Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Would you go on holiday during the Easter break before Highers?

32 replies

FiftyNotNifty · 15/01/2024 22:01

DD is in s5, sitting highers in May. She will have to work hard to pass them. For various complicated reasons, we don't get away on holiday much, and I think we could scrape 5 days in the sun during the second week of the Easter hols. Would this be sheer madness?!

OP posts:
AyeRightYeAre · 15/01/2024 22:07

Yes. Go for it but get her to study a few hours each day.

Original poster
FiftyNotNifty · 15/01/2024 23:50

Thank you! I'm conscious of not having many family holidays left as well..but don't want to screw up her results so I can see the sun!

OP posts:
NYName · 16/01/2024 08:06

I wouldn't do this unless you have a pretty high flying child. April/May in S5 is a really important few weeks in a child's school career.

We didn't with either of ours. They needed to very much be in a study routine by then without distractions., school also has revision sessions in holidays (which one of mine REALLY needed for English)

A couple of days fine, but wouldn't do longer than that. None of my DC's friends went on holiday at that time. The only family I know did this had a son heading straight for 5As and the distraction of "holiday mode" was never going to affect his grades

AgentProvocateur · 16/01/2024 09:08

Not unless you’ve got a child who can get 5As without studying. The school may run extra study sessions in the Easter holidays, and they need this time to revise. Can you go on holiday at the end of May (depending on what highers they’re doing)?

2chocolateoranges · 16/01/2024 09:11

when my teens were sitting their highers their school had Easter school for the pupils of certain subjects that helped with studying and work they were stuck on. The teachers gave up 2-3 hrs of their day to help out their students.

so no I wouldn’t go on holiday during Easter.
i would wait until the exams were over before going on holiday to relax.

Blanketpolicy · 16/01/2024 11:08

I never even considered it and I doubt ds would have been happy going away either. It is the absolute worst year and time of year to go on holiday.

ds was targeting 5As for his preferred uni/course and it would have put too much pressure on him to catch up on studying, he would miss out on school study sessions and support from friends during the easter holidays, it would have given out a message that I didn't think studying was that important, it would have given a message I wasn't prioritising supporting him during one of the toughest exam years/periods - more pressure.

Go in the summer instead.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 16/01/2024 11:09

My eldest went away for a few days with a friend last April. I was in two minds but decided it was important for his mental health. He got 5 As in the end. Having said that if it had been our choice we wouldn’t have gone and won’t be this year (my youngest is in s4 and not academic like his brother) and also sometimes schools run Easter school so wouldn’t want him missing that.

PrimalLass · 16/01/2024 11:10

Depends when in May her exams are.

HeddaGarbled · 16/01/2024 11:11

Go for it but get her to study a few hours each day

Well, how enjoyable that will be for her, studying in a hotel room while everyone else is lolling about by the pool 🙄

Hapagirl48 · 16/01/2024 11:26

I wouldn’t no. I have an S6 and an S4 this year and we’re not going anywhere.

Crispsandwichrock · 16/01/2024 12:57

I would, but my teens will do so little studying it won't make much difference. But it really matters when the exams are though have you looked up the dates?

dg3131 · 16/01/2024 13:16

If you stayed at home would they be studying all day or have regular breaks/just do a few hours? I'd definitely go, in my opinion there's nothing better than making memories, but stress the importance of a few hours revision a day, round the pool and if that doesn't work then have to go to the room. I think it's worth 2 hours out the day to have a lovely family holiday together

Original poster
FiftyNotNifty · 16/01/2024 15:21

Hmmmm I'm very conflicted.
Thank you for your replies. We can't go in the summer unfortunately as DH works set shifts and his annual leave doesn't fall then. It's so much more expensive too. I think I was just getting teary eyed about having no time left with her!
She's not a high flier and will need to work. I'd give her breaks at home but you're right about study sessions.
Her exam dates are very spread out which is good in some ways.
Sigh...think it's probably a bad idea.

OP posts:
snoopyfanaccountant · 16/01/2024 19:13

We did a city break in York in Highers year. We found a house with wifi, very close to the centre, so she was able to come out with us in the morning and then go back to the house in the afternoon to study or stay in when we went out and join us later.

Vettrianofan · 16/01/2024 20:41

DS's school offers an Easter study school so we wouldn't go anywhere as he gets any help and support during Easter if he needs it. He's S5 just now.

mummywithtwokidsplusdog · 16/01/2024 20:43

No….. the SQA exams start at end of April …. And even if your DC aren’t until beginning of May if they want to achieve their best being at home in a settled environment is likely to be best….sorry! Probably not what you want to hear!

Vettrianofan · 16/01/2024 20:49

For us it's an incredibly easy decision this year as we are totally skint and cannot afford to travel anywhere so the option is out of our hands but my gut tells me having a revision schedule in a settled environment is what is best with access to Easter school revision sessions if needed. This is an important year for them all.

Original poster
FiftyNotNifty · 17/01/2024 22:33

We're skint too, which also helps make the decision!
You are all sensible and right..maybe could get away in the October week.
Thank you!

OP posts:
Bargello · 17/01/2024 23:13

I wouldn't, no.

heartofglass23 · 20/01/2024 09:51

Nuts!

aintnospringchicken · 20/01/2024 10:23

When DS was in S5 we went to visit his sibling who was studying in another country.This was during Easter holidays.DS took some coursework with him and did some work on the plane journeys( noise cancelling headphones). He also fitted in a couple of hours studying each day.He got 5 As in his highers.I was quite anxious about going away so close to exams but it all turned out well in the end.I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing that though. Every DC is different in terms of how much studying they can do and where they can do it.

owlsinthedaylight · 20/01/2024 12:29

I think it’s very dependent on your child.

I wouldn’t for mine, because they need the structure and comfort of being at home. But I can see how it would work for some.

The reality is that provided they have started early they will only be studying for 3-4 hours a day, which could easily fit in with a holiday, but it depends how it would affect concentration and stress levels.

Glasgowgin · 22/01/2024 19:34

Would you have any time at the end of the exams once she's finished but before they go back at the start of June? We definitely wouldn't take ours away at Easter, but may try for a few days after his last exam.

Original poster
FiftyNotNifty · 23/01/2024 08:03

She would, but I don't! I'm restricted to school holidays unfortunately otherwise that would have been ideal.

OP posts:
Crispsandwichrock · 23/01/2024 08:41

I don't think you've said yet what the date of the next exam after Easter is? It could work if you traded time - so working through weekends to make back the time missed - in advance!