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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:
CeliaNorth · 02/05/2023 23:28

6 exams for science, I don't believe you did 6 sit down exams for science.

3 sit down exams for maths.

Science was three separate subjects - biology, physics, chemistry. I did biology - a practical and a written exam. I suppose it was the same for the others. So someone who did all three would have six exams.

Maths as I recall was three papers - algebra, arithmetic and geometry.

French - oral, dictation, I think, and another written paper.

History - one paper for British history, one for European.

English language I think might have been two - an essay and a grammar/comprehension paper.

Can't remember Eng. Lit., Geography and Art.

And yes, the papers were two or three hours.

nex18 · 02/05/2023 23:45

My son was on study leave for GCSES from May half term last year, just like I was on study leave for mine after May half term in 1992 (same school) 🤷🏻‍♀️

PrivateSchoolTeacherParent · 03/05/2023 05:31

SilverSilverStreet · 02/05/2023 23:26

My A level papers were 3 hours long.

Here is one It’s a different exam board but from the same year.

Show quote history

Most GCSEs are 1.5-2 hours. Some A levels still have 3 hour papers, but not many!

PauseTheRain · 03/05/2023 06:13

I didn't know this was a thing. Why can't there be some discretion?

ColouringPencils · 03/05/2023 06:16

Surely the reason for more exams now is that we all did coursework? My DD is doing 11 gcses and none of them have coursework. I think it's 29 exams in the timetable plus two language orals (she's doing two languages). It is a lot! Study leave starts here w/c 13 June, which is the last week for most people, so its obviously not really thought of as for studying.

ColouringPencils · 03/05/2023 06:23

Miscounted, think it's 27. Still a lot!

ReformedWaywardTeen · 03/05/2023 06:23

ColouringPencils · 03/05/2023 06:16

Surely the reason for more exams now is that we all did coursework? My DD is doing 11 gcses and none of them have coursework. I think it's 29 exams in the timetable plus two language orals (she's doing two languages). It is a lot! Study leave starts here w/c 13 June, which is the last week for most people, so its obviously not really thought of as for studying.

Media studies and drama both had coursework, as did art as they had to write about their artists choices and why they picked them.
I was surprised history didn't.
And each subject bar drama and art has three exams each here. Drama is one written exam and obviously practical performance (done) and art was two 5 hour schools days (also done).
DDs last exams are 16th June. There is also a school holiday in the middle. End of May.

lalalalalalaleeee · 03/05/2023 06:29

CornishGem1975 · 02/05/2023 19:57

No study leave until after half term.

This
Exams start on the 15th May, study leave after half term.
I have an exhausted, run down, incredibly stressed out kid, who has battled to school this last week even with the flu that took his dad down for 5 days!

Hesma · 03/05/2023 06:32

No study leave for GCSEs here. 22exams isn’t much different to when I did my GCSEs in 1990

user4750 · 03/05/2023 06:34

ColouringPencils · 03/05/2023 06:16

Surely the reason for more exams now is that we all did coursework? My DD is doing 11 gcses and none of them have coursework. I think it's 29 exams in the timetable plus two language orals (she's doing two languages). It is a lot! Study leave starts here w/c 13 June, which is the last week for most people, so its obviously not really thought of as for studying.

Thats down to her choice of subjects though and the school's choice of exam board. DS2 is doing GCSEs and has coursework in 2 of those. DS1 is doing A Levels and has NEAs (coursework) in two of those

ColouringPencils · 03/05/2023 07:00

@user4750 I was comparing it to when I was at school and we had coursework in all/most subjects as part of our final mark. That stopped after 2015.

Exasperatednow · 03/05/2023 07:03

Mine has study leave

TheMarzipanDildo · 03/05/2023 07:04

SocialserviceswillTheyhelp · 02/05/2023 22:38

24 GCSE's? Come on now.... 🤔

Show quote history

Exams obvs

JustDanceAddict · 03/05/2023 07:06

My DCs finished a week before exams started - no school lessons during exams. Youngest left last year so it might have changed. He much preferred revising to his own timetable and said going in was a waste of time. He us a high achiever though.

Romeiswheretheheartis · 03/05/2023 07:12

OnlyYourSharpestMinds · 02/05/2023 21:03

I'm really surprised by this - DS's last normal/time-tabled day in Y11 is Friday. Then a week of study leave where the kids can choose whether or not they want to revise at home or at school. I'm quite glad as DS has a good, structured approach to revision at home and I think the more relaxed setting at home will help take the pressure off and keep his stress levels down.
I honestly thought this was the norm, so this thread has been quite an eye opener!

Same for my dd, and also at the school I work at. I thought it was the norm for everyone!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 03/05/2023 07:32

I’m surprised to see so many people saying exam leave isn’t a thing anymore, it certainly is where I live and in all the schools not just my DCs.

I can sort of see the sense in not having it as long as the school work is purely revision and not because they haven’t covered the curriculum.

SocialserviceswillTheyhelp · 03/05/2023 07:35

CeliaNorth · 02/05/2023 23:28

6 exams for science, I don't believe you did 6 sit down exams for science.

