Y11 2025-26 - Trying not to melt and pushing through the final weeks

[Stowickthevast]

I finished the thread so started a new one. Welcome all Y11 parents, support and solidarity for the next big push here!

No study leave here at high performing state school. Although they have started letting kids go when not in exams or booster sessions this week if their parents let them know that's ok. I wasn't impressed with no study leave initially but the school have done amazingly to put on lots of extra booster sessions so there have been very few lessons where they have just had to do self study. Understandably, this week has been quite different as there are just so few subjects left to complete so I have given permission for DD to leave when she wants to. She's only left about an hour early on Tuesday and half day yesterday though so has still been in a lot. I don't think she would have worked anywhere near as hard with proper study leave. It's a big change from when I was at school though

I wonder if the catchment including quite rural areas has an impact on study leave. There are villages here where students would struggle to get to and from school for exams if not on the school bus.

State school but grammar here and she's been on study leave since 6 May. Younger DC state comp starts at half term.

So are they making them come in after exams finish too until the end of term @ItsPickleRick if it's a doe requirement?

They have kindly “allowed” students to only come in for exams from Monday next week. It just makes no sense to me. There have been many sessions where they have sat in the social area with nothing to do. Booster sessions were running prior to half school, but as after school clubs!

Zero study leave here. It’s been fine.

I offered to take the day off today and she said no wanted to go in. It’s really not that bad.

Also what’s been interesting her school is very strict and over the last few weeks the teachers have relaxed a lot. She’s talked about having a lot more ‘banter’ with the teachers and I think it’s been lovely. Suddenly they are all having a different relationship with the teachers and it’s going to finish school on a high on this respect.

@ItsPickleRick That sounds silly. What will they do after exams?

DD's school has revision sessions immediately prior to an exam (So today she is in school all day for revision sessions for tomorrow's exams). Yesterday, she had maths in the morning then no revision session in the afternoon and she was allowed to come home to revise. There was only 2 half days when this happened, so DD has effectively been in school non stop

Oh and to add an ‘outstanding’ but middle of the road state school. However they have put on lots of extra sessions not just rock up and revise yourselves

Our state school has offered a mix. There are timetabled revision sessions for all subjects, some in school and some online, but they’re not compulsory. It’s been good to have the flexibility to balance individual needs, especially when we’re navigating burnout. There’s no chance my child would have been able to get into all of their exams if they were also trying to get to lessons.

DD reported Geography aqa I think went well.

Yippee just st 3 to go.

Yes same.

We are going to Australia to see family this summer. I ahd originally tried to get a flight a day or two after the exams but the school said it was compulsory for him to attend the stupid speech night and got quite agitated about it. TBF now I am pleased because he'll need those couple of weeks to decompress.

(Don't get me started on compulsory speech night.)

I'm invested now. What is speech night? 😂

Oh you know- awards and all that.

Every year we go and it's always the same successful students, naturally. Plus a speech from an alumni who has gone on to Great Things talking guff about believing in yourself and Never Giving Up (Trademark.) Our school sadly does not do much by way of rewarding students who have battled through despite adversity. They give out 50 awards. 5% could be given to kids who have really done something special even if it's not achieving some sort of traditional sporting /academic success. I am a bit bitter though as DS (SEN and LDs) a few years back asked if it was essential he had to attend and was told it was absolutely 100% super extra essential- which he interpreted as meaning he'd get an award. So we went along and DH dressed up in a suit as DS had had an awful year with diagnosis of a life limiting condition and Tourettes and had been self harming and in the end it just meant that he was meant to go and watch other kids (who have achieved wonderful things, no argument) get awards.

Now the school has it the same day as Prom and if you don't go to speech night you are not allowed to attend the prom.

I genunely like our school. But sometimes I think they need to refelect a little more about the unseen quieter students who never put a damned foot wrong and are overlooked.

Food Tech today - I don't think my daughter has given it any time whatsoever as has Chemistry tomorrow 🫣

Russian written yesterday seems to have gone ok.

DDs speech award thing was done last day before half term. Was the same people who got awards couple annoyed DD as some where picked by students so popular kids got them rather than the more diserving kids. The ones voted by students where normally done at prom but some strange reason they picked a smaller venue and under half the year are going !!

Agree!

Oh @3GoldenLampsthat sounds hard. They definitely should do a range of awards - input as well as output.

Weirdly we’ve been invited to son’s school awards (never been invited before) as he has an award but we won’t be told until the event what it’s for. So that’s a mystery! At least they don’t make everyone attend though.

Just a question about schools not giving children study leave. I gather that this is because it shows up as absence, which schools are keen to avoid. BUT, what happens after the child’s last GCSE exam is over, and there’s still weeks of term to go. Do they still make them come in? If not, surely it’s marked as absence, so what’s the bother with giving the study leave, as there will simply be high rates of ‘absence’ (study leave / time after exams) in year 11 regardless.

My son will finish school the minute the physics paper is over on Monday.

The last exam signals the end of school.

They have a short leavers assembly mid week next week to be praised for all their hard work, to swop momentos and sign shirts etc. Then prom on Thursday which is always a big deal with horse drawn carts and all sorts (mid performing but rising state secondary).

I am quite glad they didn't get study leave as the impetus would have been on me to ensure he was studying. It also kept a good schedule so that he was up and out by 7.30 every day.
He is enjoying his day off today though - I think he deserved it. I told them he had a headache.(still revising today for Chemistry though)

@MabelsBeats Y11s statutory leaving date is the last Friday in June so after that they will be marked as leavers. They should be being marked with an ‘S’ code while on study leave although looking at DDs app they have used a complete variation of codes including unauthorised absence when she was in exams! I have queried this but didn’t really get anywhere so have given up now.

The DfE then exclude the Y11 attendance data from the final half term when calculating the schools overall absence rates.

Personally, I don’t think that forbidding study leave does the kids any favours, particularly if A-Levels and university is their plan.

By 16 they should be able to study independently. They shouldn’t need someone watching over them, forcing them to revise. And if they don’t study, then they should accept the natural consequences.

I’m all for schools having study sessions and revision lessons, but they should be optional once the exams start at the latest.

DD has been off since start of May. I have not had any involvement in her revision at all other than reminding her to take breaks to eat. She has worked exceptionally hard as she knows it’s all down to her, no one else.

Conversely, DS is in year 9 and has done very little revision for his end of year exams. I have not said a word to him about revising. It’s up to him. Part of me hopes that he has a bit of a nasty shock so that he understands the importance of revision by the time he is doing his GCSE’s.

Last exams on Monday here, and one tomorrow. So only 2 'school runs' left. Very sad :(

Oh that is sad 😔

Just checked DDs records she is shown as present every day she has an exam and a revision session. The rest of June from next Tuesday guessing as just a morning exam are shown as authorised absence. She has actually only had one day off as either had exams or study sessions. However the leaving an hour or two earlier has made a big difference.
Her school has a real big problem with attendance !

Very thankful that awards evening is by invitation only. I don't think year 11s get any, as there are two evenings for years 7+8 and years 9+10.In 8 years and two kids we've been invited four times, although one of those was virtual as during lockdown and dc1 didn't actually receive the prize and certificate until about 6 months later! Each department nominates 3-6 people per year group and the learning support team can also nominate which is how ds2 got awards, as otherwise he would not have done.

I can’t flippin wait for no more school/bus runs!! 🥳