Year 11 Study Leave

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

My sister is just starting to take her GCSE's. She is still required to be in school for the full day, even when she has no exams. She had one exam on Tuesday, and her next exam isn't until next week.
She is still required to go into school, to revise. These are not revision sessions lead by a teacher, its just all the kids sitting in classroom doing their own revision.

Any other schools doing this? Do you know why? My mum phoned the school to ask why they are doing this, and they tried to blame local authority. My mum has obviously spoken to the local authority, who have said this is school policy, not theirs.

Also, at the moment the school are also telling her that she needs to continue to go into school once her exams are finished, and she will break up at the end of term with the rest of the school. I have no clue what they expect all the pupils to do for 3/4 weeks - I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life!!

Can anyone shed any light on possible reasons for school doing this? My mum is going to have a meeting with the head soon, and will raise these points (meeting isn't just because of these issues). Thanks

At DD's school they keep going in to lessons until half term, then only for exams. If they haven't yet done the exam for a scheduled lesson, then they have a proper revision lesson with the teacher. If they have done the lesson then either a lesson is substituted in, or they do private study.

The aim I believe is to make sure all students actually do some level of structured revision, as if left to their own devices some will fill the day playing on x-box or face-booking.

If the school goes on to A levels, then I guess keeping them in afterwards they could start the courses, but that seems very unusual.

DD2 is doing GCSEs at the moment. She doesn't get study leave. If she has an afternoon exam she can come home after it, but otherwise they have to be in school. For lessons where they have already finished (e.g. French) they can do their own revision. In other classes they are doing teacher-guided revision.

No one has said yet when this will change. DD1 did GCSEs last year at the same school and the same rules applied until the date of the second maths exam (which was the last exam for many). I think it was the 13th June. At this point on the people doing DT and triple science still had exams. The school does not do A levels, though.

Years 11 and 12 went on study leave last Friday at DD's school. The year 11's had their leavers assembly too. They only need to go in for exams now although can go in to revise. Revision sessions are still running but optional and teachers are available during the normal lesson times. Year 13 leave tomorrow. Any student with exams before the official study leave gets the 24 hours off before an exam to revise.

My ds is in y11, he is in school as usual just missing lessons for exams and as he completes subjects he either does private study at school or he might be pulled into a different lesson. They have to stay 2 weeks after exams but we already know that this of for life skills stuff like finance and first aid.

I'm rather pleased as it means he is where he needs to be if he has forgotten an exam and the life skills will be useful and keep him occupied.

I could understand if there were structured revision sessions on offer, but there isn't. The kids should be getting on with their own revision, but my sister says she finds it hard to concentrate as some of the class are mucking around.

There has been no suggestion as to what they would be doing after their exams are finished. It would be nice to think that they'll do classes on finance/budgeting, first aid, CV writing etc.....but I very much doubt that wil be happening.....

There are no schools in the me lea who are on study leave yet. Only very few subjects will have finished exams. I would expected structured revision activities at this time of year.

Is it because the school leaving age has risen?
DS2 is doing AS levels but there is no study leave even after exams.

Many schools teach 4 weeks of GCE (AS) after the end of the GCSE exams.

[Teachers of some subjects say there isn't time to teach the whole scheme of work if they start in September]

Ditto Year 12s - expect to start the A2 material after the AS finishes.

Year 11 went a fortnight ago, year 12 last week, year 13 today. Only year 12 come back after exams to start their A2 studies.

But they are not marked as absent, just on study leave which I assume is educated off the premises. My DDs have always preferred doing their own study or studying in a small group. They only go to revision classes if they need help. The revision class will often be covering a topic they already understand and so is time they can be spending on other topics.