easter revision classes - waste of time?

[NicolaSturGONE]

DD who is doing N5s has saidshe doesn'tintend to go to easter revision classes as apparently an older friend has said they are a 'waste of time' and just a space to 'mess about' or to complete unfinished coursework.

Its been nearly 20 years since I did easter revision classes but my understanding was that they go over topics in preparation for the exams and also do past papers. Is that not the case anymore? I thought they were on offer every year although I think they are still optional.

DD does not want to give up her holiday, she says, and because she has tutors, albeit not for every subject, she thinks that's enough. DH is agreeing that tutors and her own study would be enough. I'm pissed off at him because I think DD should be taking every opportunity available.

Who is right here? Are easter revision classes worthwhile? What is involved? Do teachers put pressure on pupils to attend and what if they do not?

DD is smart but is resisting any pressure from me to study.

If paid I have delivered them in the past but only to targeted pupils . The open sessions were a waste of time. Way more kids than I'd be allowed to teach in an ordinary class lesson who had obviously had enough of studying at home and wanted to hang out with their pals. Not giving up time in my holidays to provide a social club.

Targeted was different it was pupils in danger of falling (as identified by their teachers) as I could focus on meeting their needs.

Won't be doing any this year unless some funding appears.

I don't put any pressure on. Some kids are dangerously close to burn out by then as it is. It should support not replace what's being delivered in class. I'll have finished course content week before the Easter break and have plenty of time before study leave to go home over exam skills.

I thought all schools offered them and they were either paid or included as part of their current role/salary? Is that not the case then?
Are there any online ones as an alternative that DD might be more willing to do?

Not all schools at all. By and large related to PEF so if PEF is low the schools don't have money to pay teachers. In areas of significant funding they are happy to see the kids warm and fed under the guise of revision sessions. They might look for volunteers to offer sessions for TOIL at at later date but trying to take said TOIL is made so difficult most of us won't be burned again.

Maybe Independents it is part of a remit/role but certainly not in the state sector.

Ds had his own study plan, he knew his own gaps he had to work on and thought it was more benefical to do that at home rather than generic revision at school so we supported that. But he was up and out of bed at a decent time and studying nearly every day during the holidays with midday breaks a 2-3 times a week to meet friends for a couple of hours for an outdoors walk outside of town/countryside (this was during lockdown).

If she knows what she is doing and has a strong study plan and will put the hours in focussed on her weaknesses at home I wouldnt enforce going into school.

Ds’s school mostly offer lunchtime and after school sessions. We have the half day on a Friday and one subject teacher is giving up his afternoon to take a small group. I doubt he’s being paid. I think ds would quite like Easter revision classes. He gets bored studying on his own.

Easter is only two weeks then you are pretty much straight onto exams. If a child is able to study (they often twig this is necessary by that point) and organise themselves then it is not so much a waste of time as actively removing them from productive study time. If they have tutors to raise areas they are stuck on, then even more so.