 Poster: A snowHead
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For years, we've been skiing at Feb Half Term with the kids. In 2023 my eldest will sit his GCSEs. Not sure what that means for skiing as obviously I want to be responsible regarding his education and not put skiing first.
I'm assuming that Easter 2023 is definitely out as it's right before. But I'm not sure about February and even wondering if the right thing to do is go for Christmas 2022 (straight after he has his mocks).
Any advice from people who have navigated this path before? Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think it really depends on the child. I’m on this path right now although this year is confused due to an additional set of mocks and each school seems to do it differently.
We planned to be home over Christmas but ended up in the sun (October trip postponed), she prepared her revision notes beforehand and spent time on holiday revising from her sunbed. Her mocks start in a week.
We have Feb planned to ski as usual, lo and behold a new set of mocks has sprung up straight after. We will leave it to her to decide if she comes along or stays with grandparents. Ours also start early for the Easter holidays so the plan is an early ski week from end March.
For the Easter week we made sure she will have her own bedroom. She can choose whether to come on either, both or neither trip. I will be encouraging her to come, and just to ski when she chooses, if she wants to ski just a morning, stay in on overcast/bad days, it’s up to her, we’ll support her to do that. Of course it’s entirely possible restrictions will mean we don’t get to go anyway.
I should say she is very hard working and she does very well. When it’s her siblings’ turn, I may not be so relaxed!
I agree Christmas would be quite a good call if his mocks are beforehand; I’d say keep an open mind on the other options in case there is continued disruption.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks! Unfortunately my son's not very academic so I'm imagining a lot of support and encouragement. Leaving him behind isn't an option. And, if we're on a holiday I'd want it to be a holiday and not away with revision or skiing.
Sounds like my first port of call is to speak to the school and find out what their usual plan is (ie do they always do mocks pre-Christmas or was that changed this year because of Covid).
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I have a similar quandary for this year, and the double whammy of GCSEs *and* A-levels. In previous years (I have three kids) we’ve skipped family holidays for GCSE years - but they went on school ski trips a bit earlier in the year, so didn’t really miss out.
We booked for Xmas (though it didn’t come to pass) - and that I felt for my two was absolutely fine. It was all downtime for them anyway being post mocks, pre-Xmas, and there certainly hasn’t been much revision going on in lieu of the holiday.
We’re now trying to decide (assuming situation allows) whether we try and squeeze in for half term or Easter. I think with the best will in the world mine wouldn’t get much work done on the holiday itself (and they are pretty hard working/self motivated) - it’s just too tiring after a days activity, and the places we normally stay at would not be very conducive for it. So it’s whether a weeks break will be a positive in terms of refreshing them for the ordeal ahead. Up to now my sons sixth form college has been very strong on encouraging students to have proper down-time and not work too much during the school holidays, I’m not sure if they change their tune as the actual exam dates approach though.
I was quite bullish about this up to now (as much as you can be in these times), but now I’m writing this, I’m thinking is it really worth the risk to their studying & results - particularly for my son where the stakes are higher in terms of making a uni-offer (he wants to do maths, so the bars likely to be quite high there). And of course the risk for this year of testing +ve and getting stuck out there. Next season, assuming things have calmed down, perhaps a different story.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@kettonskimum, Did it 2017 when boys were in A level year and daughter GCSEs. They all agreed Easter too late/close to exams. They all took some work with them and did a little each day after skiing.
It really depends on the child - if they need someone to stand over them and make them revise (like I did) then skiing may not be the best thing. If they can be trusted to do stuff and make up time then go for it
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As a lifelong schoolie, I'd say that you could certainly go in Feb... If the kids are so dependent on what they would learn/embed/retain/achieve in a single week, then the exams will be hard for them whatever they do. Make a deal with them about taking some tuition seriously on return- maybe before and after.
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Daughter sitting GCSEs in Summer 2022. Just been for a short pre christmas ski break, and have got a feb half term trip planned. Think down time away from studying is equally important.
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Mocks always seem to be straight after Feb HT, even if the school's unforthcoming in saying so early on.
So I'd opt for Xmas or NY.
Easter - our experience was of an invaluable extra week in school during the holidays (mornings only?) entailing 100% revision run by devoted teachers, focusing on weak areas. Not to be missed, despite the no lay-in grumbles. We seem to be in a run of very late Easter holidays anyway, making high altitude resorts the only option, another reason to go for Christmas or NY.
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@kettonskimum, if he’s not very academic, would staying at home during Feb half term or Christmas actually achieve much? This comes from someone whose son was also not very academic! We didn’t stay at home for Feb half term, but the rest of the time leading into exams was a constant battle to get anything done anyway. If we’d have prolonged that by staying home at half term, life would’ve been pretty miserable for all of us.
We did, however, achieve something at Feb half term. A video of him performing everything he needed to for his skiing option for his GCSE PE. He got full marks - it’s no surprise that PE was his best GCSE result.
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| hammerite wrote: |
@kettonskimum, if he’s not very academic, would staying at home during Feb half term or Christmas actually achieve much? This comes from someone whose son was also not very academic! We didn’t stay at home for Feb half term, but the rest of the time leading into exams was a constant battle to get anything done anyway. If we’d have prolonged that by staying home at half term, life would’ve been pretty miserable for all of us.
We did, however, achieve something at Feb half term. A video of him performing everything he needed to for his skiing option for his GCSE PE. He got full marks - it’s no surprise that PE was his best GCSE result. |
Spent some time in Nendaz last week filming some footage for daughters GCSE skiing! Quite hairy following her down a black! She also clocked a top speed of 110kmh!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Boris wrote: |
@kettonskimum, Did it 2017 when boys were in A level year and daughter GCSEs. They all agreed Easter too late/close to exams. They all took some work with them and did a little each day after skiing.
It really depends on the child - if they need someone to stand over them and make them revise (like I did) then skiing may not be the best thing. If they can be trusted to do stuff and make up time then go for it |
My pair did GCSEs in 2019 and 2020 respectively. We went away at HT and both did an hour or so a day of revision. In 2019 we were in Canada and waking up early so revision was done before breakfast.
The key I think is planning. If you are committed to being away at HT then front-load revision during the academic year and leave the HT week itself for writing up notes etc rather than hard core learning. Or put another way, the HT holiday should not result in needing to catch up as you’d ideally be ahead of the game before going.
I’d agree that Easter is pushing it in terms of timing.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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D1’s mocks will be in January. We scrounged a week before Christmas, leaving a second week for top up revision. We usually only go for one week a year so I don’t envisage anything else. But I could be persuaded…
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