Year 11 - 2024/2025 - Support Thread - the final stretch

[QueenMabby]

A new thread to take is to exams and beyond! All welcome.

Today was the last day of lessons for DD; tomorrow is Leavers’ Day. After that, they can go into school and revise in classrooms etc and speak to teachers if they want, or work at home. I think DD is most likely to do the former. There aren’t many days without exams anyway, so she might as well get the school bus.

We had an email saying dc’s have to attend all lessons as normal (unless they are in an exam, obviously) until the last exam on 18th. Ds has an exam that day. But I can’t see them all continuing to attend when they’ve finished their exams. I think Ds has a couple of days with no exams until that last one, I don’t see the point going in when all other subjects have finished.

I like the sound of these schools giving a choice - we seem to have a 3 line whip. I reckon the more children borderline for 5 passes the more they do this, ie comps with deprivation. I told DS he can stay off if he wants to.

He has his Spanish speaking tomor. Did a run through. Will be great to tick one off. He is tired already…

Good luck everyone this week

@Hollyhedge - i suspect we're in quite a similar area in terms of that - DD1 is in a comp in South East London (lewisham), so quite varied levels of household income/parental involvement. Study leave officially banned, because it is better for most people (for GCSE and A-Level) but increasingly parents just keep children off and tell the school they're doing it.

Selfishly, because I have two of them doing A-Levels, I would rather they were in because I work from home and they drive me a bit mad and all they do is fill the kitchen with half-eaten pot noodles. Also, as I tell them, the more other people are off, the more they have access to the teachers!

I do think this Y11 cohort are struggling more than SLTs and DfE anticipated (not all, obviously..)
At dds school the results won't be as good as predicted IMO
Too many kids not engaging, PA/SA, incredibly high semh and send needs
Plus high staff absence, lack of support staff, lack of subject specialist teachers...
And this is a fairly small school in a mostly affluent area

Just wondering if everyone else’s children finish school after the last exam? I.e they are free to go on holiday etc? Or they are expected to go back in to school after the last exam?

Having an issue with DS’s school suddenly announcing they want them back in school for a few days at the end of June and beginning of July. Have booked to go away! (Private school).

In state schools there is a contingency day on 25th June which pupils have to be available for

Not just state schools. The contingency days are national for schools offering those qualifications.

We don't expect to use them but candidates should be available.

Dds school they all have to be back in for the last week

Yeah I factored in the contingency day. Then DS going away on the 29th June which I thought would be fine since it was quite a bit after the exams finished and other schools seemed to have finished.

Technically they can't leave until the last Friday in June in the year in which they're 16 - which is the 27th

Thanks - yes I thought him going away on the 29th June would be ok. Didn’t expect them to have to be in on the 30th June - 2nd July!

That's very odd! Our sixth form taster day is in that week but it's not a three line whip - and only applies to those are intending to come.

Ah thank you. This has given me some hope. It is odd. He is going away with his girlfriend and her school finishes the week before so I assumed all schools did and just didn’t think to check.

I can’t see the point in them going in for a random few days. It’s a leavers service but seems unnecessary. I am panicking though so thought I’d see what the general consensus is across other schools

That does seem very odd!
Would he mind missing the leavers service?

Ah!

Is this like a taster?

DS has to go to tasters at his sixth forms. He has three offers but will go to two of the schools for tasters. Three days in total as one of the schools requires 2 days. Week after exams and early July

No he’d be more than happy to miss it! He is also staying there for 6 form.. It just seemed strange of the school. They said ‘all pupils are expected in on 30 June- 2 July’ and I had a blind panic! I knew about the contingency day but thought after that they were done. It is my mistake for not checking.

No it’s not a taster. It’s a leaving service and who knows what else!

Just reread and it says ‘to fulfil various end of term commitments’. ?!

@Delatron what are they doing those few days in school? Probably just fillers? I’d not worry about it and encourage him to go have a but of early holiday fun.

Weird. DS has a leaving mass and prom - both optional.

Thank you! Yes they are being very vague about what they are actually doing. I am not sure what will happen if I say ‘he won’t be there’.

This is helpful too. If I say no other schools are doing this.. all things are optional.

They can't do anything after the last Friday in June in the year in which he is 16!