The last boring weeks of this summer term

[Penvelopesnightie]

My dd is in year Ten but is really fed up with these last weeks . Some of the teachers have kind of stopped teaching and in a few subjects they are already watching tv, films, cutting and sticking projects . There is nothing interesting planned for the students for the next four weeks not even a sports day for year Tens this year . My Dd hayfever is awful and I think it would just be better if she finished school now like the year 11s and enjoyed the summer and got out during the day getting exercise or meeting friends and family .

DS (also Y10) had end of unit tests in two subjects this morning, a MFL controlled assessment yesterday, and another CA (different subject) due on Friday. That said he does have a full week of "activities" as the last week of school. I'm surprised that a school can give over 4 weeks to no teaching? Have they done GCSEs over 3 years?

At DS1(Y10) school, they had all their exam result last week, this week is science week which school invites outside lecturers to give talks, DC can choose topic they are interested in. And then the lessons after this normally are not as strict as the ones before exam, but are a bit more fun.

She's doing GCSEs in yr 10/11. School has come to abit of a stop and Dd is just getting bored and fed up with her hayfever . I just don't understand why school cAnt organise a few days out /or fun stuff outdoors in school . We live in an area of out standing beauty too . The teaching at her school is pretty poor anyway . But I just think these weeks are a waste of time .

Yep, feel your pain. Our son's school have done beggar all for the last four weeks in years 7, 8 and no sign of anything useful this year in year 9 either. The teachers are de-mob happy and it's all about watching videos (some partly relevant I concede but others not, such as watching the entire Blackadder first series in Maths last year!). Surely given the "every lesson is important" mantra used to justify the term time holiday fines, they could find something useful to do - there must be some short topics that could be taught in 3/4 weeks or even, heaven forbid, some interesting topics that are outside the curriculum? If they have no intention of doing the job they're paid for, i.e. teaching, then it's time the last four weeks were optional.

Or a better alternative, to convert to the following years timetable to start preparation for a flying start when they get back in September, i.e. wherever possible, start the following years' work, deal with handing out books etc, to avoid the first week blight back when again, little gets done.

Yes families could organise a holiday in these last few weeks and it could be " fine free" .

Same here. Nothing going on in year 8 here, and a holiday right now would be half the price!

DD's school does y10 mocks in July, which keeps them going right until the end, which I think is a great idea. It also means that the June half term isn't spent revising as it is too early.

DS did exams at the beginning of June, has taken his first GCSE, has had parents' evening and is now well stuck into the next block of teaching with occasional 'extra' days such as sports' day.

He has a week of work experience in mid-July (penultimate week of term) and it is then only the final week that will have cinema trip, videos in class, final assemblies etc.

DD (Year 8) is the same, but her end of year tests are on a more continuous / ongoing basis and she has an 'activity week' rather than the work experience.

So the final 2 weeks of term WILL be more relaxed, but the 3 weeks before then will be entirely normal. i thought everyone worked like that?

Oh, and DS has a languages CA in the very final week of term, so that will keep him on his toes!

We are trying to keep going as normal but have lots of college visits, sports events and a trip abroad coming up. Yesterday I had 4 out of 11 in my group as the others were at college - very hard to plan there.

Boring? Christ it's all go here!

This week is exams, next week residential and the week after all the end of term stuff.

Then holidays

I would be really cheesed off if my Y10 child spent the last few weeks of term doing nothing. If need be, there are lots of fun things you can do which are still educational.

DS and DD have 4.5 more weeks. So 2.5 more of full steam ahead work (with the usual sprinkling of house events, sports etc - those are a feature throughout the year so aren't confined to this period of the year), a week of activities / work experience, the a final week of winding down.

I break up a couple of days before my DCs. My class will wind down in those final 3 days - yes, there will be sports day + school play + various other 'one offs' such as a couple of hours of transition to new classes, but the only time i have set aside in the diary for 'not full on' when the children are in the classroom are those final few days.

