To think the Year 11 cohort this year....

[bloodybankholidays]

...have had enough upheaval without 2 bank holiday Mondays in a row JUST before their exams start?!

I don't care what anyone says, the Year 11s have suffered considerably because of Covid, then they've had years of no teachers or constantly changing teachers due to staff shortages, the teachers strikes and to top it off, 2 bloody bank holidays!

My DS will be missing important lessons plus much needed after school intervention just before the exams start. It wouldn't be so bad if it was a Friday to make a long weekend as at least it would be different lessons he'd be missing!

Teacher strikes are not just another inconvenience on top of other setbacks. They are intentionally designed to call out all the bullshit this generation have had to endure at the hands of an underfunded education system and a national teacher shortage crisis.
It is disgusting that your child has not yet completed his coursework because of lack of a specialist teacher. You need to hold this government to account for allowing the education system to sink to this kind of trough. Who is your MP and have you written to them yet?

You're correct. It's just the final straw.

At this stage they just need to be revising. I’ve got 6 lessons left with Year 11 and they are definitely ready to go.

@Disneyblueeyes judging by a lot of the responses I'd say people don't care.

How does grading work? So for example a 9 is 100 (hypothetically speaking) but if no one hits 100 and let’s say 80 is the highest score then does a 9 become 80 and so on so forth. So are year 11s graded against each other?

100% Agree. I too have a Y11 and Y13. My Y11 is fine - mocks, more mocks and now just revision lessons. He just needs the grades to go to sixth form.

My Y13 didn't get to take his GCSEs. Had to start 'A' levels having not been in school for months. Doesn't have the experience of doing exams. Missed on his time when gaining his independence. And his results will have a big impact on his future.

I actually think the exams this year are unfair for both years 11 and 13.

In 2020 they had grades given by teachers based on what they thought they had the potential to get, so massively overinflated.
In 2021 they had a mixture of teacher assessed grades and little exams in school.
In 2022 they did proper exams but were given a lot of direction about what topics would be on the papers, and chunks of the curriculum were left out.

And now, in 2023, with a cohort who’ve missed literally months and months of education, they’re expected to sit exams with the same marking system as in 2019.

And this year’s A level students are competing for uni places with kids who did their A levels last year but decided to defer.

That seems unfair to me.

So you think teachers and school staff shouldn’t be allowed this bank holiday?

@UnsureSchool32 yes they're all competing against each other.

The proportion of students getting each grade will be broadly similar to 2019 ofqual have said.

@Changechangechanging 🙄

on the whole, private schools made better provisions for home learning during lockdown, so I think we’ll see a significant difference between private and state grades this summer.

I really don’t know what that means. What do you think should happen?

@Changechangechanging

It means I have no problem with anyone having the bank holiday off. That's not my point. My point is, there shouldn't be an extra bank holiday in May at all.

Yes, I agree and then closed because of polling day and then the teacher strikes...feel like they are never in

They don't care, they're just happy for the day off. They are missing out so much because of the strikes, voting day, I feel so sad for them

You know that thing about how a huge majority of drivers rate their own driving as above average?

A huge majority of parents rate their children's cohort's covid disruption as above average.

@sunsunpleasecomeout thank you for understanding

But there is. That’s what was decided. It’s hardly the school’s fault, or teacher’s fault. Similarly, covid wasn’t our fault either and neither is the strike disruption (although essential, sadly). All kids in year 11 in the same boat. Support him to prioritise his time, draw up a revision timetable, get his head down,

This. While Y10 and 11 have not been directly disrupted too much, Y8 and Y9 certainly were and these years are the building blocks for many subjects, especially English, Maths and science.
One bank holiday now does not make a lot of difference especially to kids who had excellent online provision during Covid, had their subjects teachers all year, covered their curricula by February half term and who are organised self starters with good revision skills.
But those kids relying on free school meals, who have had teachers absent on and off all year, not having a quiet place to study at home, having their whole family home for two extra days besides the weekend, it is a big deal.

That’s a bit inflammatory.

If there are kids who are clearly missing out, who have a chance of doing better with the support they would have got on these Mondays - the school could do some rearranging. It’s not out with the realms of possibility. They could have some lessons swapped around without saying teachers should work the BHs. It sounds though like if this is the final straw, there’s other areas that are lacking.

I don't think one day will make any difference. Last years Y11 had it really tough but I don't think anyone would have worried about an extra bank holiday esp in May. Its just another revision day surely.

Any DC who were in seniors when covid started will be impacted in some way really but if I'm honest I would have said last year had it the toughest for GCSEs and last year's Y13 had it the toughest for A level.

If they have put the work in they'll be fine IMO.

@LemonPledge555 exactly this

We don't have study leave at all.

I hear you OP. And for some reason there is a big lack of empathy and support.

When I face something bad, my best coping mechanism is to find the positive. Can you think of three good things about this, or three things you can do to offset it? E.g. asking the school for additional opportunities for practical work.

I agree, this bank holiday is OTT, the coronation is on the Saturday FGS. But it's happening so may as well enjoy it. At the very least it's a lay in for DS and one less shirt to wash!...

Lmaooo this has to be a joke 🤣 there's always two bank holidays in may, one extra this year because of the coronation, it's really not a big deal.