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Secondary education

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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:
RookieMa · 15/05/2024 00:53

A levels have just started but I'm not sure how long they last tbh

Examexsham · 15/05/2024 07:09

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👍

I've twins coming up, too. So A-levels and 2x GCSEs next time. And I know what's coming ... 🤯

Shinyandnew1 · 15/05/2024 07:11

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!

Not necessarily, mine are now at university and both have exams at exactly the same time again!

EasilyDeterred · 15/05/2024 07:37

RookieMa · 15/05/2024 00:53

A levels have just started but I'm not sure how long they last tbh

My DC’s last one is 19 June

AuntieMarys · 15/05/2024 07:41

Mine did them at same time. Just got on with it!!!
Then one went to Reading Festival and one to Disney land Paris

Notellinganyone · 15/05/2024 07:52

Yup - lots of overlap. You have my sympathies. Start and end dates depend on subject choice so some students, particularly at A level might finish significantly earlier/later than others in their cohort.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 15/05/2024 17:40

@Notellinganyone thanks, I’m hoping DS finishes first as I fully see DD being disruptive/ loud at home when DS trying to revise. Or I pay her to stay out the house 🤔

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 15/05/2024 17:43

Examexsham · 15/05/2024 07:09

I've twins coming up, too. So A-levels and 2x GCSEs next time. And I know what's coming ... 🤯

Show quote history

@Examexsham i getting off lightly then in comparison 😱

OP posts:
Stoufer · 15/05/2024 17:45

I always thought a two year gap would be awful for this reason (exams at same time), but I have come to realise that having external exams in the house (whatever stage) is awful anyway… we have a 3 (academic) years gap, so it has been a relentless year after year after year after year of important exams - I want a year off!!

Ioverslept · 15/05/2024 17:52

A 2 year gap between siblings is very common, therefore so is your situation. Exams overlap and regardless of what school they attend, exams on each subject are at the same time (I think across exam boards too) unless there is a clash and there are special arrangements for students affected. In a way it could work in your favour, have both kids studying at the same time and going through the same in a shorter period of time, then it's over and done with. A bit like having twins I suppose! It could be worse to have two summer in a row spoiled by exams or having one child that has to study and other one can be having fun... Good luck to them in their exams!

Ioverslept · 15/05/2024 17:55

Sorry I misread, so AS this year and GCSE plus A Levels next year so 2 summers in a row. Well, it's life, you will all be fine!

clary · 15/05/2024 20:16

Is your older dc actually sitting AS exams @ThisPerkySloth as that's pretty unusual now, apart from IME HE students who are sitting international exams?

Shinyandnew1 · 15/05/2024 22:29

clary · 15/05/2024 20:16

Is your older dc actually sitting AS exams @ThisPerkySloth as that's pretty unusual now, apart from IME HE students who are sitting international exams?

Our grammars still do AS levels.

clary · 15/05/2024 22:32

that's interesting @Shinyandnew1 - because they no longer count towards the A level grade, many if not most schools had I thought stopped doing them. Certs no secondary local to me does them. I guess if you were going to drop an A level (maybe if you took four to start with) it would be something to show for the year's work.

crazycrofter · 15/05/2024 22:56

Ds did AS Levels at his comprehensive school last year.

Shinyandnew1 · 16/05/2024 07:35

clary · 15/05/2024 22:32

that's interesting @Shinyandnew1 - because they no longer count towards the A level grade, many if not most schools had I thought stopped doing them. Certs no secondary local to me does them. I guess if you were going to drop an A level (maybe if you took four to start with) it would be something to show for the year's work.

Yes, they all start with 4, if not 5 subjects, and then drop one after AS, so have an AS to show for it.

TripleDaisySummer · 16/05/2024 07:56

AS exams are 40% of A-levels still here in Wales - so DS is sitting nine exams as taken 4 AS levels plus the welsh bac he can't drop but is course work.

There are pros and cons to this the AS exams in Y12 for DD1 were in end a better indicator of final grades than her teachers predictions and as she took 4 could drop one after Y12 and leave with an AS qualification.

Actual GCSE exams in Y10 as well - we have family in England who keep being told this is wrong by others so querying it with us.

It will be 7 years of exams by the end - 4 years doing at same time. I don't tolerate disruptive/ loud at home at any time so that's not been an issue here but how they handle the stress has varied with each child.

EasilyDeterred · 16/05/2024 09:50

Two summers of exams in a row? We're on 6 so far with 2 DCs with a 2 year gap as it started with y10 exams. And at least one more (uni finals) next year. Maybe more if youngest goes.

Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 16/05/2024 13:02

Stoufer · 15/05/2024 17:45

I always thought a two year gap would be awful for this reason (exams at same time), but I have come to realise that having external exams in the house (whatever stage) is awful anyway… we have a 3 (academic) years gap, so it has been a relentless year after year after year after year of important exams - I want a year off!!

@Stoufer you know I really did not think at the time and whilst we were trying DS happened quickly!!!! My siblings are several years older, the eldest is 10 years older so I was always going throw things on my own. The conclusion I’m drawing it’s just going to keep happening these clashes for the foreseeable! 👍

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisPerkySloth · 16/05/2024 13:09

clary · 15/05/2024 20:16

Is your older dc actually sitting AS exams @ThisPerkySloth as that's pretty unusual now, apart from IME HE students who are sitting international exams?

@clary I don’t believe so, I believe they are to confirm if they can carry on to second year or have to repeat first year or have a rethink if a levels are really for them. I just want DD to get through to next year - apparently she only needs a d in each of her three subjects. DD doesnt tell me the specifics 🤨

OP posts:
TripleDaisySummer · 16/05/2024 13:13

I didn't think about it till eldest started school - third child already here - and one teacher said - oh two lots of GCSE and A-levels at same time you are brave.

That was in England then we moved to Wales - so Y12 and Y10 counting to external exams just made it longer period.

And at least one more (uni finals) next year.
I hadn't been thinking about Uni exams possibly as they won't be under our roof and will be much more independent.

Personally I also found uni assessments better - more variety of assessment which DD1 course and possibly next wo may also have - lab/field/essay and projects as well as exams and it's more a combined grade - so if one module is bad it had less impact so one exam module has less riding on it.

TrixieFatell · 16/05/2024 23:53

I'm living this at the moment. My eldest starts her a levels tomorrow, my middle started her GCSEs last week. They are doing so well but I'm finding it hard emotionally. I'm trying to support them both, helping them revise when I can. It's taken 4 hours tonight to help them both and I do worry I can't support them both as much as I want. We are just managing anxiety when it hits, I send texts every day reminding them how amazing they are, reassure, motivate, support. Thankfully there's a lot of years between my middle and youngest so i don't experience this again.

Chasingsquirrels · 17/05/2024 00:20

My youngest is doing Alevels and eldest in final year uni (away from home so exams don't impact on the household).
Eldest has last exam end May but I've told them not to come back until after youngest's last exam!

EasilyDeterred · 17/05/2024 07:26

We are finding uni assessments do impact the household because of the two semester system a lot of the work is over Christmas and Easter when DS is at home, then into January and May for proofreading and submissions, he tends to come home for some of the study leave weeks too as it’s so quiet at uni. DS needs support with proofreading because of SEN, his course is mostly assignment rather than exam based.

ComingInByAnsible · 17/05/2024 08:09

Thanks for the thread @ThisPerkySloth. Reading with interest/trepidation as this will be us in two years! Just one set of GCSE exam stress is enough at the moment!