UK: When does sixth formers go on holiday?

Maxinquaye

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I have a stump.

One of my characters has sat his AS-level, first year in sixth form, but suddenly I'm very unsure about whether the exam means that he's let out for the holiday or not.

AS sittings happen in May, but when trying to Google information I find that term dates are until July. I don't find any specifics, so either everyone goes on until July, even after the exams, or it's one of those things that everyone knows and don't bother to write down. :D

So, please, allay my quandary. Do sixth form students quit for the summer directly after the major exams, or do they go on until the official end of the summer term?

Thank you!
 

fireluxlou

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Usually Sixth Formers have shorter terms than the rest of the school (so when exams start they don't have to attend school, and once they finish they don't have to go back). They also get free periods.

When I was in college (this isn't university you can do a levels at college) exams were in May/June after exam week was over, didn't have to go back. Next time I'd go back was for enrolment for next year at end of August (unless you're on two year courses in which you go back for start of term time which is September).
 

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Few state schools say sixth form nowadays.

Officially, he's at school until the end of term.

In real life, he leaves as soon as his exams are over. There may occasionally be requirements from the school to go in for one reason or another, but even these can usually be safely ignored.

They're not let out or quit, they just happen to not go into school any more.
 

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My eldest son is on study leave at the moment, but for his GCSEs, not his AS levels (which will happen next year).

I've just asked him and he's said that at his school, sixth-formers (both upper and lower) go on study leave about three weeks after the end of the Easter holiday, and then only have to attend school for their exams. For GCSEs there are revision sessions timetabled, which are optional: these take about two hours each, morning and afternoon, and cover the whole range of subjects; for AS and A2, the revision sessions are far less structured.

The official term ends mid- to late-July, but that's only really for the rest of the school.

Having said all of that, not all schools work to this system. Most state schools seem to but a few don't and a couple of the fee-charging schools here keep their pupils in class right up to the end of term, even if they've finished their exams.
 

BunnyMaz

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It varies depending on the school.. colleges/sixth forms (we don't call universities college) have exams every year, so a lot of it depends on when their last exam ends. My little sis-in-law finished her AS level exams 2 weeks ago but is still going to school this week for one of her extra-curricular activities. My cousin doesn't finish her exams until next week, but won't have to go back to school for the rest of term after that.
 

waylander

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If your character is doing AS levels and has to go back for another year, it is more likely that the school will want them back for some form of classes. What does the story need?
 

Maxinquaye

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Thank you!

Another question that I thought of after writing this. Does AQA, Edexcel, etc have their tests on the same date, or does it vary? And does everyone in England (Scotland isn't part of this system afaik) sit on the same date if their school uses say AQA?

Waylander, I just used school as an excuse for not being able to show up. I mean as in an excuse that few people would argue much with. It's not too complicated, but if I got that little fact wrong it would have been disastrous.
 

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I know Wales has different exam dates to England, and different terms time they tend to go on half term earlier than England and they sometimes finish the school year earlier as some schools start the year a week later than England.

Different Exam boards like WJEC (Welsh education exam board) will have different exam dates to AQA, Edexcel etc. If you have exams with different exam boards as I did, there might be two sittings of an exam to accommodative people who take both subjects. Usually the school sorts out your exam timetable for you so none of your exams are clashing.
 

shaldna

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I have a stump.

One of my characters has sat his AS-level, first year in sixth form, but suddenly I'm very unsure about whether the exam means that he's let out for the holiday or not.

AS sittings happen in May, but when trying to Google information I find that term dates are until July. I don't find any specifics, so either everyone goes on until July, even after the exams, or it's one of those things that everyone knows and don't bother to write down. :D


Depends on where abouts in the UK you are and the school itself - some schools summer term finishes at the end of June, some mid-late July. The kids all attend for the same number of days, it's just they have different length breaks for things like half term etc.

Schools here let students out on 'study leave' prior to exams - usually they stop classes around the middle of May and students only have to go in for exams.

A couple of friends have kids taking A levels this year, and that's certainly the case with them.

You are still considered to be at school though.

So, please, allay my quandary. Do sixth form students quit for the summer directly after the major exams, or do they go on until the official end of the summer term?

