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Secondary education

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Original poster

Y11 finish dates - have I messed up ??

31 replies

JackieGr · 22/02/2022 09:22

We go on holiday Fri 10th June.
My Y11 starts exams Mon 16th May. I presumed they would be done and finished school on Fri 27th May as my Y11 was last year, although I realise last year was different due to no exams. I have emailed school but they have returned just today from school holiday.
I'm panicking!

OP posts:
GuyFawkesDay · 22/02/2022 09:23

Yup, that's bang in the middle of the GCSE and A level exams. Last ones tend to me around the 20th of June

You will have to change dates.

IThinkIMadeItWorse · 22/02/2022 09:35

My DS last exam is 24th June though I suspect most of his year will finish the day before on 23rd June with Physics paper 2. You will need to move your holiday.

Swimmum1206 · 22/02/2022 09:36

We've been told that they have to be available until 29th June. The final scheduled exam is 24th June, but there is a contingency week 27th-29th June.

hoxt · 22/02/2022 09:37

Yes, you’ve messed up.

HedyPrism · 22/02/2022 09:38

They have been shifted later this year to make up for lost time due to Covid.

Seeline · 22/02/2022 09:38

Also check things like prom dates, induction days for 6th form etc

middleager · 22/02/2022 09:38

Last exam for us 26th June.

2anddone · 22/02/2022 09:40

We have been told to be available til 29th June then 6th form induction day is 30th June. Prom is 15th July and results are 25th August so all summer plans currently going around those! Can you move your holiday?

Comefromaway · 22/02/2022 09:40

Official school leaving date is always the last Friday in June. However there is also a contingency date of Wednesday 29th June in case of emergency. Students have to be available until that date.

Last year as a one off everything was brought forward due to no exams. Often schools will have their prom etc after the last GCSE exam.

user1471530109 · 22/02/2022 09:41

The exams seem to be going on for later this year unless it's just been so long since we had them, that I have forgotten! But they were never finished by the 10th.

OP, I am sure this wouldn't apply to you, but we've had a parent kicking off about us not moving the exams to allow for holiday etc. I'm sure you know that isn't possible Flowers

HedyPrism · 22/02/2022 09:42

Scrap that, I've just looked for evidence and can't find any. Physics GCSE paper 2 is 23rd June and I think is usually around then (and one of the latest).

Comefromaway · 22/02/2022 09:45

@HedyPrism

Scrap that, I've just looked for evidence and can't find any. Physics GCSE paper 2 is 23rd June and I think is usually around then (and one of the latest).
Yes, there is Statistics on 24th June (I did GCSE statistics as an extra back in the day) and then the following week there are only Hebrew & Punjabi exams so most would finish on 23rd June unless the contingency day is needed.
hockeygrass · 22/02/2022 09:45

All dc need to be available for the contingency date of 29th June. The exams are spread out this year to allow for 10 days between each paper so if your dc caught covid and missed 1 paper they would be recovered to take the other.

Comefromaway · 22/02/2022 09:48

@hockeygrass

All dc need to be available for the contingency date of 29th June. The exams are spread out this year to allow for 10 days between each paper so if your dc caught covid and missed 1 paper they would be recovered to take the other.
I assume that is due to the rule that if you have sat at least 1 paper you can get an estimated grade based on that one paper?
caringcarer · 22/02/2022 09:51

This year there is an additional week until June 29th. Just in case exams have to be taken following week due to mass Covid. You will have to change holiday until beginning of July.

lanthanum · 22/02/2022 09:52

Time to look at the holiday cancellation policy, I'm afraid.

(A parent at a school I taught at booked a holiday without even thinking about exams. When she discovered, she said "That's such a shame, because DD was really looking forward to her college course, and now she won't have the grades to do it." I think someone managed to talk sense into her...)

MerryMarigold · 22/02/2022 09:52

How can I find out exam dates. Is there an exam board website? School not let us know yet.

Comefromaway · 22/02/2022 09:54

Although this is for AQA, other exam boards have subjects in common on the same dates.

filestore.aqa.org.uk/admin/t_table_pdf/AQA-TT-GCSE-JUN22-CONFIRMED.PDF

MerryMarigold · 22/02/2022 09:58

Thank you. Anyone have an Edexcel link?

ThrowawaySecondarySchool · 22/02/2022 10:02

@MerryMarigold and OP, best practice would be for your school to have already published the exam schedule, certainly ours has but our exams officer is great like that. If you go to the exam board's website, it will have all the dates published. The big three exam boards (Pearson/Edexcel, OCR, AQA and probably WJEC too) all have the major subjects at the same date/time. (All maths, eng lit/Lang, science etc.) IGCSEs (exam board CIE) sometimes have different dates.

actiongirl1978 · 22/02/2022 10:08

I'm an exams officer. Our gcses finish on 23rd June with the contingency day of 29th June, so you can't go away until after this date.

Original poster
JackieGr · 22/02/2022 10:21

OK so I have massively cocked up then. The holiday can be changed.
Thanks all for help.

OP posts:
MerryMarigold · 22/02/2022 12:46

@actiongirl1978

I'm an exams officer. Our gcses finish on 23rd June with the contingency day of 29th June, so you can't go away until after this date.
What is the contingency for?
hockeygrass · 22/02/2022 13:05

@MerryMarigold , it was bought in after Grenfell when the dc had to sit exams despite the trauma.

Comefromaway · 22/02/2022 13:34

[quote hockeygrass]@MerryMarigold , it was bought in after Grenfell when the dc had to sit exams despite the trauma. [/quote]
Also the Manchester Arena attack. My friend's son and his year group had to sit their GCSE's whilst knowing that one student was fighting for her life and the other was missing (later confirmed dead)