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AIBU?

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Original poster

What’s happened to GCSE study leave?

198 replies

Whywere · 02/05/2023 19:56

No study leave at all at DS school. Even once exams start. School say pupils grades are higher if they stay at school. Overall this is probably true but I’m thinking probably not for higher achievers.

What’s the arrangements at your school?

OP posts:
SpaghettiSquash · 02/05/2023 21:05

My eldest did their GCSEs last year. They study hard at home and were getting very upset as it was too noisy and too many distractions at school. I wrote to the school and explained the situation and said that I would be allowing them to stay at home to revise. They accepted it.

Spring45Mermaid · 02/05/2023 21:05

Our school hasn’t told parents anything yet despite us asking the standard response is always “awaiting guidance” I will be so so glad when they leave… all the other schools have said what their study leave plans are but nope we don’t have a end date or a prom date despite being told if their not in they don’t get to go to prom ffs it makes me cross that my child who prefers to revise in their own space quietly and diligently has to stay in a noisy stressful school until the bitter end and probably get worse results than if they’d been allowed to revise at home. Several of their subjects hadn’t even finished the curriculum just got handed a sheet with these are the bits we’ve not had time to cover! The head was pushed/resigned at Easter plus 5 English teachers left including hers it’s just been a shit show.

PrivateSchoolTeacherParent · 02/05/2023 21:05

My DS started GCSE study leave last Friday. The Y13s go at the end of next week. (Private school, if the name isn't a giveaway...)

littlemissalwaystired · 02/05/2023 21:07

I sat mine 10 years ago and we had study leave. Plus 36 exam papers (private school)

Mephisneon · 02/05/2023 21:07

I don't have kids and secondary school was 20 years ago. So I'm out of the loop.. Do they revise in lessons?

Wakemeuuuup · 02/05/2023 21:08

My yr 11 dc has to be in school for lessons until June 10th. My yr 13 dc has to be in until half term

wizzler · 02/05/2023 21:08

Dd has to be in school until completion of last exam

NotYourHolidayDick · 02/05/2023 21:10

My DD has 2 weeks of school left, then just has to go in for the actual GCSE exams. She has 25 from memory. Not allowed on school premises unless for the actual exams, unless she books a library space for revision.

casingchars · 02/05/2023 21:10

Case by case basis at my DD's school. The head just rang today to say she would be allowed to only come in for exams once they start in 2 weeks. Until then she has a normal timetable. It's taken the pressure off her a bit.

GCSEs are hard going.

MrsHamlet · 02/05/2023 21:11

Mephisneon · 02/05/2023 21:07

I don't have kids and secondary school was 20 years ago. So I'm out of the loop.. Do they revise in lessons?

Yes we do revise in lessons

thatsn0tmyname · 02/05/2023 21:11

No study leave as it's hammers our attendance.

towriteyoumustlive · 02/05/2023 21:12

Parents who know their child will work better at home can just write to the school informing them their child will be working from home and coming in for exams. No problem.

But for the majority of kids this is NOT the case and being in school gives them a better chance in exams.

Mousey23 · 02/05/2023 21:12

Whywere · 02/05/2023 20:03

Which is what makes me think that motivated kids do better studying at home, away from distraction…

Show quote history

Which is exactly the point. The kids who most need to study will be the ones who don't, entrenching the disadvantage. That's not the way an education system can run in a socially just society.

WhichSpoon · 02/05/2023 21:12

Nimbostratus100 · 02/05/2023 19:56

It hasn't existed for many years

All my local secondary schools still have study leave

Thinkwicebeforeyouleavemylife · 02/05/2023 21:13

No study leave at my ds school because a lot of pupils misbehave and can't be trusted. It's a great catch all approach. The only issue is that those students who want to study and are motivated to do so alone, can't. And they suffer as they're stuck in classrooms of fed up teachers and unruly students. I'll be taking him out of school after the May half term whether school like it or not, because I know he'll do better if he's studying at home.

universityhelp · 02/05/2023 21:13

It was the same here last year, I thought they'd go on leave after half term but no, they had to go in every day and do revision until the last week. It wasn't the same in all schools in our area though, so it is discriminating against poorer pupils. In my dd's case, it was probably for the best as she did no revision at home and was probably more settled in school.

iwishiwasonhol · 02/05/2023 21:14

My dd sat her first a level this afternoon she says she wishes that she hadnt had to go in the morn as due to strikes years 11/12/13 were all mainly in the communal areas and it was loud and difficult to revise no study leave until the 12th

Fairislefandango · 02/05/2023 21:16

I know this is a good thing for the children who want to study, but imagine being escorted off school premises because you're a nuisance 😶...

Most of them have probably been being a nuisance for 5 years, so I doubt it's much of a shock.

Dodgeitornot · 02/05/2023 21:16

Massively depends on school. My DDs friend has so much study leave. She had 2 weeks in Y10 before their mocks. 4 weeks in Jan for Feb Y11 mocks. And now they're on study leave again. This is an 'outstanding' school. I find it shocking. They only managed to cover 6 poems and have been told to teach themselves the rest. My DD is in Y10 and has no study leave now or next year. I think it's far better tbh.

piedbeauty · 02/05/2023 21:17

DD's grammar gave the girls study leave. Not ds's school. Said the students get better grades if they revise in school.

Dodgeitornot · 02/05/2023 21:17

universityhelp · 02/05/2023 21:13

It was the same here last year, I thought they'd go on leave after half term but no, they had to go in every day and do revision until the last week. It wasn't the same in all schools in our area though, so it is discriminating against poorer pupils. In my dd's case, it was probably for the best as she did no revision at home and was probably more settled in school.

Why is it discrimination against poor pupils?

Jonniecomelately · 02/05/2023 21:19

I remember back in the 90s my parents writing in and saying I was revising and wasn't coming in after Easter. I guess they won't allow that now.

Fairislefandango · 02/05/2023 21:20

Essentially, if keeping students in school and making sure they revise improves results overall, then that's what schools will do. From their point of view, why wouldn't they?

My y13 dd is pretty hacked off about it though. When she finally goes on study leave at half term, she'll have already done almost half her exams, and it's not as if 6th formers go around causing chaos at school. She doesn't even have that many lessons, as staff absence is so high...

Choconut · 02/05/2023 21:22

DS's school still has study leave thankfully. It's much easier to revise the things he needs most to revise at home rather than doing it as a class. He got mostly 9's in his GCSE's so for him it was really good. He could also concentrate more on the subjects he needed to and watch youtube videos of other teachers to get other perspectives and ideas.

Littlewhitecat · 02/05/2023 21:22

No study leave for Y13 until after half term (grammar school). My DD is moaning to her mates about this to look cool but has told me she's really glad as it makes her get up and they are getting a lot of support at school. She's a high achieving student but will not revise at home and drives us mad with all the moping about - so I'm glad she has to go in.