3 sit down exams for maths.

Science was three separate subjects - biology, physics, chemistry. I did biology - a practical and a written exam. I suppose it was the same for the others. So someone who did all three would have six exams.

Maths as I recall was three papers - algebra, arithmetic and geometry.

French - oral, dictation, I think, and another written paper.

History - one paper for British history, one for European.

English language I think might have been two - an essay and a grammar/comprehension paper.

Can't remember Eng. Lit., Geography and Art.

And yes, the papers were two or three hours.

A practical exam for biology and oral exams for languages, no?

so you did not do 22 sit down exams.

You did the same as me, a mix or oral, practical and written.

You and I did not do 22 sit down exams.

Qilin · 03/05/2023 08:05

Nimbostratus100 · 02/05/2023 19:56

It hasn't existed for many years

It does in some schools.
Different schools do,study leave in different ways.
Some schools keep the same lessons throughout.
Some schools suspend the normal timetable and just have revision and study sessions in place of them, dropping them as both papers are completed for the subject. Some then replace these with general study sessions, some don't insist in attendance once a subject is finished.
Some have optional sessions and some compulsory ones, a mix.
Some start study leave from May half term, some not at all.
Dd did her GCSEs in 2018 and had study leave from the day the first GCSEs started, with the optional revision and study sessions in school if she wanted and drop in hours for key staff were offered.

Qilin · 03/05/2023 08:14

WimbyAce · 02/05/2023 22:40

Sure some were 3 hours?

I did gcses in their second year. Most exams were 1hr 30m. I think I had one 2 hour exam.

Some of my A levels were 3 hour long.
Not sure any GCSEs were that long except maybe a times art type day thing.

underneaththeash · 03/05/2023 08:45

Nimbostratus100 · 02/05/2023 19:56

It hasn't existed for many years

DS had study leave for his GCSEs last and has study leave for his mock A levels this year.
All the local grammar schools do

CeliaNorth · 03/05/2023 09:21

You and I did not do 22 sit down exams.

I didn't say I did. We only did eight subjects as standard at O Level.

My point was that, with 2-3 papers per subject, someone doing ten GCSEs, as some students seem to these days, might easily have 22 exams, which was what you originally said - nothing about sit down written exams. An exam is an exam, whether it's oral, practical or written.

AfingeroffudgeisNOTenough · 03/05/2023 10:09

I’m in NI and I can’t think of a single school that doesn’t give study leave!

Most 5th years finish end of this week or beginning of next week. Most L6th and U6th finish sometime this week I think. DD finishes next Thur which is the latest I have heard for any school for U6th and none of the pupils are happy about it. (I’m using old style form names because we use different numbers here in NI and it’s too confusing to start talking about yr14s!)

I wouldn’t be happy about study leave being taken away - all my DC work better at home than with the distraction of other pupils at school, and as they also all travel to school it saves them valuable study time by being at home. Their school opens up study areas for anyone who wants to come in, but it’s not compulsory. It is strongly recommended that those who have done badly in recent mocks make use of school facilities during study leave, but they don’t force the issue.

Last year at the school I work in we had about 10-15 pupils in from 5th year at the start of study leave, but by a few weeks in that was down to less than 5. Funnily enough we had a lot of 6th form in last year - I think the lack of GCSEs and AS Level exams in previous years made a lot of them quite nervous, so they wanted the extra support of having teachers around. It was never the ones who were struggling who were in though - always the conscientious ones who would have been fine wherever they were.

It’s normal here for pupils to get some element of study leave right from the start of secondary school. My DC’s school give a day of study leave before exams start in 1st-3rd form, and then they have a week of exams when they only go in for the mornings. Once they are in 4th year (GCSEs) they get full study leave with a couple of days off before exams start and then usually a 2 week exam period and they come in and out for exams.

It sets them up well and teaches them to be independent learners.

lanthanum · 03/05/2023 12:04

DD's school kept them in until two weeks after half-term, and then it was optional. DD actually concentrated far better in school, and as time went on it was supervised study rather than whole-class revision activities. The teacher of her best subject was happy for her to work on her weakest subject in those lessons, right from when they finished the syllabus.

I don't know whether many schools take a flexible approach - there's a lot to be said for quietly exempting those who genuinely do study better at home, and those who are just disruptive. A friend's kid was supposed to go in just for subjects whose exams hadn't happened yet, and when she protested about the travel time just to attend one lesson, they agreed that he needn't go.

HowcanIgetoutofthisalive · 03/05/2023 12:07

no study leave for A levels here. DD was told it was because of all the missed stuff during Covid (sounds crap to me because all content has now been learnt apparently).

and according to an ex-govenor of a nearby school, this is utter bollocks as it's all down to bums on seats and keeping attendance up so the 6th form get as much money as possible? Not sure how true this is but highly more believable than the covid trope?

Asparagus1 · 03/05/2023 13:40

My daughter stands down on the 26th but will have already had two weeks of exams by then… another local school the same. The grammar school nearby they stand down on the 12th before exams start…