Science question

[shootingstarz]

What are the benefits of taking triple science over double?

[whathaveiforgottentoday]

Better preparation for A levels in science as they cover more breadth but you can do science A levels if you have taken double science (although some schools might be picky.

[Kensingtonia]

I assume also that it counts as 3 GCSEs rather than 2.
Talking about picky - DD1s school won't admit anyone to do science subjects in the Sixth Form who hasn't done a stand alone GCSE in that subject (i.e. physics or biology or chemistry - not triple or double science).

[whathaveiforgottentoday]

The triple science is the stand alone GSCE. You get a separate GCSE for Physics, Biology and Chemistry so 3 GCSE's.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Triple science is separate sciences. You can do a level science from core and additional science (which is what double science usually means). You learn more science if you do separate/triple sciences. There is a perceived premium to it. If they are able (at least a B) and like Science, it's great. If not, not.

[shootingstarz]

Thank you.
Is it harder i.e. a lot more work to take triple GCSE science?

[TheFallenMadonna]

It's an extra GCSE worth.

[shootingstarz]

Yep you?re right, Thank you.

[TheFallenMadonna]

It depends how it is organised. Some schools don't give extra time. Then it's a big ask. Some schools use an option block. Then it's just one if your GCSE choices. And restricts your other options. Swings and roundabouts.

[Kensingtonia]

Sorry meant to say they won't accept core and additional science to study A' level i.e. double. Though apparently if you do stand alone GCSEs they will. Also to do the magic combination of maths, chem, physics and biology at A' level you need at least 2 A at GCSE and 4 A overall. No pressure then!

[gelatinous]

More disadvantages than advantages usually.

There are just a few schools like Kengsingtonia's that insist on separate sciences to do A levels, so do check this, but normal schools (ie not independent or highly selectives will virtually all be OK with double). If a likely sixth form does have this stipulation then triple is a must for anyone who just might want to study a science at A level.

disadvantages are it either reduces other option choices at GCSE giving a less diverse selection or increases the workload if done as an extra on top of everything else (this last isn't a problem for an academic child who enjoys work).

It's not a fantastic syllabus - the extra stuff is covered very superficially (as with the rest of GCSE science - ie: more dross (can you tell I'm not a great fan of science GCSEs?). It really can be made up very quickly indeed if not done before A level.

Advantages are an extra high grade GCSE for a scientific child, and it's a good easy option for someone who is that way inclined but who would find another essay based subject or a language or whatever much tougher.

Triple does increasingly carry a sort of status with it as often only the more able are 'allowed' to do it, so looks good from that respect. Once you have science A levels no-one will care if you have it or not and arguably something a bit tough looking like another language might look better at GCSE, but if you do arts A levels then triple science at GCSE looks good - like you were a bright kid who could have done either but chose arts. Though to be perfectly honest, hardly anyone is going to analyse your choices in that much detail.

[Kensingtonia]

DD1 does all three sciences and tbh doesn't find the workload that bad - finds history her most challenging subject by far and will only do one science (biology) at A' level. She is not at all mathematical but really likes physics and chemistry because they are genuinely interesting and relevant.

[strictlovingmum]

DS did triple science last year in order to take A level maths, chemistry and physics and had to have A out of all three them to be even allowed to apply for his A level choices, bearing in mind B is the least you should aim for if choosing to do triple.
Workload is bigger as well as harder, but it all comes to play at AS and it becomes clear Why sixth forms insist on triple science and high grades, jump between GCSE and A level is vast[maths and sciences), of course all of this is only relevant to a student who is planing on taking science, maths or both do a degree level.
DS was set on chemistry and physics for A level and that also meant, his maths had to be A at least, preferably A*.
Agree with gelatinous it is sometimes viewed as "heavy weight status" almost elitist, of course very wrong view in my opinion, but nevertheless DS is on of only 12 in his physics group and and one of 10 in his maths group.
Reaction we got or rather DS got upon announcing his GCSE results and then his A level choices was:
He is a clever boy, He has his work cut out and so on, roll on AS year, well he is still just as clever, but he also is lazy so and so, who needs to get his ass in a gear, now with DS at the moment.

[MNHubbie]

Triple science is simply a few extra modules on Double Science (or Core and Additional as it is now). Depending upon the exam board it can be 3 or 6 extra modules. Depending upon the school it can be an extra options slot or an extra GCSE course being taught within the same time frame as 2. Some of the extra modules are useful but not all of them. Some are hugely repetitive and are pretty much defunct. Some are fun but not really necessary for A-Level.

