Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu holiday GCSEs help!

122 replies

Sjgmumma · 02/02/2022 03:32

Okay. So next year ds will be doing his GCSEs. My mil has booked us all a holiday as a treat due to me being very unwell recently and will be for the foreseeable. The holiday is first week of may to turkey 2nd-9th
Ds will start exams around the 16th.
Am I crazy to even contemplate it?
Ds isn’t very academic at all.

OP posts:
RoseAndRose · 02/02/2022 09:48

Seriously bad idea, especially if he is doing subjects with NEAs or orals

jytdtysrht · 02/02/2022 09:50

No don’t do this.
And get ds a tutor for maths and English or ask the school for more extra help. He needs his GCSEs.

RG2468 · 02/02/2022 09:53

Not to dip in again but to say I totally agree with @jytdtysrht a tutor would be a brilliant idea now to support him with his revision!

Figgygal · 02/02/2022 09:55

Well that seems pretty unanimous
What a stupid idea

PineappleWilson · 02/02/2022 09:56

We've already booked for July 2023, so I can believe she could do this, but I wouldn't countenace going with a Yr11 child, and I'm stunned that you mentioned that your DS isn't very academic. Why did you say this? To justify throwing any chance he has at qualifications under the bus? surely if he's sturggling he needs more time at home preparing for his exams, not time on a sun lounger in Greece.

PineappleWilson · 02/02/2022 09:57

*or Turkey even.

VickyEadieofThigh · 02/02/2022 10:07

Terrible idea. And given the awful time all children have had of their schooling over the past 2 years, they need as much focused time to prepare for their exams as they can get.

Original poster
Sjgmumma · 02/02/2022 11:09

No this isn’t my thought process at all. Just because he isn’t academic.
I don’t know much about exams. I didn’t do mine. I have no idea about preparation.

I had no idea about the holiday and at first was very excited. Then I realised that he will have his exams.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sjgmumma · 02/02/2022 11:11

I’m going to speak to her to change the holiday. I don’t know the dates for exams, it was a quick google for a rough idea.

OP posts:
MrsAvocet · 02/02/2022 11:23

Havent read the whole thread, but agree with the posts that I have read - it would be a very bad idea to take him out of school so close to the exams. GCSEs usually run from about the middle of May to around the last week in June. Since the main school holidays don't start til mid July, could you look at changing your holidays to early July for instance? That way your DS has something to look forwards to after the exams and you still get the benefit of lower prices as its not the main holidays.
Haeve a look on the AQA website and you should get an idea dates. This year's are out now and they are very similar every year.

HomeHomeInTheRange · 02/02/2022 11:25

The new booking needs to be for well after the possible end date for the exams.

Don’t fall for a new date at any stage during that school year before the exams. There will be mocks, school revision lessons, every day counts during that year.

Clymene · 02/02/2022 11:25

I would book for 1st week of July to be on the safe side.

PineappleWilson · 02/02/2022 11:51

I wonder whether your mum looked at dates later into the summer, saw the price and went for May instead. Early July would be much better, unless she could do this year instead, then more of a recognition that you're now well enough to travel again.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 02/02/2022 11:54

Yes you would be crazy to do this. Sorry. Look at early July instead. He will have finished by then.

Original poster
Sjgmumma · 02/02/2022 12:01

@PineappleWilson

I wonder whether your mum looked at dates later into the summer, saw the price and went for May instead. Early July would be much better, unless she could do this year instead, then more of a recognition that you're now well enough to travel again.
She would have very much done this! Tbh, I’m quite shocked she’s actually booked it. I’ve just spoken to her and her response was “ well, he’s probably going to fail anyway. You and his dad have no education so not the greatest example. He can resist them”
OP posts:
Original poster
Sjgmumma · 02/02/2022 12:01

Resit*

OP posts:
Chely · 02/02/2022 12:04

Should have booked it for July, most GCSE's are done by then but still in term time so cheaper.

RG2468 · 02/02/2022 12:27

Coming from an immigrant background where my parents had zero education - what did they value above anything? An education .

SE13Mummy · 02/02/2022 12:28

That's a really disappointing response from your mum! It's well over a year away and even if your DS isn't going to get the highest grades, he deserves the chance to give the exams his best shot. Her undermining his chances by booking a holiday just beforehand - as well as writing him off anyway - is unhelpful. Saying he can resit is all well and good but he may get those grade 4s in English language and maths with some decent support now. That would enable him to access a wider range of options post-16.

countrygirl99 · 02/02/2022 12:31

She given you a choice hasn't she. A hidalgo or your child's future. I know what I would choose.

RampantIvy · 02/02/2022 12:32

and her response was “ well, he’s probably going to fail anyway. You and his dad have no education so not the greatest example. He can resist them”

I have no words. Her shit attitude towards education stinks. In any case I think you can only resit maths and English. I don't think 6th form colleges do resits for other subjects.

As everyone else has said this holiday absolutely cannot happen in May.

I'm sorry you have been unwell Flowers

Comefromaway · 02/02/2022 12:33

I would treat that comment with the contempt it deserves.

Yes, he can re-sit but usually the very LAST thing a non academically minded child wants to do is to re-sit.

My ds was desperate to leave the constraints of school behind and studying for subjects he had no interest for and ws not suited to. Passing his GCSE's meant he cold be rid of all that and do what he actually wanted to.

jytdtysrht · 02/02/2022 12:33

What an awful, selfish reply. Seriously, get a tutor for maths and english now. Your ds could do well.

mummyh2016 · 02/02/2022 12:35

So she expects him to waste another year doing resits so he can have a weeks holiday Hmm

HomeHomeInTheRange · 02/02/2022 12:47

Really sorry you have been unwell, OP, and that your MIL has been so unkind, un-cooperative and uncaring.

Some treat!

Setting him up to fail is a horrible thing to even consider. Does she love her grandson??

Of course it is true, English and Maths can be re-sat - but that piles on the pressure in the first part of college, if he even gets to college / apprenticeship or whatever with grades that don't match his true potential!

She has no right to make such damaging decisions on behalf of her grandson - or you and your DH!

And how is it a treat for you if you are worrying about your DS??