Concert mid GCSEs

[Fgsvirgin]

Have booked tickets for two of our kids to go to a concert on 17 June 2023 in the evening. It’s 7pm start and is about 2 hours away from our house (we’d take/bring them back, although likely to be delays coming out so probably not home til gone midnight) .

Due to other things being cancelled (COVID) and new dates not suiting, this is the first concert for them.

However, I’m aware this is a Saturday in the middle of 2023’s GCSE dates.

Am I “ruining” their chances at good grades for the following week if they go to this concert?

We are usually sticklers (ish) for bed times even now (I’d say they are asleep most nights for 10.30) as I really do buy into them needing their sleep.

But in saying that, over holidays, events etc, they are up as late as needed/they want.

These tickets were going to be surprise Xmas gifts - should I not bother giving them and look at selling them?

Or actually, should I go with “it’ll be good to let their hair down”? (I was this way of thinking until another mum mentioned they hadn’t bought tickets as it was in the middle of GCSEs.)

Also, is there a way of finding out what date the actual exams will be (according to subject/board)? Because of course, if they won’t have any other exams til the next Tues/Wed, it’s probably all moot.

Thanks all.

One late night / night off revision won’t hurt anyone or damage their exam chances , you need to chill a bit .

OP I would say it will be fine.

This year's GCSEs were more spread out that usual bc Covid. It's not clear whether or not that will be the case next year. But even if it is, they will have very few exams after 17 June I imagine.

My three did GCSEs in 2015/2017/2019 (so three "normal" years). DS1's last exam (he only did 8 subjects) was on 15 June; DD had a physics exam the day after her birthday on 20 June; DS2 finished his on 14 June (which was a Friday), with those who did German having a final exam on the following Monday 17 June.

17 June will not be in the middle of exams. And even if they have an exam on the Monday morning, your GCSE tests not what you learned the previous day, but in the previous five years. A case in point is DD - we went out for a meal on her 16th birthday and she still got an A in physics.

Kids need time off and certainly don't need to be studying every hour of the weekend. Let them go.

It's fine. GCSEs go on for ages (well they did last year, they might be a little bit more compressed this year). They can't stop doing all else during that period! (Well they could, but they'd go even madder than they normally do!)

I'm 34 now, I remember my dad taking me to the pub to watch England play France in Euro 2004 the night before my GCSE English exam. I had a few pint of lager too. Happy days!

I can't remember whether it was English Language or Literature but I got an A* in one and an A in the other. So it didn't exactly destroy my exams or my entire life afterwards. I don't see how it helps teenagers with stress levels/mental health for the entire exam period to just be constantly pressured about exams. My parents were always very chilled out (and I didn't have a bedtime from probably around the age of 12!) and I'm grateful for it.

Thanks all. I appreciate the reassurance that my initial gut feeling was correct.

I too remember going to see a film the night before mine started at I got an A in that one. But I’m sometimes worried I’m too laid back as when I bought the tickets I didn’t really give it a second thought (as it was a Saturday!) and the other mum was so against it

Just to clarify about “bed time” - I’m not going up stairs telling them lights out now or anything like that! On the whole they are usually settled before 10.30 without prompting. They like their sleep!

My parents took me abroad for 2 weeks over my GCSE's 😂

If you stopped me going to harry styles because of my exams I’d be beyond devastated so definitely don’t sell them

Oops that was meant to have an at the end!

A slightly late Saturday night shouldn't be too much of a problem. The first fortnight after half-term there are a lot of exams, but if they keep a similar timetable to this year it should be tailing off a bit by that third week. (They tried to separate papers for the same subject by at least 10 days, so pupils were unlikely to miss both due to covid, which is why the middle weeks of the exam period were busiest.)

Just a heads up that if it IS harry styles then it was absolutely ridiculous to get out of this year, took us until 1am to get across London. But I imagine just a longer lie in and straight back to revision on Sunday late morning shouldn’t be too disruptive.
could be a different concert of course with smaller venue and easier to get home!

Absolutely let them go. There’s more to life than exams!

I'd disown anyone who did that to me!

Going to a concert on the Saturday isn't going to be the end of the world. Getting out of the concert and travelling back is going to take ages so it's unlikely you'll be back by midnight. Would it be possible to book accommodation really near the venue so sleep patterns are disrupted less than if travelling for two hours after the concert?

It'll cost a fortune anywhere vaguely near the venue, it went up as soon as the shows were announced, I'm basing myself in different cities to travel to Cardiff and/or Dublin purely because of it.

It's a Saturday. It's fine

Mine went to Billie Eilish this year in the middle of GCSE's. Exam in the morning and then we set off. It was a Friday though.

I'm sure it will be fine. DD saw Harry Styles the night before her physics exam and managed to exceed her predicted grade.

There tends to me very few exams after that date. My DS had two this year. By that time they are flagging anyway and it won't have any impact on results, it may even motivate them!

be not me!

Let them have their fun it’s Saturday night they can catch up on sleep next day.

I would let them go on the proviso that they do extra revision during the week before to make up for the time lost on the Saturday. I’d also be clear that the concert wouldn’t be an excuse for a day off revision on the Sunday!

OP I have been having the exact same dilemma - bought the tickets and only thought about the GCSEs afterwards.

My DD is another who likes her sleep but we will have to just manage it as she can’t miss Harry!

I would sell them. My ds has just taken GCSEs this year. The 17th was in the midst of things and he just could not have afforded the time off at that stage. There was definitely a physics exam left, can't remember which others.