Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you feel about Yr 11 being cut loose for 3 MONTHS!

113 replies

Mavisdoesnotreallyknow · 01/06/2021 10:25

DD(16) had her last day at school on Friday. Starts Sixth Form college in Sept. That's an unprecedented three months off school!(excluding lockdown of course).

What do you/your DC think about that. What are their plans - will they thrive or get bored?

OP posts:
OrangePowder · 01/06/2021 17:03

@Comefromaway

Just to be aware (because if anything were to happen they wouldn’t be insured) that it’s still illegal for them to work without a licence from the council until after the last Friday in June.
I don't think so. Not if they've turned 16.
Original poster
Mavisdoesnotreallyknow · 01/06/2021 17:04

Not when they're 16, no
Oh yes, good point Grin

OP posts:
OhThoseBubbles · 01/06/2021 17:05

It's only two weeks longer than normal Hmm

newnortherner111 · 01/06/2021 17:06

Can we have a guess at how many times the words 'unfair' or 'like' will be used by every 16 year old in the next three months?

Original poster
Mavisdoesnotreallyknow · 01/06/2021 17:07

For most children it's an opportunity to laze around or start their summer job early, but for some it's going to be really tough

Yes it will. It's one thing to have 3 months off when you have a safe home environment, completely different if you don't.

OP posts:
TheMoth · 01/06/2021 17:24

I finished mid May to revise, back in the 90s.

When I first started teaching it was similar, but then school changed it to 'only leave after your last exam', which meant kids coming in to all the lessons they still had, until they had your exam. It's always the worst bit.

MargaretThursday · 01/06/2021 17:37

We went on Study Leave at the start of May when I was in school, and I'd already completed 4/10 of my GCSEs (2 because they were coursework only), so I had around 12 exams still to go, so I don't think that was very different.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 01/06/2021 17:50

Mine left year 11 four years ago and we were all abroad in holiday in early June ... prob depends on exams though

BeyondMyWits · 01/06/2021 18:02

Do you think they will get the grades needed for their future? Only asking because Dd used a few weeks to cram English with a tutor because she knew she needed a 6 at Gcse to do the degree she wanted and would not get it. She retook in the Autumn and smashed it.

She also got a coffee shop job on Fridays/Saturdays and painted/papered the walls of her room.

Comefromaway · 01/06/2021 18:04

It doesn’t matter if a young person has turned 16 or not. The law says that a child is not allowed to work apart from very limited hours AND with a licence from the council until after the last Friday in June of Year 11.

The only exception being school organised work experience.

JanFebAnyMonth · 01/06/2021 18:12

I could cope better with the time if school had actually told us that they were going to provide essentially nothing from 21 May - 25 June rather than stringing us along for weeks with talk of blended offerings and careers work......

Original poster
Mavisdoesnotreallyknow · 01/06/2021 18:19

@OhThoseBubbles

It's only two weeks longer than normal Hmm
Sod off with your Hmm face

DD hasn't had a break longer than 6 weeks since she started reception.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 01/06/2021 18:42

@OhThoseBubbles

It's only two weeks longer than normal Hmm
No. It is 4 weeks longer. Usually for at least some kids exams go on into the 3rd week after half term. This week they finished before half term. So that is 4 weeks. Some schools finished a week before half term as well.
Piggywaspushed · 01/06/2021 19:00

But presumably you knew a longer break was coming OP, even if this is a bit longer.

comefromaway is right about employment rules, although work permits are often a grey area and many employers are a bit turn a blind eye, annoyingly.

HalfBrick · 01/06/2021 19:08

That was possibly the best summer of my life! Finally free of school, had a part time job and spent all my free time in pubs/clubs/at the beach. I realise that's not an option for kids these days due to Covid, and times have changed!

Good luck with the job interview, a PT job is really good learning experience for someone that age.

TeenMinusTests · 01/06/2021 19:09

To be fair Piggy some options aren't available this year.
When DD1 did her GCSEs 6 years ago, in the summer break she

  • 1 week with 6th form taster days - not running this year
  • 3 weeks language course abroad - not an option this year
  • 2 weeks family holiday - harder to book this year
  • 1 week drama course - may or may not run this year
So that was 6 weeks accounted for out of 8/9.

I can see why some parents this year might be a bit apprehensive, especially if they live in areas with rubbish public transport and teens who have less drive.

Piggywaspushed · 01/06/2021 19:16

Yeah teen but that is quite an affluent model you have give there, if you don't mind me saying. Plenty of teens do no more than wander around/ stay inside gaming and mooching.

A little bit of boredom may not be a bad thing to motivate for the next stage. I had seven weeks summer holidays and literally did nothing...

We live somewhere with hopeless public transport , indeed, so jobs are not ten a penny.

I do agree that there are fewer things to break the summer up perhaps although I don't see why your school isn't doing induction? (Bitter here since ours has been lengthened!!)

TeenMinusTests · 01/06/2021 19:25

That's true, it was afluent.

Others standardly do 4 weeks NCS, which seems to be curtailed somewhat this year.

We have 6th form colleges. I think they don't want 1000-2000 kids from all over the place turning up and mixing just for a couple of days.
DD's college is providing controlled tours for those who haven't even seen the place, but not the usual tasters.

I'm feeling that 3 months isn't long enough for us for the counselling & therapy DD still needs, so the time doesn't worry me at all.

Piggywaspushed · 01/06/2021 19:34

Oh wow, I can see the issue with the SFC!

Hopefully, your DD will get the help she needs . Not sure Flowers seem right so here is also some Gin for you.

worriedatthemoment · 01/06/2021 20:20

I have a yr 11 and yr 13 both finished
The yr 11 has a little part time job and yr 13 looking for a summer job as going to college in sept

JewelGarden · 01/06/2021 20:21

@SE13Mummy

The only issue I have with it is that they don't reach minimum school leaving age until the final Friday in June so there's a month of them technically not being able to work during school hours.
That's because they're supposed to use that time for exam revision isn't it?
Original poster
Mavisdoesnotreallyknow · 01/06/2021 21:15

But presumably you knew a longer break was coming OP, even if this is a bit longer

To be honest, I hadn't given it much thought after all that's happened over the past year and a half, Piggy School originally said this year's Yr11s would finish mid June - then just the other week announced they wouldn't be going back after half term!

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 01/06/2021 21:22

They have to submit their grades by June 17th so the time needed will possibly be a factor in the decision.

MadMadMadamMim · 01/06/2021 21:30

Mine finished about a fortnight ago. He's got a summer job and is working most days. I daresay he'll be bored and ready to go back to Sixth Form by the end of the summer though.

KateTheEighth · 01/06/2021 21:57

Ds's last GCSE (physics) would have been July 2nd if they'd gone ahead. His last assessment is next Tuesday (8th) so it is earlier than usual.