what do i do? Year 10 gcse science exam mess. School booked trip to iceland at same time as final exam.

[kit123456789]

I really do not know what to think. My school has - astonishingly - booked an outstanding,exciting geography trip to Iceland for 17 year 10's. Only now - just a few weeks before they go have i discovered that they have somehow booked it to clash with the final year 10 science exam (physics) - meaning that they cannot take the exam and the whole years course work was for nothing. I've just phoned the exam board and asked was there no chance of them taking the hour long exam in Iceland - but the answer was no. Schools says its up to us to cancel and they will refund the price as it is there mistake - or have the trip of a lifetime (and it would be that) and re-sit it next year in year 11 along with everything else. What do i do? It sounds sensible to remove my son from the trip but the thing is he is predicted to only get a D - so chances are he'll have to re-sit anyway!! Stupid school!

Honestly ? I don't see any merit in him taking an exam early he may only just pass, he would stand a better chance of a better grade given another year.

Send him to Iceland. There is no point sitting early if he is not predicted a high grade. He will be much better off sitting in year 11. I am sure doing controlled assessments(?) again won't kill him and he might get better grades.

Hope he has a great time - I would love to go!

Why do they do it in year 10? Serious question..?

What happens if half the parents cancel - will they still be able to run the trip? Can they cancel the trip for all and rebook for another date?

It's a no brainer for me. Send him to Iceland and let him take the exam when he should be doing it - Year 11.

No point sitting any exam in year ten if you're likely to get a D. Do it at the proper time. And go to Iceland!

I would expect he can carry forward the course work grade and so not have to do the course work again next year (but do double check as i don't know if all exam boards allow this). And go to Iceland. It will be a great trip and he clearly isn't ready for the science exam anyway.

Iceland all the way. Schools only enter early to try and 'bank' results, it is not for the benefit of the students in most cases.

Iceland. He's got nothing to gain from sitting the exam early. With another year, he will most likely retain the body of knowledge required far better. Racing to take the exam early has obviously left gaps.

Most schools do core science in year 10 and additional science in year 11. The school are not chucking him in early to 'bank' a grade, they are doing the core exams at the end of the core course which is usually in the best interests of the student. Iceland sounds fab though. . .

It's probably core science, not an early entry. The coursework cannot be carried forward. If he doesn't do any of the 3 exams he's better off as next year won't be a resit but a first entry. Get the school to cancel the entry so it doesn't show as an absence. I bet the science department are fuming too, the science ISAs are a nighare to organise.

Send him to Iceland. Tell him to have fun, be careful, and don't annoy the elves. They are not for pitching ala Harry Potter gnomes!

Somebody in management has cocked up on this one. It is most probably core science which lots of schools do in year 10. There is no point in them sitting any of the exams this summer as they won't be able to carry the module results through to next year.
Best advice - I'd be up the school insisting that they provide an extra lesson (after school?) throughout year 11 to prepare the students who are going to iceland with extra tuition to redo the ISA and prepare for extra exams they are going to have to sit next summer. The science dept will not be impressed that somebody has allowed this trip to be booked without checking the exam schedule.

Nag the school like hell to make sure they contact the exam board for help working out whether the controlled assessment grades can be carried forward. All sorts of things can affect this and you want them to get it right!

It's worth finding out what his CA grade is before making a decision.

I'm not offering an opinion on what to do but wanted to check with OP that the exam is Core Sciences as people are assuming.

My DS is taking separate sciences and took Biology in year 10 and will be taking Chemistry and Physics this year (Year 11). It's the way they've decided to manage the kids having three subjects but only the same timetable space as those doing Core Sciences or the BTEC science. I just wondered if OP's school might be doing the same.

It certainly isn't an ideal situation. DS got a good grade and won't be re-taking but anyone not happy with their grades and re-taking, is having to attend after school revision classes for support, as the Sciences lessons have been on Physics and Chemistry only this year. I'm not sure what they're doing about coursework.

Iceland,
DD would have got A* (rather than an A) if she'd been able to redo an awful CA, done too early in the year.

I'd also check that there's no 'demerit' in taking core science (if that's what it is) along with is it Additional Science in Y11? I'm just wondering as I know some ongoing post-16 course providers state exams must always be taken at the 'same' or 'correct' time, and I believe Gove-The-Education-Slayer is moving away from 'multiple resits til the right grade is reached'.

I don't know this but you wouldn't want to find out at the end of Y11.

Core science is a separate GCSE to Additional science and it is standard practice to teach and examine core in year 10 and additional in year 11. I worked in schools that choose to do core in year 10 and schools that do both in year 11. Strengths and weaknesses in both models.