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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSE and A Levels - exams same time?

63 replies

ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 18:18

Hello

New here and perhaps should have been here earlier!!!!! DS is y10 and DD y12.
perhaps I should have spaced them out a bit more but next year they will be taking GCSE / A levels at the same time?😱

are GCSEs held first then A Levels or vice versa? Or could they be same time? how does the timings work?

They are at different school / sixth form respectively.

DS just last week finished his y10 school set tests (at his school getting a 7 in maths and each individual science will determine if can do individual sciences next year).

DD started yr 12 exams (AS I think) yesterday carrying on into next week.

Anyone else had this and Any tips too for coping with two teenagers taking key exams roughly at same time?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Neveragainisaid · 14/05/2024 19:05

The actual exams do overlap. A lot of the GCSE written exams started last Friday (Art, MFL speaking exams etc have already happened). Most A level papers started today (DC doing them). Both GCSEs and A levels now continue for the next few weeks, until about mid June. I have several friends who are coping with both at the moment. "Coping" seems to be the best word.

Barleycat · 14/05/2024 19:10

Mine are year 11 and 13 so overlapping. A levels start on Thurs for us, gcses started the end of last week. Counting down to June 14th!

LIZS · 14/05/2024 19:13

Gcse start early May until 3rd week June, A levels just before half term until 3rd/4th week June. Both have a reserve emergency day at the end.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 19:15

Neveragainisaid · 14/05/2024 19:05

The actual exams do overlap. A lot of the GCSE written exams started last Friday (Art, MFL speaking exams etc have already happened). Most A level papers started today (DC doing them). Both GCSEs and A levels now continue for the next few weeks, until about mid June. I have several friends who are coping with both at the moment. "Coping" seems to be the best word.

Thank you, I was afraid of that. It’s been easier one finishing one starting. DS just gets on with revision, DD gets “loudly stressed” is best way to put it. 👍

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 19:18

All the best to your kids (and you)

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMooncup · 14/05/2024 19:19

Buy plenty of snacks. And noise cancelling headphones for everybody.

On the bright side, once it's done, it's done and you'll be out of the woods, never having to worry about both of them taking exams at once again!

ouch44 · 14/05/2024 19:32

DD and DS are taking A levels and GCSEs at the same time! 😳 I came on here looking for a support thread! DD started with her Art exam on 23rd of May. Hers go on until 19th ish of June. DS starts next week and finishes on 22nd of June. They are both on study leave. It's pretty stressful! Throw in UCAS, sorting student loans, driving tests - it's a full-on year!

If anyone needs help organising their revision I can recommend getrevising website. That and lots of snacks, wine etc!

EasilyDeterred · 14/05/2024 19:42

We had this two years ago and actually it was fine, they were both in the same boat and just got on with it. It was just a bit tense for a couple
of days when one had finished and the other hadn't but that was all.

EasilyDeterred · 14/05/2024 19:45

Although having said once its done its done we have now had second year uni assessments at the same time as the younger ones A levels which has had a similar feel about it

clary · 14/05/2024 21:05

Yes as eveyone says, they will overlap.

Obvs A level student has fewer exams - one year 13 I know doesn't even start until about 5 June and has nine exams in total - whereas GCSE as you will know @ThisPerkySloth can be anything from 20+ exams. But yes, chances are they will both be in exams together.

I had this with DD and DS2 (DS1 didn't sit A levels) and it was stressful; DD was overwhelmed with it all and even laid-back DS2 had had enough by about the fourth week of exams.

Second massive snack buying; and just be on hand to help if needed - whether with questions, revising past papers or even expert knowledge (if you have it - DD took A level French which is one of my subjects). But actually I never was asked to help much. More about being a listening ear - sometimes your exam student just wants to rant. And who better than Mum?

Best of luck to all exam candidates this summer and next.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:10

@NeverDropYourMooncup good tips and I’ll get headphones for me and DS!

yes that’s true hadn’t thought of that, the only clash thereafter is if both go uni - dd final year would overlap with DS first year - eye watering expensive year!
👍

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:17

ouch44 · 14/05/2024 19:32

DD and DS are taking A levels and GCSEs at the same time! 😳 I came on here looking for a support thread! DD started with her Art exam on 23rd of May. Hers go on until 19th ish of June. DS starts next week and finishes on 22nd of June. They are both on study leave. It's pretty stressful! Throw in UCAS, sorting student loans, driving tests - it's a full-on year!

If anyone needs help organising their revision I can recommend getrevising website. That and lots of snacks, wine etc!

@ouch44 that’s sounds like a logistical nightmare tbh. I’d just started looking at UCAS site and think google brought me here and here I’ll be for a few years now.

thansk for the tip on revision organisation and I guess it’s time to take up drinking having avoided it so far.

good luck to the you and your DCs 🤞

OP posts:
PenPotter · 14/05/2024 22:23

If it helps A levels are very spaced out unlike GCSEs, Ds is sitting 4 A levels so he has 2 papers for one subject, 3 papers each for 2 subjects and 4 papers for 1 subject.