In terms of the use of them: I'd have love to have done it at school myself as an ego massage just as I'd have love there to have been A*s back in my day but they don't really serve a purpose. The government encourages us to get the top kids doing them and we have a sort of obligation to do so but it can be counter productive on many levels.

a) Cold hard school facts: Only 2 of them count towards league tables for the school.
b) The whole "need it for A-Level" thing is down to the place offering the A-Levels.
c) It doesn't add a huge amount of range.
d) It can actually drag down science grades due to the extra work and extra exams.
e) For the same reason it can have an adverse effect on other subjects too.
f) The rules are changing...

...All exams are going to terminal exams by 2014. This is going to make triple science even more unattractive for both schools and students.

[MNHubbie]

Oh but at the same time you really need to be guided by the school as you pretty much don't get a choice with science. If you're in set x you do Double, set y triple and in the past set z BTEC.

We've experimented with having all but bottom sets doing triple and it had a huge adverse effect so we've moved to top set triple only (and we've had to scrap BTEC as it has lost its GCSE equivilency).

[gelatinous]

kensingtonia workload only might be an issue if it's done as an extra GCSE (ie timetabled into same option time as double for more able students) as then the extra work is on top of everything else rather than instead of something. Of course, if this is then too much depends hugely on the mindset of the student and how many other subjects their school makes them do (there's a huge variation on this between schools).

In itself I don't think it's anything like as difficult as a humanity or a language GCSE, but some people find sciences hard and essay writing easy, so maybe for them it is.

Ds did the extra modules for triple in his spare time and aside from giving him an extra GCSE it didn't really benefit him. He didn't think it make much difference for his (science) A levels, but he was already reading A level science books before he started GCSEs.

Dd is doing 4 science GCSEs (and also PE which overlaps with biology to a degree) and that suits her as she enjoys sciences, is good at them and finds them easier than other subjects, so hopefully doing so many will skew her overall GCSE results upwards. (She still just about has a balanced set too, but only as she's doing 11).

[shineypenny]

For children starting GCSE courses this September there are no longer any modules, just final exams at the end of year 11 and controlled assessment to cover the practical elements

[BackforGood]

It depends a lot on how the school do it.
ds does triple science in the same lesson time as some other sets do double or the BTEC - it doesn't take up any of his options, it's just what's "expected" of the top {whatever} % of the year.

[gelatinous]

Very true shiney, but there's not very much change to the content and the modules are still there, just packaged differently and it will no longer be possible to space the exams for them out over the two years - they must all be sat at the end.

[shineypenny]

Agreed gelatinous but there is a huge difference between learning in module format - learning a module, taking an exam and forgetting it (very easy to do this in science subjects) - and learning the entire course and then having to recall it all at the end of the two year course.

[gelatinous]

True - it will be harder and make the issue of workload something that needs more careful consideration than before.

[circular]

Apart from what's already been said, it could be an advantage when the student is far worse at one science than the others.
So may be able to acehive AAB in the separates, which may have only been AA or AB in double, as the lower grade would pull the others down.

[Kensingtonia]

The 3 are compulsory in DD1s school, but I would encourage DD2 to do the 3 as well because I think it is important to keep options for A' levels and future careers open as long as possible. DD1 went through phases of considering medicine, architecture etc at various points which would have been closed to her at age 14 otherwise. She is now in year 11.

DD1 has studied them all at the same time, but in DD2s school they seem to concentrate on one per term which seems a bit odd. DD1 has two papers for each to sit in the summer but has done the paper 1, and the ISAs/controlled assessments - she is looking at A*s in all at the moment for minimal work!

I heard from a colleague at work that they have a child being forced to do both double and triple this summer, which if true sounds like madness!

[alemci]

I must admit that my son chose tripple science over another GCSE option as he thought it would not be quite as much work rather than doing core and additional plus another subject, possibly a technology.

[circular]

Gelatinous - Interested to know how your DD is able to do 4 science GCSE's.

At my DD's school, they all sat the first 'Core Science' module in yr 9, with a view to making it a 4th GCSE for those taking 3 separates. But OCR disallow 4, so that got dropped.

[SeaHouses]

You can't be forced to do both double and triple. The modules of the double form part of the triple.