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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

How many hours a day should a GCSE student study over Christmas?

150 replies

gscenitemare · 23/12/2020 20:20

A quick search on Google showed me at least 400 hours of studying would be required for 8 subjects, so 3 hours every day for revision at least 5 months before the GCSE exams. I even hear some DCs study 5-8 hours a day over Christmas. That sounds insane to me. I can't imagine my DC studying for 3 hours every day, let alone 8 hours! Am I being too naive thinking like this? Is that amount of time of studying really necessary for GCSEs? If so, I need to start thinking of rescheduling his activities. Currently, he has no time for studying that much...

OP posts:

CherryRoulade · 23/12/2020 20:24

I guess it depends on how important good grades are and how easy he finds learning. We did six hours or revision as a minimum over the Easter before exams. Hired a boat so they had no other options but added in meals out and some fun activities.
I’d think over Christmas they could have a break for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years day.

superram · 23/12/2020 20:32

Honestly, this is the last time they’ll have any time to relax. A couple of hours a day from 27th-and I’m a teacher.

BreakfastOfWaffles · 23/12/2020 20:32

It also depends on how well they know the material, ie how thoroughly they have gone through it for previous tests and made good revision cards. The less they have done of this throughout the course, the more they will need to do now.

Original poster

gscenitemare · 23/12/2020 20:47

superram, a couple of hours from 27th throughout? Or it should be upped over the Easter onwards? I have an impression that many DCs do hours of study over the Easter break/May half term.

I often hear about revision cards but again I can't imagine my DC making them nor using them. Are they really necessary/so useful?

OP posts:

Frlrlrubert · 23/12/2020 21:10

Have they got mocks? Ours have mocks in Feb so I've set mine 'organise yourself' homework the last week or so with a view to them starting their revision over xmas.

How much they need to do will depend on how much they took in originally, what their grades are like now, what they want their grades to look like, etc.

I'd hope mine have at least made a start of a couple of hours per subject by the end of the holidays - but I realise most of them won't even know where their notes are.

I honestly feel like a lot of my year 11s have just given up, which actually means that those who do put the effort have a brilliant chance of doing well this year.

Frlrlrubert · 23/12/2020 21:12

Also, I'd say all holidays from here on in will be pretty much full-on revision if they want to do well.

You can purchase revision cards from CGP for most subjects I think, good for you quizzing them if that's something that helps.

Titsywoo · 23/12/2020 21:18

My DD was revising most of Nov and Dec as she had her first set of mocks then so she is having these holidays off except for her art coursework. She has more mocks in Feb and March so will be revising from Jan onwards so I think a break is needed now.

Lonecatwithkitten · 23/12/2020 21:44

DD studies 5-6 hours a day every day apart from Christmas Day last year racked up good grades in mocks in Jan 7s and 8s. Got 8s and 9s in summer - remember we could be in a teacher based grades again consistent hard work could be the basis of grades in the summer.

MrsMomoa · 23/12/2020 21:45

Its Christmas, so none!
It's a holiday ffs!

dancinginpurplerain · 23/12/2020 22:43

My DD has mocks in the first 2 weeks back in January. Working around 2-2.5 hours a day and will have Xmas day off. She read that shorter bursts of study are more effective. We'll see!

Original poster

gscenitemare · 23/12/2020 22:47

It depends on how important good grades are and how easy he finds learning

^This.
He finds learning easy so has been coasting through. He doesn't feel he needs to do more than what he's been doing. Meanwhile, I'm wondering if I'm being too hands-off and if he's supposed to do more, especially when I hear other DCs doing hours of studying already.

OP posts:

Original poster

gscenitemare · 23/12/2020 23:01

Good to hear someone sees shorter bursts of study more effective. I just can't imagine my DC studying 3+ hours every day. A couple of hours of focused study sounds more manageable and sustainable for mine. I'm genuinely surprised by 5-8 hours a day for GCSEs.

OP posts:

estornudar · 23/12/2020 23:01

Unless they have mocks after Christmas I would say zero! I always tell my pupils to take a break over Christmas as once they're back it's a long and hard stretch until the exam! They're still children at the end of the day and if they work hard the rest of the year there is no reason they shouldn't have some time to rest over the holidays!

littlefireseverywhere · 23/12/2020 23:05

Last year DS was on 3 hours a day at the weekends in March & an hour after school. For mocks was max 3 hours a day but that was actual revision not procrastinating! He broke it up into 30 minute chunks.

Original poster

gscenitemare · 23/12/2020 23:10

littlefireseverywhere, I like your DS's plan. Did he get the grades he wanted? Or did he feel he should have done more?

OP posts:

JellyBabiesSaveLives · 23/12/2020 23:13

Mine’s just finished mocks, so none. So glad the school decided to do mocks before Christmas rather than after.

