Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Do all schools dismiss Y11 after their GCSEs?

26 replies

mallardy · 11/12/2019 22:59

Just wondering about this as our Y11 kids are busily arranging trips and activities for after their exams but we haven't been told for sure that they will finish school as soon as the exams are over - they're just assuming. Is it just a given?

OP posts:

FantailsFly · 11/12/2019 23:02

DS had study leave for a couple of weeks before exams started and that was it (apart from prom).

MsAwesomeDragon · 11/12/2019 23:04

I've never heard of a school attempting to keep y11 after the exams are finished. What would they do with them? It's bad enough trying to keep them motivated for exams without trying to contain them when there's no end point.

As soon as the exams are over your y11 DC is free to arrange whatever they're interested in doing. Do bear in mind there might be induction days for sixth form/college though, so it might be worth checking out when they are before arranging too much.

EstebanTheMagnificent · 11/12/2019 23:05

Not all schools have pre-exam study leave but at every school I’m aware of the pupils finish y11 with their final exam. It is very much the norm.

PickAChew · 11/12/2019 23:11

They have nothing to do with them and staff are expected to do a zillion other things with their year 11 time.

That said, DS1 is staying on after gcse but he's at a special school and will be doing preparation for whatever post 16 placement we can persuade the LA to fund.

Comefromaway · 12/12/2019 00:24

The official school leaving date is the last Friday in June of Year 11.

Dd stayed until July though. They had rehearsals for the annual school show, prizegiving and Leaver’s lunch.

Pipandmum · 12/12/2019 00:28

Many school let them go but also I've heard of some schools continuing especially if the kids are staying on for A levels where they do some work towards that.
But getting a job would be a good idea as well as all those trips!

notthenormal · 12/12/2019 01:06

Yep behind they are made to stay to late, o remember when all were on side leave from Easter and those that turned 16 before jan could go on study leave from feb half term as there were jobs to go to that allowed exam release

Ironoaks · 12/12/2019 01:17

The official school leaving date is the last Friday in June of Year 11

^ This.
Before that date, it's at the school's discretion whether the Y11s have planned activities or not.

DS had to do a week's work experience after his last GCSE exam.

BubblesBuddy · 12/12/2019 02:01

Some schools start A levels. DC are given A level taster lessons and homework.

Alsoplayspiccolo · 12/12/2019 07:45

DD's school is insisting year 11 pupils arrange 2 weeks work experience immediately after the exams.

Fifthtimelucky · 12/12/2019 07:57

If the school stops at 16 there's not much point in keeping pupils there after their exams. If they have a 6th form, and pupils are expecting to stay in it, I think it's rather different.

My children's school timed work experience to coincide with the end of GCSEs and then had pupils back in for a couple of weeks to do some preparatory work for A levels. That included taster lessons, as others have described, which were particularly useful for subjects that were new at A level.

EvaHarknessRose · 12/12/2019 08:07

I've got no problem with encouraging work experience but how joyless to do it straight after GCSEs.

BlouseAndSkirt · 12/12/2019 08:08

Just beware of a contingency day. Exam Boards have introduced a day reserved for any exams that need to be rescheduled for reasons of a major emergency. This was notified quite late last year, it was after the very last timetabled exam, and caused much worry amongst A level students who had booked trips for as soon as their own timetable was done.

I don’t see how they can start A levels. So many kids change schools or go to college for A level, how can they be sure what A levels they will do before they get GCSE results, and anyway, the A level teachers will still be busy teaching Yr 12.

LIZS · 12/12/2019 08:11

There may be book return day, prom etc and last year there was an extra day towards end of June reserved for exams in case of any disruption to the timetable.

Lonecatwithkitten · 12/12/2019 08:24

@BlouseAndSkirt national contingency day has been around for a few years now the day has been available since the start on the school year - it's Wednesday 24th June.
My DD and I have planned a big trip immediately after GCSEs as she's not doing A-levels so as soon as the date was published we booked, we fly 8pm that evening.

Trewser · 12/12/2019 08:26

Dd had a week off then back in for 6th form prep. Private school.

horseymum · 12/12/2019 08:30

Wow, I didn't realise this happened in England. In Scotland, you usually start your new timetable when exams finish ie 5 th year work and get nearly four weeks in before the summer holidays. You might make the odd change in August based on exam results but at least you have started most things. I guess its because highers have traditionally been a one year course so you need all the time you can get.

Gatehouse77 · 12/12/2019 08:31

Ours are given study leave from the week before the exams start. No attendance registers are taken after that, they're only noticed if they're absent from an exam.
They are 'free' from their last exam apart from a 6th induction day and prom (optional).

Alsoplayspiccolo · 12/12/2019 08:51

EvaHarknessRose, my feelings exactly. Seems a bit rough not to give them even a week's downtime immediately after exams.
DD's school is doing mocks directly after the Christmas break, too, so no chance to relax now until July. 😥

SheOfManyNames · 12/12/2019 11:39

We had the option of going in or not after the last exam. I don't know anyone who went back! We did have to go in for the last "official" day of school, though, for some unknown reason. About 10 of us turned up, registered and they told us we could go... reasons never discovered!

Original poster

mallardy · 12/12/2019 12:09

About 10 of us turned up, registered and they told us we could go... reasons never discovered

Thing is, these days schools are under pressure to keep their attendance stats above very high targets. Approved study leave is fine, but if it's after exams and before the "official" leaving date of last Friday in June it may technically be unauthorised absence. Maybe not though - it depends on the rules for approved leave, which I'm not familiar with.

OP posts:

TreeSwayer · 12/12/2019 14:04

Ds didn't have study leave as they were timetabled into revision sessions before both morning and afternoon exams, plus some after school ones.

He officially finished school on the day of his last exam which was 16th June. They had leaver's assembly the Friday before as there were no exams timetabled so everyone could attend.

Some schools allow study leave but judging by last year's thread on it the vast majority don't as they want to make sure the children are doing constructive revision.

There will no doubt be an induction day for their intended sixth form. Ours were 10 or 11th July. Attending this was compulsory and they would not offer a place without it.

Comefromaway · 12/12/2019 14:21

I don't think any local schools or colleges have induction days. Dd would have been performing in the dance show on those dates.

NotSureWhoIAmToday · 12/12/2019 15:33

Just beware of a contingency day. Exam Boards have introduced a day reserved for any exams that need to be rescheduled for reasons of a major emergency.

^^ This with Bells on. If you are in Majorca when your re-scheduled Maths paper has been set.......

CripsSandwiches · 12/12/2019 21:15

Sometimes there are organised days for a farewell assembly or such like but it's very unusual for even a private school to expect students back after their final exam. Very few schools begin Alevels since the new A-level students would be engaged elsewhere.

Flip

1 2