Again, it depends on the individual schools. Most of the schools here don't require students to go back after exams - but since the exams tend to go on right until the end of June anyway, there's isn't really time. School continues as normal for everyone else though.
 

aruna

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I think the biggest difference would be between state and/or day schools and independent and/or boarding schools, especially the day vs boarding thingee. When my son was at boarding school he came home for the summer at the end of term regardless of exams or not -- I guess parents who send their kids to board need to rely om the official end-of-term dates - especially because a lot of pupils live aborad and they can't just send them home mid-May or whenever.
Nevertheless, end of term was never beyond 1st July, and lasted till September.
 

johnhallow

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I second the middle of May. Or third it. Maybe fourth it. Depending on how long it takes me to type this comment. I finished almost three years ago and that's what it was like for me. We had 'study leave' and the gaps between our exams also counted as study leave, although we could come in to school all we wanted (though we'd have to stay in a small building called the Sixth Form Centre, or in the Library, provided it wasn't being used by teachers and their classes. We could also stay in unusued rooms. Hardly anyone came in, though). There were revision classes but they tended to be optional, although teachers would get pissed off if we didn't come in, because they saw it as a sign that you didn't care enough. The reason why the classes weren't always compulsory is that most of our actual lessons before study leave were just revision anyway, unless our class was behind and had a lot to cover.

I don't think you need to worry too much about the various exam boards because while different boards are used for different subjects -- at least, by my school -- all of the exams were quite spread out anyway. Sometimes exams from different boards clashed, but my school sorted this out by shifting them around. Unfortunately, for some kids, this meant that they had to do more exams in a day. I had to do three or four depressingly long exams in one day, but my teachers agreed that it was uncommon and they said something about leaving a note for my examiner to mark more leniently (because I started at 8:30 and finished at past 5).

A bit extra: Some exams, like Art exams, require you to come in on multiple days to an 'art' room that's been set aside for the art students (rather than a big exam hall). I had to come in for two days to do my GCSE art exam, and while I didn't pick Art for A level, I knew the A level kids had to do something longer. Also -- and this may just be my school -- we got to pick a GCSE level subject to do alongside our A levels, like Psychology or Japanese, etc. Something unusual. I picked Japanese, so I also had to sit my Japanese exam later when the GCSE Japanese kids were doing theirs.

Just to give you some context, I went to a Grammar school in Kent which had a joint sixth form. So it wasn't a college or anything. You went straight up to sixth form if you got the grades, and other kids from other schools joined at that time. I'm just throwing out all these extras here because I know how small details like these can spark good ideas :)
 
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jaksen

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Is sixth form equivalent to a US student's last year of high or secondary school? How old are six formers, ordinarily? (In the US the average age of a high school senior, or 12th grader is 18, though they can be as young as 16, which I was.)

Sorry if I derailed this thread a bit ...
 

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All the exams that use the same papers are sat on the same date, at the same time. There are also restrictions on when people can leave the exam before the end. If a candidate has a timetabling clash, arrangements will be made for them to be supervised until they sit the paper, to ensure no contact is made with anyone who already knows the questions.

Also, there are restrictions on when you can open the packet of exam papers. All this information is set out on the packet itself.

I used to make small amounts of money invigilating exams here in the UK. It is the deathly dullest job ever.
 

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Thank you so much, guys! :)

Is sixth form equivalent to a US student's last year of high or secondary school? How old are six formers, ordinarily? (In the US the average age of a high school senior, or 12th grader is 18, though they can be as young as 16, which I was.)

I don't really think there's a comparison that can be made. A-levels is an academic exam, divided into two parts: AS and A2.

English and Welsh kids leave secondary school at 16. Most (though not all) go on to a voluntary extra two years between 16-18. I don't know how it's in Scotland. They have their own system.

Sixth form (as well as the last year or two of secondary school) is very focused. In secondary school it's 5-7 subjects, I believe. In sixth form it's 3-5 subjects. So, a student can study say English language (linguistics), English literature, and Sociology, and only that. Or he can have some additional subject. To get into a University like Oxford, a student needs four A-levels with mark A.
 

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English and Welsh kids leave secondary school at 16. Most (though not all) go on to a voluntary extra two years between 16-18. I don't know how it's in Scotland. They have their own system.

School leaving age changes next year

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_173002

Sixth form (as well as the last year or two of secondary school) is very focused. In secondary school it's 5-7 subjects, I believe. In sixth form it's 3-5 subjects. So, a student can study say English language (linguistics), English literature, and Sociology, and only that. Or he can have some additional subject. To get into a University like Oxford, a student needs four A-levels with mark A.

Confused! When you say is secondary school "it's 5-7 subjects" do you mean GCSEs? If so then some pupils can do as many as fourteen. They may start them in the second half of the summer term when the year 11s have left.

To get into a top grade uni like Oxford or Cambridge students will probably need A* levels. Some unis will, after an interview, tell students what grades they will need to attain.
 

BunnyMaz

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Aye, kids leave mandatory schooling at age 16, and can then choose to go to sixth form for 2 years to do A levels. A levels are split - in the first year you take exams in your subjects to as level, and if you complete the second year you take the exams for a full A level, which means you still get a recognised qualification even if you only complete the first year. Or you can do GNVQs in certain subjects. Or an apprenticeship. If you want to go to university though, I think (but I'm not sure) you need A-levels. Most kids just do 3, some do 4 and very few do 5. What a lot of kids do (it's what I did) is complete 4 or 5 AS levels, then drop one or two of them and just complete 3 or 4 to full A level.