He has one exam this week, 2 next week then half term break. Then 3 exams each week for 3 weeks, no two papers on the same day either.

We spaced our children out by 3 years so that we would only have one at uni at once due to costs but I now have one doing A levels and one doing uni final exams which was preceded by a dissertation.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:30

clary · 14/05/2024 21:05

Yes as eveyone says, they will overlap.

Obvs A level student has fewer exams - one year 13 I know doesn't even start until about 5 June and has nine exams in total - whereas GCSE as you will know @ThisPerkySloth can be anything from 20+ exams. But yes, chances are they will both be in exams together.

I had this with DD and DS2 (DS1 didn't sit A levels) and it was stressful; DD was overwhelmed with it all and even laid-back DS2 had had enough by about the fourth week of exams.

Second massive snack buying; and just be on hand to help if needed - whether with questions, revising past papers or even expert knowledge (if you have it - DD took A level French which is one of my subjects). But actually I never was asked to help much. More about being a listening ear - sometimes your exam student just wants to rant. And who better than Mum?

Best of luck to all exam candidates this summer and next.

@clary thank you for all that advise much appreciated as are all the other responses - so that’s just be there ready and waiting when they need /want you, and just listen whenever required, buy tonnes of snacks, and provide whatever materials they need! 👍

OP posts:
CointreauVersial · 14/05/2024 22:32

I had three doing exams at the same time. DS is a year above DD1, but had to repeat lower 6th, so they ended up both doing A levels at the same time as DD2 had GCSEs. That summer nearly killed me!

On a positive note, they were all done by the end of June, so we were able to take a big family holiday before peak season prices kicked in.

crazycrofter · 14/05/2024 22:35

It wasn’t too bad for us because at least they were both in revision mode rather than one if them being noisy/staying up later etc and distracting the other!

The main stress for us was that they went to schools quite some way in different directions. Dd got a 40 min train which was fine (until.. train strikes!) but ds had a long journey with a change . I didn’t want him to risk being late due to one or other bus letting him down, so I committed to drive him every day. We only have one car and I was really stressed that there’s be a train strike the day they both had exams.. (no decent bus options for dd). In hindsight she could have got an Uber but in the end they trains only let us down once and ds didn’t have an exam that day.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 22:37

@PenPotter looks like there will always be some overlap somewhere then but that will certainly help with A levels being spaced out, DD is only doing three A levels. I think DS is doing 10 GCSEs I’ve lost count. 👍

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 14/05/2024 22:44

I worked out I will have 7 years of someone doing exams.

DS1 is in year 12 so doing some A-level exams this year (having done GCSE exams the past 2 years
DD is in year 11 so doing the rest of her GCSEs

next year will be both doing A-level exams. Then the following year DD doing A-levels and DS2 doing year 10 GcSEs followed by yr 11, 12 and 13!!!

i did a big snack shop today. Luckily mine don’t seem to get too stressed and have been revising for a while

Londonloubelia · 14/05/2024 22:45

A levels can be spaced out depending on subject choices and exam boards, but, like I have found one child doing 3 subjects has 5 A level exams in the 1st week, one a day, then their combination of subjects means 2 days with 2 exams each day. The pattern of exams shifts each year.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:05

@CointreauVersial yes there is that silver lining over in one go and go on hols ealry, but three… that’s challenging. 👍

OP posts:
Examexsham · 14/05/2024 23:11

It's a nightmare. Sorry. You did ask.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:12

@BrieAndChilli so I was thinking it would be tough but looks like lots like yourself have it a lot tougher. 😱 DS got on with his revision, DS started a bit late but we’ll see. Whoever said it gets easier was lying. I just want to do my bit for them ❤️

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 14/05/2024 23:15

@Examexsham better to know what I’m in for, and I appreciate everyone who’s replied for taking the time to give advise / share experience👍

OP posts:
ouch44 · 15/05/2024 00:11

@ThisPerkySloth it's definitely a busy year. My advice if your DC are planning on going to Uni and/or learning to drive: start doing open days early, if they are undecided go to any subject talks they are interested in at your nearest Uni as it will help them decide. Re learning to drive book theory as soon as 17 and then when they pass that book actual test because it takes forever to get a date. Having a driving test in March when you have mocks is not the best timing! 😬

ouch44 · 15/05/2024 00:14

CointreauVersial · 14/05/2024 22:32

I had three doing exams at the same time. DS is a year above DD1, but had to repeat lower 6th, so they ended up both doing A levels at the same time as DD2 had GCSEs. That summer nearly killed me!

On a positive note, they were all done by the end of June, so we were able to take a big family holiday before peak season prices kicked in.

Oh my word! I do not envy you! We are having a big holiday when my DC are finished with A levels and GCSEs but only just getting away before mid July because DS is going on holiday with friends.