They'll all have 6 weeks off anyway, and as we are still playing 'catch up' on some aspects of the new curriculum (upper KS2 here, so children have had the majority of their primary years under the old curriculum) there is SO much to do.

2 of my DC have just started the next year's time table, for DD yr 9/10 that means starting a new GCSE subject, too. They still have activities week to come, too. And visits by the upcoming yr7s. Not boring at all.

My year 10's have a full GCSE exam next week, then will be back onto main subject with an assessment before the end of term and summer homework being planned for those behind at that stage.

My year 8's have started a new topic, and will do another one between now and the end of term as well - I only have them once a week.

My year 9's will be doing at least 2-3 more topics, have just done an assessment for setting for year 10, and will also do some enrichment work in the next 4 weeks.

This and I should be de mob happy as I leave a week tomorrow for mat leave but have planned to the end of term for those taking my classes on!

No DVD's allowed in our place at all - they might get a quiz in the last lesson!

Cannot believe year 10 teachers are backpedalling!

My yr 10s did a controlled assessment last week and we are starting work on another one now. Because of work experience week we will not get it finished before summer hols but I am working them properly. Every week of year 10 is vital.

My DD has five controlled assessments (plus music exam) due by Friday of next week. There's then DOE, sports day and music trips the following week for those taking part. I thought they were meant to be doing a French controlled assessment around now, but no date has been given so that'll be done in the next month. So at DD's school, there's no let up.

There's then DOE, sports day and music trips the following week for those taking part

I think that's the problem - there are activities for those taking part, but little thought given to those who aren't, who seem to languish with supply teachers with nothing productive to do. Teachers won't do a proper lesson if only half the kids are there, fair enough, but they should do something constructive for those who are, such as going over topics again that may have been poorly received originally, or doing topics that are outside the core curriculum but still of interest/use etc. If it was just the occasional lesson where they do bugger all, fair enough, but when it's 4 weeks with only 1 or 2 useful lessons per day, it's just a waste of everyone's time.

I think that's why my DCs' school has an activity week, during which the vast majority of trips etc are concentrated, so that pretty much everyone is there during lessons for the rest of the time.

However, this may be my perception simply because I have children who 'do stuff' - so yes, they have missed lessons for concert preparation, house competition, bits of sports day etc, but the expectation is that they catch up what they've missed, not that the rest of the class waits for their return.

Up in Scotland ours finish up next week (or in some areas this week). Apart from Sports day yesterday they'll be working up until last day I think. Next year is DS2s first exam year so they moved up at beginning of may into their new timetable so they have 2 months worth of work for their exams before the holidays. DS1 was on exam leave during May but went back to school to start his new timetable at the beginning of June giving him 3 and a bit weeks of study for his next exams.

What you are describing seems a monumental waste of time. I don't think they should be hanging about doing nothing at school but I equally don't think they should be off. they should be in school working on their new timetable.

In my DCs school, apart from 1 day out for Sports day, and 1 week "activities week" which for year 10 is Work Experience, they are kept working for GCSEs until the very end. (Oh they also have 1/2 a morning for Prize Giving).

I'm amazed that year 10 are slowing down already, it's a very important year.

My year 10s have end of year exams all of this week and next. The following week is a bit more chilled, but still work going on. Then there is two weeks work experience and summer hols.

I think English schools should finish next week like the Scottish do . Perhaps the teachers at my dds school are worn out after the GCSEs , they did do a lot of extra hours and weekends with the year 11s. However, my Dd is getting a lot of supply teachers covering lessons so they may also have no actual lesson plans .

I'd get a disciplinary if my year 10s were doing nothing. I hate thiamine of year though as so many kids are missing from lessons - it's constant catch up

In contrast to you OP, our DC 's school have planned far too much in my opinion... Camping trip as a 'Challenge week' , a trip to House of Commons, one 'language trip' abroad, Sports Day, Art Exhibition, Music competition, swimming gala, etc. I feel already completely exhausted! On the last week of school they will rehearse for the end of academic year charity concerts.