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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Would you make your DC revise on Christmas Eve ?

59 replies

lilolilmanchester · 27/12/2013 20:24

Genuine question ... Friend's dd was not allowed at Christmas Eve party (which was also celebration of close friend's significant birthday ) because she had to revise for GCSE mocks in a couple of weeks time. I realise the exams are important, but was made to feel like a bad parent for asking why she couldn't have Christmas Eve off... Wouldn't have made my dd miss Christmas Eve/ big party ..... But maybe I've got it wrong?

OP posts:

curlew · 28/12/2013 10:20

2 hours a day for year 7 exams????????

LIZS · 28/12/2013 10:20

ds did some revision each day until 23rd and while travelling on 25th for his GCSE mocks and will do so pretty much everyday until they start.

MollyBerry · 28/12/2013 10:21

It's not year 7 exams - it's GCSE mocks!
I still don't think anyone shoudl be 'forced' to revise on Christmas Eve - some gentle pushing the rest of the time might be of use though

LIZS · 28/12/2013 10:22

another poster commented on their Year 7 doing revision every day.

ErrolTheDragon · 28/12/2013 10:28

I think there are a few parents out there (and a lot in Hong Kong etc) who need to be reminded of the truth that 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. There's research supporting this old adage nowadays.

In the group Kenlee cited, would be interesting if one could analyse the cause and effect of the smartest kids being the ones allowed out to see a movie instead of grafting.

A couple of hours a day most days through the hols is OK; missing a close friend's birthday party (whether xmas eve or not) really is screwed up priorities.

curlew · 28/12/2013 10:34

"And anyway, who revises for mocks?"

People who want to do well in the real things, sadly.

lljkk · 28/12/2013 10:37

Exactly how do you "make" them revise?
I don't understand how forced learning works.

MrsSteptoe · 28/12/2013 10:38

I'd love to be able to draw a concrete conclusion from the fact that DS did a maths practice paper (can't remember the school) on Boxing Day morning, having had Christmas Day off, and got a higher score than usual - actually getting towards the holy grail of 80%. But it's not exactly empirical evidence, and no doubt the next one will be littered with daft mistakes and gaps. I'm pinning my hopes to the possibility that he'll rise to the occasion a bit in the exams because there's nothing to do but focus, IYSWIM. Here, he tends to be a bit drifty.

MrsSteptoe · 28/12/2013 10:44

I referred to this in passing in another thread, so soz if you see both: but is there any evidence for the idea that DCs may do better in maths and reasoning exams than practice papers?
DS is doing 11+ in January (he'll be 11 in March) and I keep hoping that maybe he'll get a few extra marks just because he's in an exam room and there's nothing to do except focus, IYSWIM. He tends to be a bit fidgety here, and keeps shouting out "I'm half way through, Mum", "I'm on question 20, Mum". He's hovering around the 70-75% mark on maths, he can be around the same mark on reasoning but he's had some spectacular crashes. I know these aren't stellar marks.

I suspect English practice papers are a more accurate indicator of what he'll do on the day.
I guess the answer is that some will do better, some will do worse because of the pressure, but I'd be interested to know if there's much evidence of DCs exceeding expectation when they get to The Big Day!

MrsSteptoe · 28/12/2013 10:45

CRAP: I meant to post that as a new thread! I am so rubbish sometimes! Ignore, ignore - I'm posting this as a new thread!!

bigTillyMintspie · 28/12/2013 11:02

Exactly how do you "make" them revise?
I don't understand how forced learning works.

Yes, and how come the girl isn't allowed to accept/decline invites herself?

mumeeee · 28/12/2013 11:28

No I didn't work on Christmas eve and I wouldn't expect anyone to revise for Mocks on Christmas eve. I also wouldn't make a year 7 child do 2 hours revision evertday over the Christmas holidays unless they actually wanted to

Att100 · 28/12/2013 16:25

2 hours a day for an 11 year old is hardly excessive over the Xmas holidays especially if they are prepping for entrance exams or something or internal exams that will show up in a school report going to a prospective top school, and if the result impacts the choice of senior school for that child for the next 5 years, especially of it is one of the top selective schools....I imagine quite a few 10 and 11 year olds are spending a large their holidays prepping for senior indy school January 11+ or pre-test exams which will be competitive (eg top 100 or 120) remember and not qualifying. It all depends on what your goals are and how high you are aiming surely. Nothing worse than having doors close because you couldn't be bothered to put on the effort at the significant time when it mattered ...and at 11+/pre-tests time it's usually a one shot thing.

Tikkamasala · 28/12/2013 16:31

I think a gcse student is old enough to take more responsibility for their own time and schedule so the mum should not be declining or accepting invites on their behalf! I would not have revised on Christmas Eve myself and I would not dream of forcing my child to do so. Breaks are important.

HSMMaCM · 28/12/2013 17:27

DD did school work on Christmas Day! We didn't ask her to. We didn't even know she had packed it and brought it with her (spent the day with family). She did a couple of hours and then carried on with the fun.

Like others have said, they're her exams and she can choose how and when to study.

curlew · 28/12/2013 17:42

Every time I hear the expression "top school" something in me shrivels up a little.

webwiz · 28/12/2013 17:45

My DCs have always revised on Christmas Eve when they have january exams because the alternative is the annual family viewing of "Its a wonderful Life." This year no one has exams so no one got out of it

LIZS · 28/12/2013 17:49

I'd also wonder if friend's dd had been revising up to that point or of missing the party was a consequence of not doing as promised.

lljkk · 28/12/2013 18:05

How does one know if one's offspring are at a top institution?
Which criteria to apply, I pray thee.

(And I still don't know how you "make" someone revise ).
Deprive them of much else to do,bribe reward threaten or cajole, sure, I can imagine those. But "make"?

curlew · 28/12/2013 18:14

I suspect one knows because nobody associated with it would dream of so describing it...............

Att100 · 28/12/2013 20:42

er this one...Westminster ....with around 45% Oxbridge success....emphasis is on the 11+ pre-test exams being "competitive"...i imagine a few 10 year olds are focussed on that now...

"Registration and entry

In the January preceding entry to the Under School, boys in Year 6 take a competitive 11+ entry examination."

Schmedz · 28/12/2013 20:53

I think it is equally important to teach a work/life balance. Yes, there should be a short stint of revision each and every day, but there is usually plenty of time to get both revision AND socialising done, especially on Christmas Eve!,

Original poster

lilolilmanchester · 28/12/2013 22:33

If the child had chosen to do so then fair enough. She didn't and was not allowed to go to the party because she had to revise . I have a solid work ethic but was shocked a) cos it was Christmas Eve and b) a close friend's party... The only reason I posted about this because I was made to feel bad for questioning it

OP posts:

Utterly · 29/12/2013 19:48

No way.

Kenlee · 30/12/2013 00:07

I agree with Errol it seens ridiculous that children are forced to study over the holidays for an exam. I think all exams should be taken before holidays. That way kids get to have down time.....

Yes a little sleep in and maybe a lot of Dr Who on the TV or maybe just a sleep over....

Although the girls did compare notes on what they learnt whilst having coffee about what they found difficult... One of them always has an idea how to make it easier.. They are constantly on whatsapp asking and comparing...

I think this maybe the reason for being smarter not because they are the cleverest.... but because they have learnt to work together using each others strength to help each other.

I think you have to also understand having friends is just as important as getting good results....

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