MISSING A GCSE DUE TO CHANGE OF FLIGHT TIME-HELP???

[milkybarsrus]

Please could someone give me some advice (preferably a teacher) re my dilema. We are going on holiday to Turkey this Sunday for 1 week and should have been returning Sunday 10th June in the evening, but the flight times have changed and we will now leave turkey at midnight (theretime) and land in gatwick about 3am!!!! My year 10 child has a RS gcse exam Monday morning which he has to be in school at 8.30am the latest for. What can / should we do? Someone suggested doing a sicky and getting a doctors note that day, but Im not sure whether to do that or just come clean and tell the school whats happened and see if he can sit it another time, any suggestions?

op I think you're worrying too much, he'll be fine, he might be tired the next day but he'll survive. Just make sure he drinks plenty of water on the flight, does some revision while away and get him to school on time. Enjoy your holiday.

Depends if he's planning on continuing it at A-Level & then moving on to a Theology degree, Magneto...but yeah, I bet the Archbishop of Canterbury hasn't got A* RE either, & it's not one I'd've worried unduly about planking, either...

Apart from the fact that flight delays aren't exactly unforseeable acts of god, I wouldn't have thought sitting a GCSE the day after returning from Turkey was a desperately good idea, but hey, you know best!

And to those saying 'but it's only RE': if he wants to do something highly competitive like medicine, vet science etc etc then it may still affect his chances of getting a place when most students will have straight A*s across the board, including RE! And that's without all the arguments about working equally hard for all subject etc etc.

Milkybarsus

I am hiding this thread but first before you judge people for hothousing their kids....my child IS suicidal because of exams. Not my fault but we are living through it. Now fuck off to your holiday and be grateful your kid isnt

When I did O levels in the olden days of 'fifth year' the cleverest did do English and/or Maths in year 4 (now year 10). It's always happened!

So he is an A star student. Well that's fine then - get him to sit it tired and he might get a C, not much different to a thousand of our DCs who have worked really really hard and won't be tired, but will be delighted their hard work pays off and they get a Grade C.

Blimey, this got heated! Do people really get this worked up about what other people do?

If your DD is in Year 10, this is not the last time for her to take the exam, so no amount of doctors' notes will make any difference. The exam board won't do anything.

Bah, its only RS. I don't know why everyone's getting in such a flap.

I think the whole point of MN is people getting worked up about what other people do

I babysat for someone the night before one of my A level exams. This usually reliable person didnt appear home until about 4am. Luckily exam wasn't until afternoon but I did want to look over some notes in the morning. I survived and got an A in the A-level (this was pre AS days so no 2nd attempts). Probably it was a bit daft to babysit but the child was in bed at 7 and I had a quiet house to study in but expected to be home by midnight at latest. I'm sure your son will survive. Make sure he has plenty to drink and fed well. I do think you are a bit odd going on hols in middle of exam period however but each to their own.

I don't think anyone should have the attitude that it's only RS. If she is dropping the subject, her GCSE grade is the one she will carry on her CV.

I imagine, though, that if she has learnt all her model answers, she will be able to do the exam even if a little tired.

For those upset that exams happen across 2 or even 3 years you will be pleased to know that the current year 10 are the last ones who will have this problem to any great extent. Exams are going back to being linear from the current year 9 onwards. (Until it changes again....)

Be careful about assuming that about linear assessment. Many Students will still take one complete Science GCSE at the end of year 10. And if they miss a paper, they will have to retake the whole GCSE at the end of year 10, not just the paper they missed.

blimey! i am really surprised at the whole tone of this thread - the op was asking for advice - and was trying to do the right thing in going in the school hols! she hasnt said oh sod it im going when its cheaper!

i think people must have their judgy pants stuck up the crack of their arse and its making them irritable....

its pointless now to give the op a good ticking off really - its done, she is asking how to best deal with the situation.

you have made me think though about booking the same week for us next year....so your post has helped me OP.

Hope he manages ok, it could be worse.

Heap as fallen said, and I would think for top scientists they will be sitting one whole science in year 10 and probably English Lit (or maybe English Lang with a chance to resit).

thank you vicar in a tutu! you summed it up very well! I just can't imagine some of these mums in the school playground playing judge and jury to any parent that does something they wouldn't approve of! And hey Mermaid, your language sums you up beautifully, good luck to you and your child.

mermaid: ps, we'll have a fabulous time in the sun enjoying ourselves.

Do you think many students will re sit, say if they don't get their target grade? If it is common for pupils to resit there's no reason to worry. As I said this isn't something I would do myself but you'll know not to do it next year now!

Rs is a point less subject

To be fair, you asked if anyone '(preferably a teacher)' could advise you as to what would happen, & the response you've got has pretty much been honest & straightforward - he can turn up & have a go, or forfeit the exam, there aren't any other options involving sicky-throwing.

People are going to think this is a fairly foreseeable problem, tbh - whether it's really all that much of a problem depends on how vital this particular exam is to your ds.

Have a nice holiday, anyway - I'm buried under 500 exam scripts here & would much rather be packing for Turkey tbh!

I would usually expect the pupil to turn up and have a go regardless, but with a note to the exam board about the circumstances.

However this is one of those occasions where you really ought to flash the plastic and book a separate scheduled flight with one parent to get home earlier IMO, so your child does the best they can. The whole booking thing was very risky.

We're not all
Judgemental mums though
Some are teachers as well as mums

Where are you going in Turkey?

I'm amazed that the OP has a child who wants to go on holiday immediately prior to their exams. When I was doing what was then O levels I would have hated to be away then. I'm impressed at the OP's and her dc's confidence in booking a holiday then in the first place. Personally I would do what others have suggested and book a separate flight that gets back within sufficient time to sit the exam.