Christmas Hols

[Trixiebell06]

Hi ,my child is year 11 , would you go away for Christmas prior to the mock exams in Jan ?

Please don’t judge ,

Do you mean taking your child? No way would I. They need to revise. Those exams could determine their results.

Absolutely not for us, the mocks are so important for leading into the real thing.

Ideally not - but it depends a bit how your child feels about it. My DD would get very anxious about lack of revision time. That said, a few days away (e.g. to visit family) would be a nice break, and they shouldn't spend the whole Christmas holiday working. It also depends on whether the mocks are straight away when they get back, or later in January. I'd be less concerned if they were later in January.

However, my DS has mocks next week and this week he is away on a (school organised) trip and therefore not revising. And school evidently think this is fine.

Yes, my DS is in year 11 and we are going away. He'll take his books with him and do some revision while we're away.

No
The mocks will be used along with the exams next year to calculate their grade

@Opal8

No The mocks will be used along with the exams next year to calculate their grade

Where do you get that information from? Current plans are that exams will take places as normal.

My son is a bit younger but yeah I would go away over Christmas- I would want him to have a couple of days at home to study though. Are you planning on leaving as soon as school finishes on last day of term and coming home the evening before term starts?

Exams (as I stated) will take place but due to the disruption mocks will be used too

Nope. You have to treat mocks as important as the actuals now.
If everything goes totally wrong again the mock results will form part of the assessment.

A few days yes, a couple of weeks no. Trying to revise on holiday is really not the same as revising at home.

Opal8 no, grades will be based on final exams (with some changes), not on mocks.

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2022/outcome/decisions-proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2022

We did it but took a suitcase full of books and had a conscientious student who was willing to forgo some sun lounger time every day. There was also no potential jeopardy in the sense that we knew they would be taking actual exams in the summer. If it were this year I might not be so gung ho about it

Mine is in Y11, and I wouldn't. You don't know what is going to happen this year, so mocks need to be taken super seriously

No. I have a child in Y11 and I wouldn't take them away before mocks unless there was a very good reason.

It depends on your plan.... definitely no to a full three weeks away but yes to a five day trip before Christmas. A break is good and a sensible plan to be 'on it' once home should be fine.

Thankyou all for your replies & advice , it seems mixed views . We would be leaving on the 20th for 7 days

I’m also thinking about a few days away but I’m two minds with the mocks coming up

My ds seems to do so little revision that I’d definitely consider going away for 1 of the 2 weeks to somewhere that I know he’d enjoy and then I could reasonably expect him to put a bit of effort in over the rest of the time off school.
If the week away included Christmas that’s less missed opportunities to revise - unless you expect them to do school work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (days we’re usually with family).

A week away is absolutely fine in my view, especially as that will cover the days around Christmas as what kud studies Christmas Eve or Day? As king as there's a significant time when you return for revision then I'd go.
@ParmigianoReggiano you'd be a fool to believe that ! Last year the government also said exams were absolutely positively no doubt about it going to happen, until they didn't!

Typos! Kid not kud, and long not king!

No. I have a current Y13 and Y12 and they worked flat out over Xmas before their mocks. Which was lucky as for my current Y13, they formed his GCSE results.

Yes they need regular breaks, but studying whilst the rest of your family is skiing/sunbathing/holidaying isn't fun!

I think you need to discuss with your DC.
The year DD1 did GCSEs we crammed our socialising into 5 days leaving the rest free for revision.

For me it depends:

• would the 7 days be topped and tailed with packing and recovering from a long flight/drive
• does the DC want to go
• would they be expecting to revise whilst away
• are they happy with a 7 day break

You need to talk to your child.
I wouldn't expect him to study daily over the holidays.
Is he the type who'd work harder for the second week if he had a week off? Or would he prefer a light load spread throughout the whole period?
Is it the sort of break where he might have time to study? For example if it's a holiday where the rest of the family might go hiking then he might prefer getting an hour or two of work done so he can chill later.

@Opal8

Exams (as I stated) will take place but due to the disruption mocks will be used too

And as I requested, please let us know where you got that (incorrect) information from rather than continuing to state it as fact.