Being British XI

[Mind Games]

I have a couple of quick questions about the British school calendar (I'm assuming the Hogwarts resembles it).

When do summer holidays start?

What time of year do students sit their exams (GCSEs)?

Thanks for your help!

~Hannah~

Like at Hogwarts, summer holidays begin in July and end in September. I believe they typically get longer breaks during the winter and spring.

Exams start in May and end in June, with results being received in late August.

[psijupiter]

I have a couple of quick questions about the British school calendar (I'm assuming the Hogwarts resembles it).

When do summer holidays start?

What time of year do students sit their exams (GCSEs)?

Thanks for your help!

~Hannah~

Summer holidays are six weeks, starting mid-July.

Student's sit GCSEs in May, (often running into June,) though I believe it is more common now for them to take the exams for some modules in January, so they take less exams in the summer. That is quite a recent change.

[Equinox Chick]

Hogwarts mirrors the private school sector though, so they get longer holidays.

Harry's summer term ends at the end of June. He has the whole of July and August off (eight weeks). A state school in England and Wales will have six weeks, starting mid -end July (It may be different in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

Christmas and Easter holidays are two weeks if you're in the state system (plus the term is split in two with half terms- a week off) Private schools generally have a longer Christmas and Easter break (could be up to a month). I think Hogwarts typically had three week breaks at these times with no half term holidays. Private schools will have half terms and also 'leave weekends' where boarders can go home from Friday to Monday.

Possibly more information than you actually needed ...

[Northumbrian]

A state school in England and Wales will have six weeks, starting mid -end July (It may be different in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

Correct, the Scottish summer holidays are six weeks, like the rest of the UK. But they usually run from the beginning of July to mid-August. (The Scots have a different August Bank Holiday weekend to the rest of us, too).

-N-

[Sapphire at Dawn]

I went to a private school and my summer holidays were usually eight or nine weeks. We usually got either one or two weeks extra at the start before the state schools had broken up and a week extra at the end. I got three weeks at both Christmas and Easter and a week at half term. Both my secondary school and sixth form had boarding and Carole is right, they did have leave weekends called EXEAT (haven't got a clue what that stands for), and sometimes we had the friday afternoon off so the boarders could get home.

GCSEs are usually May into June and year 11s usually get study leave before hand. My study leave started a week into the last half of the summer term, but I don't know how long it is now, or even if they still have it. It's true that they've recently started doing some modules in January, usually English and Maths, and at that time too you also do mock exams. They're like the real thing, but with past papers instead of the real ones and the grades are used to see how you can improve and teacher base predicted grades off them. Some schools gave study leave for them, but I don't think it's common. I think schools do these exams in December time now so that the pressure is off during the Christmas holiday, I know my sister did, but that might be just her school.

Sarah x

[Weasley Mom]

Neil and Sarah... you both answered a question a few pages back that I am now interested in as well, regarding pet names a dad might use for a small daughter. I am writing a conversation where the daughter is now 16, but the dad still occasionally uses the tearm of endearment, especially in sweet or emotional moments. Would most of those still apply? I'm thinking of going with "baby" or "love"... would either of those be out of place with a nearly grown daughter?

(This question is for anyone, of course... just mentioned those two because they answered the question above.)

Thanks!

[Equinox Chick]

Hi Lori,

I think he could use both of those. In extreme emotional moments, he probably would revert back to the language of her childhood, and baby would be quite sweet.

I wouldn't use 'baby' in other less emotional circumstances - it sounds vaguely unsettling to refer to your sixteen year old as baby when her boyfriend might as well.

'Love' can be used any time and by anyone (particularly builders - ha ha)

Carole

they did have leave weekends called EXEAT

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've been trying to work out the spelling of that word for my OF (set in a boarding school) and I couldn't remember it. It's from the Latin for exit I think. Shakespeare's plays always have Exeunt in them when people leave the stage.

[Sapphire at Dawn]

Like Carole said, I think you could get away with the father calling her a pet name from her childhood. My dad still calls me mine and I'm nearly 21. My granddad still calls my auntie 'Twink' and she's in her 40s. I would think, though, that your 16 year old might get embarrassed if her dad was to use the name in front of her friends!

Originally posted by Carole:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've been trying to work out the spelling of that word for my OF (set in a boarding school) and I couldn't remember it. It's from the Latin for exit I think. Shakespeare's plays always have Exeunt in them when people leave the stage.

Haha! No problem. I had seven years of that term printed on our newsletters and school calenders; I'm not likely to forget it!

Sarah x

[Weasley Mom]

Thank you both for the quick response. It would not be in front of anyone else, and during a rather emotional conversation. Thanks again!

[Padfoot Patronus]

I would like to know if house warming gifts are part of your culture? How about it during the Marauder times? Was it common? Do you think it'd be too Muggle-ish?

-Akay-