Schools are breaking up for the summer over the coming weeks. Some as early as from today! A lot of parents are asking us: “Should we keep children studying for GCSEs over the summer holiday?” And this is what we tell them….
It’s a tricky one! A lot of that will come down to the child. It’s important to recharge and relax. That might seem strange, given that many children haven’t been in school for months. However it’s hasn’t been normal by anyone’s standards. As a result many young people have been left unsettled. And let’s not forget, the summer holidays are often the stuff of legend from our own childhoods! So, allowing time to recoup, kick back and do nothing is part of a healthy process.
Of course, for those of us with older children, especially those facing exams in 2021, there is that worry at the back of your mind that they will fall behind. Or that they’ll get out of the habit of studying. Both are valid, and either could make next year even harder.
One upside to lockdown is that many students will be used to doing school work at home, so the resistance to carrying on might be less than you think.
If you think it’s in their best interests to do something, the key is balance and control. Agree what really could be beneficial over the holidays – being specific about the what. Covering core subjects, or the foundations, such and English Language is a great place to start.
To build the plan, start with when other stuff is happening: the lie ins, the late night ‘Tok Tok’ or ‘Call of Duty’ sessions and so on. Starting with other commitments helps to frame the relative importance in their mind. This is their holiday after all.
Next, feature some of the study in the time that’s not already ear marked. A little at a time. There’s no need to over do it. Be led by what your son or daughter thinks is appropriate. Once they get into the swing of it, they may well start to up the amount they do.
The key is seeing the benefit and feeling like they’ve had a say in what’s happening. As a result they will tend sign up to doing school work. How much depends on their motivation and drive.
Once you’re underway, the work pattern can easily be changed to suit – they might prefer one solid day of work, for example. The beauty of our approach is that is has this kind of flexibility at its core.
If you have any questions about the system drop us an email. We don’t have the summer off and always happy to help!
Our GCSE and A Level bundles contain everything you need to manage revision, straight out of the box. All tailored to the exact courses you need.
