Big night out mid-GCSEs

[cannotmakedecisions]

One of my DCs favourite musicians has announced dates local to us in June next year. They’re American and probably won’t come back here for quite a while so it’s a big deal and my DCs are really excited.
But, it’s mid-week smack bang in the middle of GCSEs. Tuesday or Wednesday. I have no idea when we find out the exam schedule but it’s not going to be before the tickets go on sale.
Of course we might not even be able to get tickets, but DC has already made a plan on how many people will be waiting for the magic time when they go on sale to try and get some for everyone.

What do I do? It’s one night. But as I said to them earlier, what if they have three hard exams the next day? This is my first going through GCSEs so I feel a bit out of my depth. Not to mention that my younger DC also wants to go and will not have (important) exams so no excuse not to!

I'd do it. Presumably it shouldn't be a super late night. I actually think the best thing to do before a big exam is relax and forget about it, you can't usefully revise the night before so it could be a good distraction and something to look forward to at a stressful time.

Exam dates are available on the internet, just search for AQA (or whichever exam board) exam timetable 2026.

Exam timetables have been finalised.

If you know which exam board(s) your dc’s school use and which papers they’re sitting you can look how busy the days after the concert will be and then make your decision

Oh wow, really?! Thanks!

I would still do it. Chances are at worst they will have 2 exams the next day, one in the morning which may also involve a 30 minute revision session beforehand, all of my children's exams had this.

It is one evening, not a week. I have had 2 children go through GCSEs. Google the exam board timetables and make a spreadsheet of the exams your child is taking.

At a later date school should provide a tailored one for your child but it is easy enough to figure out now.

Hackneyed but it shouldn't affect revision as if they don't know it by then they're just papering over cracks. More of an issue is the tiredness/ late night.

I'd buy them and then try to flog/ invite someone else (friend of other DC?) if it's a really bad clash. Often exams can be quite spaced out; he may get lucky. It would be worse if it turned out an ideal date and you hadn't tried to get them.

I wouldn’t if there was a big exam next day. I’ve noticed that my DD really struggles to calm down after the gig, even after the show so we just have quiet evening before the exam or similar.
By the way I wouldn’t do it before my exam as well, it always took me sometime to calm down and I was never asleep earlier than 2am.

What date is it?

I went to see fun loving criminals the night before my eng lit gcse and got 98% 😁 let them do it! Only thing would be if they'll be back stupidly late - is it a long way?

Well done you!

Thanks everyone! I had no idea that the timetables were available already. I’ve just looked through them all and it looks like he’s going to be finished by the date of the concert. Which will make it even more special.
Now, we just need to see if we can actually get tickets!

Great stuff @cannotmakedecisions I was going to post to say that the night before, revision is less of an issue than enough sleep tbh.

Is it definitely after all his exams are finished tho? Only asking as you originally said it was in the middle of his GCSEs? Physics is often the last one but I see next year, as this, Spanish is later – physics is on 15 June and Spanish is 16 and 17 – is the gig that week (and he does French, or no MFL)? Happy days.

ETAL by the way it’s unusual to have three GCSE exams on the same day (apart from possibly reading and listening MFL which are together as they are pretty short, and then there might be another subject the same day – so if you did French and RE you would have three exams one day on 20 May.)

I went to a gig in London and got home at 1am the night before one of my GCSE exams.

I also went to a weekend-long party, at which I lost my virginity, the day before I sat one of my A-levels.

Did very well in exams.

He doesn’t do any MFL’s.

Personally I wouldn't be allowing this unless it happens to be a free day the next day or only one exam in the afternoon the next day

Let him go!
GCSEs are important and they need to know that. But life ISNT just exams and they need to know that too.
At uni, and in adult life, they need to learn to manage their time and do it all. Start them early and they’re better prepared…I work in HE and there is a definite trend of the students who aren’t managing at all (excluding those with health conditions) being the students who have done nothing but exams the Y11-13. The most well rounded students (who managed a social life, part time job, extra curriculars and studies) are the ones that do the best.

Also big night out is a stretch! If it’s Zack Bryan it’ll be done by 10.30, assuming you don’t like miles away he’ll be in bed for not much past midnight. You might want to drop him at school or provide a taxi if you think a later night will bother him, but at 16 he should manage.

Now we just need to secure the tickets…😊