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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

Best time for a short break in Year 11

18 replies

RedSkyLastNight · 02/06/2019 15:15

We'd like to go away for a 4-5 day short break during the next school year, when DS will be in Year 11.
Normally we'd go away at Easter or May half term but have ruled these out due to proximity to gcses.
DS's school have historically had mocks in November, so thinking we might also avoid October half term as potentially too close if they turn out to be early Novenber.
Which leaves ... Christmas or February .... any thoughts on when might be the best time to go away? Or should we abandon the idea altogether?

OP posts:

LolaSmiles · 02/06/2019 15:19

February half term or Christmas could work well.
It's not wrong to want a break and as you're already thinking sensibly, you're clearly the type of parent who'll keep an eye on their GCSE prep.
Enjoy your break.

Pipandmum · 02/06/2019 15:19

Easter is fine. A week away would be a nice break from revising. Though in my sons case not alot of revising started til Easter! If you child is the same then maybe February. Certainly not May as that would be in the middle of exams!

TeenTimesTwo · 02/06/2019 15:36

When DD1 was y11 we did a short break over Easter. She needed it, and it refreshed her batteries ready for the final stretch. Doing it Good Friday-Easter Monday meant we knew we weren't missing any in-school revision sessions. (It was somewhat irritating as DD1's drama performance was soon after Easter and others were going away for whole weeks so they couldn't rehearse.)

DD's school has mocks in January so most of Xmas holidays were spent revising apart from a 5 day break over Christmas itself when we scheduled all family visits rather than spreading them out.

Definitely wouldn't go away May half term. Easter, Christmas or Feb would probably all work.

Planning to probably do similar for DD2 when she gets to y11.

clary · 02/06/2019 17:48

Agree with others, a few days at Easter is OK, Feb half term is fine. Someone in Ds2's year (ie Yr 11) has been away in Greece this week I don't think that was a, good plan

Teachermaths · 02/06/2019 17:51

Easter is fine.

TeenTimesTwo · 02/06/2019 18:12

One year on here someone went away for the weekend to Germany/France just before an MFL exam for practice and then had problems getting home...

wwwwwwwwwwwwww · 02/06/2019 18:22

I think Christmas. Agree with the suggestion of going to the country of the MFL they are studying.

TeenTimesTwo · 02/06/2019 18:37

err. It wasn't a suggestion!

TarragonSauce · 02/06/2019 18:55

I think I'd go for Easter.
You need to check with school whether the will be running revision sessions during Feb and Easter hols.

SilentSister · 03/06/2019 09:53

DD went away in Feb half term, on a school trip. They had mocks before and after Xmas, so that was out. We didn't go away at Easter, but we had quite a few days out. Short breaks are really good for re-charging the batteries and getting away from the books.

fairweathercyclist · 03/06/2019 10:14

DS' school did some revision classes during the Easter holidays but there would have been time to go away.

And given the lack of work done during May half term, we could easily have gone away last week...

WhatHaveIFound · 03/06/2019 10:24

I'd go for a week away at Christmas so after mocks and leaving Feb half term & Easter for revision.

We're almost in the same position as DD is currently in Y12. We've booked a trip away at Christmas, then nothing planned until after A levels!

Original poster

RedSkyLastNight · 03/06/2019 10:32

Good point about revision sessions. DS's school definitely run some at Easter, but don't suppose they have planned next year's ones yet!

DS is not taking a MFL, otherwise visiting a relevant country might have been a good idea (though not as close to exams as Teen's example!)

OP posts:

Comefromaway · 03/06/2019 10:36

We went away last February half term when dd was in Year 11. During Easter she went away to stay with a friend in another part of the country for a few days (they revised together apparently). We did avoid May half term.

Next year ds will be in Year 11 and dd doing A levels. We can't go away in october half term as they have different holidays (dd's college is in a different area) so we are going to brave London at the start of the Christmas holidays!. We may go somewhere for a few days at February or Easter.

stucknoue · 03/06/2019 10:52

I would avoid Easter unless you have a very driven child as most schools run revision classes then, often the only early revision they do. Feb is far better or (if it's your only child) go in June once the exams finish

WhenZogateSuperworm · 03/06/2019 10:54

After exams finish. He will be done by mid June leaving you right until September to go away. Too much to miss during term time before then.

WhenZogateSuperworm · 03/06/2019 10:56

Sorry just realised you are going in the school holidays- in which case I would probably suggest Easter but over the bank holiday weekend. School will run some revision sessions usually but not on bank holidays. Definitely don’t go May half term as that’s in the middle of exams.

February would be ok too.

jamimmi · 03/06/2019 13:51

We went away Feb half term for 2_3 days worked well and recharged the batteries after the post xmas mocks. Couple days out at Easter too seemed ok. Nothing May half term he's been revising! We did have a really good break to Rome in October. If your mocks are after Christmas it's a good time to go.

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