*edit* but yeah, I did more than 5-7 GCSEs. I did 9, I think my little sis-in-law did 10 and a friend of hers did 14, completing some the year before. I don't know how many GCSEs my cousin took in total, but I know she did English, Maths and Double Science a year early, so she could concentrate on her other subjects this year. Double Science used to be mandatory along with English and Maths, but I heard IT was made compulsory in its place a few years ago?
 
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aruna

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If you want to go to university though, I think (but I'm not sure) you need A-levels.


Just to confuse things further: if you want to specialise, for instance in Art, you can do a BTEC at a specalised college. My daughter did an arts BTEC and is in uni.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BTEC_Extended_Diploma
The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is a vocational qualification taken in England and Wales and Northern Ireland by people aged 16 and over. The qualification is organised and awarded by the Edexcel Foundation within the BTEC brand. BTEC ND is the highest level of the BTEC structure and is equal to three A-Levels.[
 

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Confused! When you say is secondary school "it's 5-7 subjects" do you mean GCSEs? If so then some pupils can do as many as fourteen. They may start them in the second half of the summer term when the year 11s have left.

People I've talked to in England have said the 5-7 subject is about the average. Isn't that the case? I suppose it varies wildly, though, so you're probably correct in wanting to point that out. So, thank you. :)
 

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Aye, kids leave mandatory schooling at age 16, and can then choose to go to sixth form for 2 years to do A levels. A levels are split - in the first year you take exams in your subjects to as level, and if you complete the second year you take the exams for a full A level, which means you still get a recognised qualification even if you only complete the first year. Or you can do GNVQs in certain subjects. Or an apprenticeship. If you want to go to university though, I think (but I'm not sure) you need A-levels. Most kids just do 3, some do 4 and very few do 5. What a lot of kids do (it's what I did) is complete 4 or 5 AS levels, then drop one or two of them and just complete 3 or 4 to full A level.

*edit* but yeah, I did more than 5-7 GCSEs. I did 9, I think my little sis-in-law did 10 and a friend of hers did 14, completing some the year before. I don't know how many GCSEs my cousin took in total, but I know she did English, Maths and Double Science a year early, so she could concentrate on her other subjects this year. Double Science used to be mandatory along with English and Maths, but I heard IT was made compulsory in its place a few years ago?

I was accepted to do Fine Art at University with 3 BTEC art diplomas. That's what I did after my GCSEs. Now instead I am doing an English Literature Degree with the Open University which you don't need prior A Levels, Diplomas or qualifications to do. Everyone who wants to do humanities and arts degrees at the OU does level 1 General Arts course first to bring everyone to the same level.

There are so many routes though to go to university, you don't need a levels you can just have life experience and a great personal statement and they will let you in, you can be recommended by your employer, sponsored by your employer (my uncle was because to get a promotion he needed the degree so he did it in 2 years), for art you can have no prior art qualifications and a really good portfolio & personal statement to get in. Courses of course do have requirements for those doing those kind of traditional routes though.

My art route though after GCSEs was BTEC First diploma in Art and Design = 4 GCSEs
BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design = 3 A Levels
BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design = an level I think but most courses now ask that you do this first before going into an Art degree as it builds up a strong portfolio and prepares you for an art degree at university. It's intense and over 1 year. As if you do Art a level then go straight to university most people drop out because the change is so drastic in structure.
 

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I took my O levels in 1978, and took ten subjects. My eldest is currently in the middle of his GCSE exams, and is taking twelve subjects (but got his Italian GCSE already, which he took as an extra class).
 

shaldna

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Is sixth form equivalent to a US student's last year of high or secondary school? How old are six formers, ordinarily? (In the US the average age of a high school senior, or 12th grader is 18, though they can be as young as 16, which I was.)

Sorry if I derailed this thread a bit ...

There are three possible school leaving ages in the UK at the moment - fifth year, sixth lower and sixth upper. Basically you can leave after your GCSEs (the minimum school leaving age) in your 16th year (obviously some folks are older/younger) AS levels - these are like half an A level and first came in about 12 years ago, you take these in your 17th year, and then A levels proper, which are in your 18th year.

I say year because the year you start school is dependant on your birthday, so you'lll have folks like me, with a september birthday, in the same year as my best friend, who has a june birthday. She's 10 months younger than me but we were in the same year. It's not such a big issue in secondary school, but I know from my own teaching experience that it makes a huge difference in younger kids.


I don't really think there's a comparison that can be made. A-levels is an academic exam, divided into two parts: AS and A2.

