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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

Gcse revision booking holiday in May half term

67 replies

freakazoidroid · 05/04/2015 09:39

I am just looking at a disney cruise for 2016. It is in May half term 2016 . My ds will be in yr 11 then and about to do Gcse 's . Would I be stupid to book it for then? The fjord cruise is only running that week , or would it be doable? Or would it be better for him to stay with grandparents?? He isn't that fussed about going - doesn't like sailing ! And just take our 8 yr old??? Any help greatly appreciated! X

OP posts:

Original poster

freakazoidroid · 05/04/2015 10:20

Hi all
Thanks for your replies. The reason we were keen to go is because i do not fly and we were keen to take the family to the fjords and the cruise option worked for us and the prices for the disney cruise were cheaper than others. They are only running this certain cruise then. I honestly am not a bad mum ! I have a 8 year old too and she would adore it and my son is wanting to see Norway . But agreed it probably isn't grows timing

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 05/04/2015 10:26

I'm a secondary teacher. We would be furious at any parents taking their Y11 on holiday in the middle of their exams.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 10:31

Really noble? Furious is a very strong word. Surely a bit of a break during an intense period could be good for some children.

Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2015 10:33

We are going away for a couple of days this week and I feel strange about that. DS1 is taking revision with him.

ChocolateCherry · 05/04/2015 10:44

My dd is at this point this year and we've not made any major plans to go away because of exams.

Last year she had mock exams and not thinking it through we booked a week away at Easter.. She took revision work with her but it was very hard for her to have to keep hitting the books in the middle of it all and I wished we hadn't put her in that position really.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 10:44

There were several year 11s on the residential ballet course dd did last week.

noblegiraffe · 05/04/2015 10:46

A period of a few weeks of exams which are the culmination of 5 years work, teachers working at lunchtime and after school putting on revision sessions, possibly coming in over the holidays, spending evenings marking past papers and analysing data. Then some parents decide that Disney is more important, at the most crucial time?

Yes, I'd be furious.

GoldenBeagle · 05/04/2015 10:46

We have done family holidays in a cottage at that time and the exam-bound teens are supported to do an intensive few hours every morning and then relax and have fun later on. They get a quiet Undisturbed space while most others go out and about. They do need quite a bit of TLC and recognition from the whole family that their needs are important. They also like to have email, Skype and text contact with school friends for re-assurance and to check things with.

I wouldn't do a cruise: revising in a cramped shared cabin in that environment and potentially out of range of peers sounds far from ideal. No way would I do this Hol at this time.

SuburbanRhonda · 05/04/2015 10:47

I thought as much, balletgirlmum.

Once they are doing their GCSEs and A levels, most schools will offer revision classes during the holidays.

DS has two AS level revision days next week, which he will be attending because he wants to do well in his exams. He will need a break once the exams are over - that's what the long summer holiday is for.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 10:52

Dd goes to a boarding school so definately no revision classes during holidays.

At the start of the holidays we received our usual end of term letter from the head at ds's school. I like the tone of it & about finding a balance between work & play.

"This will probably be the final time I make this plea but it is about the value that recreational activity can have to a pupil engaged in intense academic activity. As the exam season approaches, so too does the cricket season and I once more urge all our senior students to plan accordingly. Each year I hear that team mates have been let down because a pupil couldn’t play for their team because they had to revise for their exams.
In my opinion it is almost always possible to work recreational commitments into a revision diary. Healthy breaks from revision are certainly regarded as productive and there can be few better ways to reward yourself than to turn out with your team mates to play sport.

(For dd I take this to mean dance)

Olivo · 05/04/2015 10:53

Interesting. I am a teacher and I would agree that may half term is not a good time to go on holiday when doing GCSEs. We are likely to take ours away at Easter though. I was asked if I would do revision sessions in the holidays, I declined. Having given opportunities several times a week, during lunchtimes and after school sessions, I need a break. Those who requested holiday sessions did not turn up to these. Speaks for itself.

Caravanoflove · 05/04/2015 10:56

I always revised much better on holiday, no distractions of friends and TVs etc. in fact I booked a 2 week holiday beforey medical finals, paid for excess baggage for all my textbooks and spend a lovely fortnight revising on a beach rather than in a cold stuffy library. Aced them.
I'd say go for it!

Bowlersarm · 05/04/2015 10:56

No you can't take him. And I think it would be mean for the rest of the family to go on a lovely holiday whilst leaving him revising at his grandparents. Poor boy!

Please don't do it, OP. Go on holiday at a time it's convenient for all of you.

SuburbanRhonda · 05/04/2015 10:58

Not often you get a drip feed from someone other than the OP, balletgirlmum!

Your DD's school's approach is no different from that of any supportive parents whose DC is taking exams. We all encourage them to strike a sensible balance between work and play.

However, the OP is actually talking about a holiday in May half-term, right in the middle of when the exams are taking place. So quite a different scenario.

SecretSquirrels · 05/04/2015 11:01

Sorry to say but from year 11 holidays at Easter and May half term are off the agenda for several years.
DS1 is 19. We didn't go away those weeks when he was in year 11 because of GCSEs. Then Year 12 it was AS levels, Year 13 it was A levels and DS2 was doing GCSEs. This year he has uni exams and has been working solid through the Easter break and he doesn't get half term. DS2 is doing AS levels....
On the bright side they finish year 11 before school holidays start.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 11:09

The quote is from ds's school. Dd goes to a different school.
Didn't think it was drip feeding just thought it a fairly normal sensible approach.

SuburbanRhonda · 05/04/2015 11:14

The "drip-feeding" comment was because upthread you said you would be taking your DC out of school in the Easter holidays whatever the school said, but only later explained it was a boarding school that doesn't offer holiday revision classes anyway.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 11:16

Ds does not attend a boarding school.

Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2015 11:17

I am confused.

noblegiraffe · 05/04/2015 11:18

Playing the odd game of cricket is a healthy break from revision. This is a very different prospect to a week-long cruise in the middle of exam season.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 11:20

I guess what I'm saying is that whilst I value my children's education immensely (& dh is a teacher too) we also value fdmily time & other activities. If a child has had good teaching & worked hard through the year a family holiday or resudentisl course in year 11 shouldn't be something that has to be cancelled.

LIZS · 05/04/2015 11:24

He's likely to have a number of gcse papers after half term . Ds didn't finish until 3rd week of June. I wouldn't run the risk of him being elsewhere and potentially being distracted or leave crucial pieces of revision at home. We are leaving Ds with gps for a few days t study for his final AS after half term and still feel uneasy about that. Resigned ourselves to no May family holidays until dd is older (year 9).

SecretSquirrels · 05/04/2015 11:29

There may be some teenagers who would bury their nose in revision guides while poolside. Not mine.
I offered both DC a week away this Easter but they preferred to revise at home.
Half term week is different, it's right in the middle of the exams. During half term I aim for a few trips out and plenty of exercise to balance the revision.

SuburbanRhonda · 05/04/2015 11:35

balletgirlmum, sorry for misunderstanding the different DCs, schools, rules, letters, etc you posted about!

I think it's safe to say that you're not the only parent who values both education and leisure time.

Would you organise a week-long family holiday in the May half-term, which falls in the middle of the GCSE exam period? Because that's what the OP was asking about.

balletgirlmum · 05/04/2015 11:36

With two kids, a teacher dh & different term dates I get confused too!

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