 😂

OP posts:
BurbageBrook · 27/05/2021 20:29

@MacCoffee totally agree. They do need a rest, mentally.

HasaDigaEebowai · 27/05/2021 20:33

Dc2 is in year 9 and has exams immediately after half term. They are expected to revise over half term. He has planned to do about three hours a day. That’s about 27 hours split between 13 subjects so about two hours per subject exam. Two hours is clearly not an excessive amount of revision for an exam which covers the entire year 9 content.

KaleSlayer · 27/05/2021 20:35

I’d be very worried about any teenager who was happy to be told to spend hours revising

Not happy, but accepting of it. My son wanted to do well, so he had to do it. By year 10, they should be mature enough to understand that it’s needed. My son still spent 10 hours a day doing what he wanted, so he still had a very easy life! And the revision throughout senior school paid off, minimal stress for GCSEs as he was fully prepared. And he openly admits that he doesn’t feel he worked particularly hard as it was just consistent reasonable amounts of revision.

zighead · 27/05/2021 20:35

My DS is in year ten and has exams after half term. I'm hoping he will do one to two hours revision a day but who knows! He doesn't like being told to do anything.

Nightbear · 27/05/2021 20:39

It’s the ‘told’ part. If they’re not motivated to do something they won’t do it.

Workinghardeveryday · 27/05/2021 20:40

I think they deserve a break! She is still a child and needs downtime or will possibly be resentful of being made to do it while her friends are not.
If she wants to support her, unless she is struggling or she has been to revise I would give her a break!!
Next year will be a different story and it will be full on for her from then on, further education, work etc. Let her enjoy being a teenager

KaleSlayer · 27/05/2021 20:47

It’s the ‘told’ part. If they’re not motivated to do something they won’t do it.

At secondary school age, all my child had to do was go to school, do homework and revise. Apart from a few chores that maybe took up 30 minutes a day, their time was their own. So, yes, I expect them to do it. They knew this was very fair.

My son is doing A levels now and has actually thanked me for getting into good habits. The work may be hard, but the structure being there has made it easier. I make my kids lives as easy as possible, I’m very soft and have very few rules, but schoolwork is non negotiable.

Obviously for those children struggling with anxiety, that’s very different and physical and mental health always comes first.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 27/05/2021 20:50

See I think that 30 mins chores a day on top of homework is a lot to expect but hey, we're all different I guess. I suspect I fall into the slack parenting camp 😂

Original poster
examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 20:52

For me, it's partly about reducing stress later by preparing well now. Cramming in year 11 is hardly restful. If she does a decent amount now, not only will she feel confident in the exams this year, but she's laying down knowledge for year 11. 2-3 hours a day means a lot of time not revising.

OP posts:
StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 27/05/2021 20:54

@examstresshelp

For me, it's partly about reducing stress later by preparing well now. Cramming in year 11 is hardly restful. If she does a decent amount now, not only will she feel confident in the exams this year, but she's laying down knowledge for year 11. 2-3 hours a day means a lot of time not revising.
Yes but it will be so long ago she'll have to go back and revise her revision? 😂

I just think it's too much and it won't actually help at all. It will cause more stress and it's also sad when the ridiculous amounts of homework and revision then put kids off school and learning.

MacCoffee · 27/05/2021 21:00

@examstresshelp

For me, it's partly about reducing stress later by preparing well now. Cramming in year 11 is hardly restful. If she does a decent amount now, not only will she feel confident in the exams this year, but she's laying down knowledge for year 11. 2-3 hours a day means a lot of time not revising.
You do you then. But I’d be certain of her mental health first. You could inadvertently put her off more. And considering we don’t even know what exams will look like for them next year, pushing too hard too soon could well back fire.

Your job is the ‘whole child’ so be sure to consider all aspects of her. And not just the ones we parents think we know. Maybe talk to her, find out how she’s feeling about school, then tailor your half term ‘suggestions’ to that. 5 days might not seem a lot to you but it could be a whole lot to her.

Tal45 · 27/05/2021 21:06

I think it's good to do well in Yr 10's because it gives them more confidence for the mocks/GCSE's. Mine did his last week, they were pretty basic compared to the actual GCSE's tbh.
I would not have her do anything over the weekends and just an hour or two max during the week. If her exams aren't till the end of June she still has time after half term as well.

Rosebel · 27/05/2021 21:06

My daughter has her mocks 3 weeks after half term and I have helped her draw up a time table for revising over half term.
Not massive amounts and still plenty of down time but I knew without that help she'd leave it and panic the night before.

KaleSlayer · 27/05/2021 21:15

Yes but it will be so long ago she'll have to go back and revise her revision?

Well no because you don’t just forget everything. Confused Some things only need a quick read over next time.

MintyCedric · 27/05/2021 21:16

DD 16 is reading over my shoulder and suggests 2 x 45 minute sessions Mon - Fri and weekends off would be a reasonable.

Better to ease herself into it than struggle with workload when she gets to Year 11 is DDs verdict.

Original poster
examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 21:19

@MintyCedric thank you to your DD 🙂Hope year 11 has treated her as kindly as possible. This years Year 11 deserve medals, never mind GCSEs!

OP posts:
StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 27/05/2021 21:22

@KaleSlayer

Yes but it will be so long ago she'll have to go back and revise her revision?

Well no because you don’t just forget everything. Confused Some things only need a quick read over next time.

And you also don't need to be chained to a desk doing hours of revision to pass GCSEs Confused

Honestly reading this thread makes me so grateful for my mum.

Pinkylemons · 27/05/2021 21:26

I won’t be pushing my year 10 to do any revision over half term. If she wants to revise, she can. 3 hours a day seems really excessive.

NeverForgetYourDreams · 27/05/2021 21:29

I have a year 10 DS doing mocks two weeks after half term. He's doing every other day and we've drawn up a revision timetable. 3 hours a day in the morning. Then afternoons free. We've picked 9 subjects to concentrate on as the other 2 he's useless at (his words not mine). Not heavy revision just reading notes and doing some maths examples. Treating these mocks as a baseline to work from.