English and Welsh kids leave secondary school at 16. Most (though not all) go on to a voluntary extra two years between 16-18. I don't know how it's in Scotland. They have their own system.

It should be noted that not all schools have a 6th form (years six and seven) - grammar schools tend to still have sixth form, high schools usually only have five. The English system is different because they have comprehensive schools and sixth form colleges and a whole host of other options.

You can also attend college or tech to complete A levels, BTECs, NDs etc which can all replace A levels.

Sixth form (as well as the last year or two of secondary school) is very focused. In secondary school it's 5-7 subjects, I believe.

For my GCSEs I did 10 examination subjects, plus general studies, European studies and RE which were non-examinable. (however, you can do all three for a GCSE if you school does them) I also did triple award science, which means that each science subject counts as a GCSE, so you get three marks. You can also do double award, which is two marks and single - although you still study all three subjects, you just get a composite mark.

In sixth form it's 3-5 subjects. So, a student can study say English language (linguistics), English literature, and Sociology, and only that. Or he can have some additional subject. To get into a University like Oxford, a student needs four A-levels with mark A.

It depends.

When I did my A levels most folk did 3 subjects. I did four. The year after I sat mine they brought in AS levels, where the majority of students sat 5 subjects for the first year and then 3 for the second year.

The amount of subjects you do varies depending on the school - I know one guy who went to a very posh private school and sat 8 A levels the same year as me. That just isn't possible in most state schools, there just aren't the resources.

In terms of Uni applications, the majority of universities still look for three grades, although four is good. Mature students - students over the age of 24 can be assessed on experience also, rather than just grades.


Just to confuse things further: if you want to specialise, for instance in Art, you can do a BTEC at a specalised college. My daughter did an arts BTEC and is in uni.

There are a lot of specialised courses such as BTECs which are designed as a stepping stone between school and university, specialising the student in one particular area. They are most common in practical courses, such as art and music, although there are a lot of courses on things such as beauty therapy, hairdressing and childcare, none of which are taught at school level.

In my experience courses such as BTECs and NDs etc are a great way of introducing a student to a subject and preparing them for a higher level of study, as well as equipping them for the work place.

It should be noted that, when it comes to university applications, there are some subjects that, even though you can do an A level in them, don't qualify for your application - General studies usually being one of them.

I was accepted to do Fine Art at University with 3 BTEC art diplomas. That's what I did after my GCSEs. Now instead I am doing an English Literature Degree with the Open University which you don't need prior A Levels, Diplomas or qualifications to do. Everyone who wants to do humanities and arts degrees at the OU does level 1 General Arts course first to bring everyone to the same level.

The OU is AMAZING. Seriously. I can't recomend it enough to people. I did a Literature degree with them that enabled me to go on to do my MA. I have encouraged so many other people into taking courses with them.

I know a lot of folks put the OU down because they don't have entry requirements for bachelors beyond just wanting to learn. But they have a really high pass rate and they always score really well on league tables. In my experience the folks who do OU courses are there because they really want to learn, rather than just filling three years while they work out what to do with their life.
 

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The OU is AMAZING. Seriously. I can't recomend it enough to people. I did a Literature degree with them that enabled me to go on to do my MA. I have encouraged so many other people into taking courses with them.

I know a lot of folks put the OU down because they don't have entry requirements for bachelors beyond just wanting to learn. But they have a really high pass rate and they always score really well on league tables. In my experience the folks who do OU courses are there because they really want to learn, rather than just filling three years while they work out what to do with their life.

I agree I always wanted to study literature and creative writing Art felt kind of like a side track from my real desires and after I dropped out of Art at university, my mother said to follow my dreams and do Literature at the Open University or risk regretting my whole life. I was afraid that I'd be discouraged as I spent so long and much money studying Art to find out I never really wanted to do Art.

I never felt I was smart enough to study it as I failed my GCSEs and went straight into Art. The Open University is wonderful it gave me the motivation and excitement to do Literature. I didn't want to go back to college as it means full time study, finding money for transport etc. So a year ago I did AA100 study a range of subjects from English Lit to Philosophy to Art History to History and now I'm in my second year studying English Lit and English Language :D Next year is creative writing. Think in 3 or 4 years I'll be graduating!

How did you find it? Where did you do your MA? And what was it on? :)
 

Maxinquaye

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Oh thank you, you guys! You just solved a character problem for me. :D

This is so amazing. I had a simple question, really, and all the information you've given me is so welcome. And now you've made me realise what one of the adult characters is doing. I had thought that he should be unemployed, but that's not really him, so it chafed. He wouldn't go to the JobCentre. He'd do something, and Open University sound just like the thing he'd do.

So thank you!

:Hail:
 

fireluxlou

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You're welcome I love when discussions evolve as well. People bring up things that are probably no relation to the thread but they help you in some way nonetheless. :)