2pinkginsplease · 23/12/2020 23:20

My teen should be sitting exams May 2021 however they have been cancelled. They are still doing prelims and monthly mini exams now for the teachers grade them.

I’ve told dd that she should do no revision until after Christmas and New Years weekend. It’s been a stressful 9 months of school work and cancelled exams for this year so I want her to have a rest before she has to think about prelims. Here in Scotland our schools are off till the 11th jan and then it’s remote learning for a week . Plenty time to study.

Pipandmum · 23/12/2020 23:21

My daughter's predicted 7 and 8s and she's not doing anything until the New Year with my blessing. They had exams in September and December and will do mocks in February but she needs a break. She's very organised with her revision but there is such a thing as peaking too early. Her goal at the moment is to actually read her English lit book start to finish rather than the bits for class! She also has assigned work in most subjects to do, but she doesn't go back until Jan 11 so if she starts after the New Year she has time. It should be quality over quantity with set goals for each revision session rather than just going through their notes.

LitPeach · 23/12/2020 23:26

I'd say DC need to be working hard over Christmas if they won't to do well at GCSE.

DS2 is in year 11 and he is doing at least 6 hours a day over the holiday. Although obviously he will have Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New year off.

DS1 is in year 13 now and he has advised DS2 to really start building up his stamina and work ethic now as there will be lots of intense study required from March onwards.

DS1 ended up from March doing 4 hours on a school night, 8 hours per weekend day and 10 hours a day on study leave.

He got 8 9s and 2 8s so felt this level of effort and commitment was definitely worth it. It has also set him in good stead for sixth form as he knows how to work hard and push himself.

DS2 is very competitive so will want to at least match DS1's results- DS1 is really encouraging him to work hard as well, which helps. Tbh though I would expect and insist on at least 4 or 5 hours a day over the holiday anyway.

yellowmaoampinball · 23/12/2020 23:27

The school have specifically advised no work - for all pupils. They've been working them really hard with lots of tests and assessments throughout the Autumn term. They don't have mocks but will have further assessments coming up from Feb onwards.

mumfordofson · 23/12/2020 23:27

DS has mocks as straight after Christmas he's been revising throughout the year, little and often, but over the holidays he's stepped it up a bit doing 3 subjects per day, between 1-2 hours each depending on the subject throughout the holiday, but obviously not Christmas Day.

As PPs have said, it does take a lot of work to get the top grades (if that's what you're aiming for) and with everything that is going on with schools / exams doing badly in your mocks isn't an option this year.

I feel so sorry for the yr 11 & 13s, DS school have been great but all the teachers have told them although exams are planned, anything could happen, so every test or assessment is important. It's meant that unlike previous exam years who have a time to lean, a time to revise and a time take exams, this year it's the pressure of taking exams pretty much all year.

AliMonkey · 23/12/2020 23:30

DD had exams in September and did 2-3 hours a day for a month. She did very well (mostly 9s, nothing less than 6). Most of her friends did less work (and did less well). She has mocks in Feb so will do similar after new year. I then expect her to start again at Easter. No way should they be revising constantly for months on end unless they’ve not been working properly for the last two years as there is no need and they will get too bored and not keep it up anyway.

SE13Mummy · 24/12/2020 00:37

DD1 is doing approx 2-3 hours each day during this holiday as there are particular things she wants to revisit having encountered them in her mocks a couple of weeks ago. She's an early riser so gets up and has breakfast before settling down to work. She's trying to look at three subjects each morning and has mapped out which she'll do, when. She won't do anything on Christmas Day itself and is still managing to get out for daily fresh air/exercise with a friend. She's aiming for 7-9s and because we're in tier 4, figures she may as well use a bit of her time to revise.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 24/12/2020 01:02

My son had GCSE mocks after Xmas last year and did about 3 hours revision for about 10 days of the Xmas holidays. For his actual GCSEs, he planned to do about 10 hours a week for a couple of months before the exams. He had 10!subjects to revise for. He had always revised for exams from year 7, is academic and found most subjects quite easy to grasp. He didn’t get to sit his actual GCSEs but he was very glad he did well in his mocks and that he had a proven track record so that he was awarded fair results in August. I’d say this year, it’s still possible that in England, GCSEs may be cancelled so I would get you son to treat his mocks like his real exams.

Whether all those hours are necessary depends on how able he is and what he wants to do next. My son is doing 3 Sciences and Maths at A level and hopes to get a place on a highly competitive University course so for him it was worth it. 😬

estherfrewen · 24/12/2020 08:58

DS last year did 3 hours a day over Xmas with four days off. Did about 12 hours a week from the September then the same after Xmas until exams were cancelled - can’t even remember when that was now! He didn’t like flash cards and always used the CGP books and My GCSE science for revision. Had mocks October and February and did very well which was reflected in his awarded grades. Got 9x9 and 2 x8 which was all down to the work he had put in beforehand for the mocks.

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