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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

GCSE / Easter holidays

17 replies

hopeishere · 20/08/2023 10:19

If you had a child doing GCSEs would you still go away for a short (five night) break at Easter (early April)?

OP posts:

AuditAngel · 20/08/2023 10:20

DD1 took her GCSE’s this summer. We did not go away at Easter. I was away for work at half term, as it was the only week in May/June she didn’t have exams.

Jackydaytona · 20/08/2023 10:21

No
We went away in y10 instead
Bear in mind lots of schools do holiday revision sessions too

Thelondonone · 20/08/2023 10:25

Yes and I’m a teacher. Our school sometimes runs revision sessions but nothing that would make a huge difference. I think 5 days away will do them the world of good before the next 12 weeks of hard slog.

Original poster

hopeishere · 20/08/2023 11:16

Thanks. I'm not sure what to do. I doubt the amount of work he's likely to do in those five days will make or break his results. But he might not want to go.

OP posts:

mumonthehill · 20/08/2023 11:38

This easter ds had revision sessions in school through the easter holidays so no we did not go away. However it was a lot of revision and gave him very little down time.

redskytwonight · 20/08/2023 12:10

No. DD spent most of the Easter holidays finalising NEA work (which was due in soon after). There were also revision sessions at school.

I'd also consider the personality of your child. Mine would have found it too stressful to do no work at all for 5 days so close to GCSEs.

TeenDivided · 20/08/2023 13:26

Possibly, yes. We did Good Friday - Easter Monday. We only went to Jersey, so not a tiring journey, and we knew there wouldn't be revision lessons run in school then.

What was slightly annoying was DD was doing drama. In her group there were people away the whole of the first week and others away the whole of the second week, so they couldn't get together to rehearse. The performance was a week after they went back.

It is the last chance for a break until after GCSEs.

ladida76 · 21/08/2023 17:36

Most people I know did not go away over Easter. Heard of one family, other than that a few who went away for 1-2 nights away in the UK.
We didn't go away during Feb or Easter...

Muchtoomuchtodo · 21/08/2023 17:41

Ds has already asked to be at home for the Easter holidays and February half term next year.

reluctantbrit · 22/08/2023 08:34

We did, Thursday - Monday (Easter weekend) to Prague. It did wonders for DD to have a proper break and she was definitely more relaxed going into the revision again.

She had mocks before and after February half-term so that week was out. Other schools did their mocks directly after Christmas and I know some who went away in February then.

Yes, they will have revision practice and DD missed one but the rest she had was worth it.

mondaytosunday · 22/08/2023 09:36

A short break (three days for example) would be ok. My child said no holidays though. And she's now just done her A levels and she said no to going away at Christmas as well. Not that she studied every day, but needed just sit around chill time (not the kind you do on holiday) plus days to study.
I do know someone who treated a week in Spain as a study break. Took all the books/notes and worked every day but had the late afternoons by the pool. Takes discipline though.

Original poster

hopeishere · 22/08/2023 13:41

The break is Wednesday to Monday. But I think I'm going to have tomorrow take a hit and rebook the flights 😫

OP posts:

SoundsOfNature · 22/08/2023 13:54

Year 11 is a hard one for holidays and depends how many sets of mocks they have. Mine had 2 sets, so revision over October half term for November mocks. February half term revision for February mocks which leaves 2 weeks at Easter for the last push. May half term is in the middle of their exams and then summer is around 10 weeks of holiday which is the best time to go.

School ran revision in the first week of the Easter hols but not the second. Lots of children start stressing on holiday if they feel they should be or could be revising. Some take revision stuff with them and it can or can not be productive. With an inset day we did a Fri-Sun evening break at the beginning of March but not everyone can do that and it was after February mocks.

WaitingforThursday · 22/08/2023 13:57

We did a long weekend (Sat -Wed) city break as soon as school broke up and DD really needed it. She was getting really worn down and felt she came back able to revise.

Will tell you on Thursday whether or not it worked...

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 14:02

I'd also consider the personality of your child. Mine would have found it too stressful to do no work at all for 5 days so close to GCSEs.

Yes. DD would have been too stressed to enjoy an Easter break as well. I did tell her to have a complete break over the Easter weekend though, and did the same for AS levels, A levels and university exams. Sometimes our DC need someone to give them permission to have a guilt free break.

I think, realistically February half term is a better time to have a proper holiday if you must go away before the GCSEs.

DanceMumTaxi · 22/08/2023 14:09

Secondary head of department here, I’d go. There probably won’t be revision sessions in school every day and they’re not compulsory anyway. May half-term is the big one to be at home for, but a few days at Easter will be fine. It’s a hard year and a couple of days break will be good. The big push starts after Easter. If they do any practical subjects they’ll just need to make sure they’re up to date with coursework etc before you go.

3sthemagicnumber · 22/08/2023 16:12

Very much depends on the kid I'd say. We went away for 10 days of the Easter holiday this year - full-on sightseeing-type trip so DD had a complete break from schoolwork. It didn't really cross our minds not to, to be honest, which I realise is perhaps remiss. DD is very competent and organised though.

I don't think I'd do it with either of my other kids though - one is likely to be disorganised but highly stressed, and one will probably need strong encouragement to do any work at all.

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