AIBU - 10 mins between GCSE papers!

[lrene]

I’m annoyed that my son will have only a ten minute break between two GCSE papers. This is due to a clash over two papers which were both scheduled for 9am.

He’s my only child so I have no idea if I am wrong or not - would appreciate some honest feedback. He will be coming in at just under three hours of writing once the “break” is factored in.

I think it’s appalling. Barely enough time for a wee…. If it’s quite common though I’ll just shut up and get on with it - pls advise!

AIBU?

Totally normal. My son starts his next week and his first exam is 2.5 hours but as he has extra time agreed it will be 3 hours and finishing at 4pm! Your son will be fine, 10 mins is absolutely adequate to go to toilet and quick snack / drink other than water. He will be supervised the whole time too.

If he has revised and knows the topic ten minutes is not going to impact.

Exams are about handling pressure to some extent.

And yes, three hours of writing or for an exam is a norm. Or used to be.

It sounds manageable to me and of course it’s enough time to go for a wee (provided the toilet isn’t miles away!)
Exams can be gruelling and intense, it’s just a fact.

It sounds like you’re anxious about it but does your son feel ok about it?

GCSEs do feel like a lot. I think my kids sat about 25 exams in a month, often back to back. One of my kids got extra time so often didn’t get much time between exams. I think one of their friends had 3 exams in one day once which was tough going. The staff were really good at managing them and keeping them all calm and they have practiced in a few sets of mocks so most of the kids are absolutely fine.

Best of luck to your son.

It's unfortunate but there is not much you can do. :( Hugs xx

There’s literally nothing you can do - it’s exam regulations.

English Lit paper 2 on its own is 2 hours 15 mins, some children get 50% extra time- exams can be long.

I once had a student with 200% extra time. Now that's long.

Unfortunately it happens. It's all part of the horrible UK exam system

My daughter has an exam in the morning, one on the afternoon and then 5 mins before the next one which is after school hours staring at 335

its because there was a clash with further maths
and they can’t allow them to have time to be able to
speak to anyone that’s just sat the same test to find anything out

This happens quite often and they do need to maintain confidentiality by being kept away from other kids.

Thanks - you’ve all made me feel a lot better - I don’t have any issue with the exams being back to back but I do think a ten minute break is wrong and I don’t see why they could not have given them a 20 minute break which they’re allowed to do for guidelines

im sure he’ll be fine, he’s motivated and good under pressure

thanks all

I wouldn't be too bothered about the length of the 2 exams. He could have 3 hour exams if he goes on to do a levels and some exams at university can be 3 hours. The problem is that he is changing subject midway through with a short break. There will be a good reason for it but i think that it is easier to concentrate on a 3 hour exam in one subject. Okay there wouldn't be a break but it is easier to get stuck in.

How long is each exam that is clashing?

The school won't be giving a 10 minute break because they want to be mean.

It will probably be because of break time noise or other considerations if they start it 10 minutes later.

As it's less that 3 hours in total then not a big deal.

I get you feel aggrieved because you’ve seen the guidelines say ‘up to 20 minutes’ but realistically what difference is 5-10 minutes actually going to make? Unless they’ve got a dodgy stomach, ten minutes is plenty of time to go to the toilet and he’d just be sat in a classroom alone with a teacher for the other 5-10 minutes feeling awkward and stressed out. At least this way he won’t have chance to be fretting and getting paranoid over any questions he thinks he’s got wrong in the previous exam, or frantically trying to remember facts and figures for the second one and worrying that he’s suddenly forgot everything. Ten minutes is probably the sweet spot.

It will likely be the exam board setting the times rather than the school.

His break will be supervised as he won't be able to talk to other students. So he will be escorted to the toilet if need be and back into exam room until the start of the clash exam

This is where you should have a it is what it is attitude and teach your son resilience. Sometimes things are just as they are, he don’t be the first this has happened to he just needs to deal with it. There’s a chance my daughter will have to sit an exam by herself next year due to combination of options she chose. She wasn’t that impressed by it but I told her she’s just gonna have to suck it up.

It’ll be fine - a quick wee, a big stretch, a drink of water and a banana - and he’s good to go. It’s only 3 hours.

Can I suggest you watch the final episodes of Masterchef Junior OP?

Once you have seen an 8 year old cook a three course meal, on camera, in front of a crowd it will reset your preciousness setting.

Good luck to your DS with his GCSEs.

What? 😂

I'm surprised you're questioning this. Surely you've done 3 hour exams? I definitely have. Getting a wee break is good!

If it were 6 hours with only 10 min break that would be too much but 3 hours is just the morning.

To have two important exams in one day with such a tiny break to reset is mentally tough. To be in a position to perform their best a longer break would be fairer. There’s a lot of content to recall for GCSE so the pivot will be a challenge for most. My son has three GCSE exams on day (English, Latin and business). School have spread them out and he will be supervised all day. There’s no way he will not be exhausted and his performance impacted when it comes to the last exam. Ask school to consider a longer break as surely that’s completely reasonable. Best of liuck