GCSE year finish date

[fluffychicken]

I've just had an email from my sons school saying they will finish on 27th May. I'm shocked I assumed as they had missed so much they would be in untill the end of term. I know it makes no difference to there grades surely its not all about that there must be loads of gaps in what they have learnt especially if they are going on to Alevel.
Any one else got GCSE kids when are they finishing?

[tocpe321]

Mine's got mini tests over the next few weeks, but they've not given any indication of finishing early. The deadline for the submission of grades is the 18th June.
He's going onto college so it'll be interesting to see when they release them from school.

[Edna Cloud]

Most schools here are finishing their GCSE years at the May half term (around 26th May). This is the opposite of what we were told, ie that since they had missed so much, the assessments would be delayed as late as possible in the year to give them the maximum time to catch up first. Now we find that they have been rushed in earlier and our children have been really short changed. The earlier finish is not to benefit the pupils, it is so the teachers can get their marks in by an arbitrary date in mid June when normal GCSEs don't usually finish until the end of the month and their results day is earlier rather than later. It doesn't make any sense at all.

I really feel for the young; they have lost so much.

EC

[Camsmummy]

My son is doing A levels and is also finishing at May half term.I was also surprised at this given how much they have missed.He is doing assessments over the next few weeks so has been revising for those.I am quite worried now though as his history teacher has asked to see him today about his coursework.I just hope whatever improvements he needs to make he has enough time left to fit it in.

[jndt]

My son finishes the exams part at May half term but they have to be in school until June 25th! He is literally just doing exams all this half term and not much else but it least they'll have lots of evidence.

[Orlando 2004]

We have no confirmed finish date yet but I'm fully expecting it to be the 28th May or possible a few days after June half term so they can do leavers stuff after the assessments end. My daughter has been doing assessments since returning in March. We were told there would he 3 assessment windows - 1 before Easter, 1 now till the 7th May and the final 1 from 10th May till 28th May. Like someone else has said it's like they've been pushed into it all sooner than normal as they will be finishing assessments when exams would normally only just have started. All because grades need to be submitted by the 18th June. So far some of my daughter's year have done assessments at home due to isolation and obviously with different classes doing them at different times or assessments being spread out over a few lessons it is never going to be a controlled or fair system this year. They seem to have been under a lot of pressure since their return with DD having 4 assessments in 1 day before Easter and some poor kids who had to catch up having 5 or even 6.
I just hope things are more normal next year as dd is doing a course with work placements.

[Guest]

Us too. Full on assessments here. (which are not called GCSEs but are GCSE questions under exam conditions marked by the WJEC and resulting in a GCSE grade - so obviously not GCSEs at all!).

Some mutterings that school will essentially be finished when the assessments are finished. Which is 14th May. Not much for kids to do in school thereafter. Damp squib, no leavers assembly, no prom ☹️

Then they seem to have at least 2 results days if not three. Two of which are when we are supposed to be on holiday of course because we planned around the actual GCSE results day. Some unhappy kids here. Sigh.

[mandco]

we haven't heard anything yet.
I asked a couple of weeks ago and they said they expected it to be after the assessment cut off date which is June 18th but were waiting to get confirmation.

May does seem early as its normally its after their last exam which is around mid June but as the assessment periods are due to be finished in may giving the teachers a few weeks to assess and finalise the grades I guess it makes sense.

[darbs]

My year 11 DS has been told that he will finish school on 28th may. They are having exams from 4th May and then finish school when they break up for the whit holidays. A long summer ahead...

[Lisa123wm]

We haven’t been told yet.
Last time I asked, they didn’t know.