Triple Science or Double Science. Am Confused!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

In my day it was not like this and am really confused.

If you are good at science you are put in for triple science which is physics, chemistry and biology. So you get three separate GCSEs. Am I right so far?!

What then is double science? Because it seems to
me that ypu still study p,c and b. Or does the interpretation of this lie with the school?

At our schoolthey don't get a choice, they are put in for one of the two.

It's a whole new world to me!

[HesterPrynne]

Yes you're right. Double is a mix of all three, but at a slightly less complex level. So you still study all the sciences, just not as in depth.

You can still take an A-level science with double, but there will be some aspects that will be new to you, but not those who did a triple.

As far as I'm aware most schools don't give pupils a choice - the teachers decide who they think is capable of the triple. Everyone else does double

HTH

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Thank you it does. One more though.. Sorry.. If you do double do you get two GCSEs and if so in what?

[HesterPrynne]

Yes it is the equivalent of two GCSEs, but is just known as Double Science. IYSWIM

There's also a Single Science, which also covers the three subjects, but in less depth again and is the equivalent of one GCSE

[TheFirstLady]

DD1, who is in Year 8 informs me that everyone in the top set at her school is required to take Triple. I don't know whether pupils in the other sets are given a choice or not.

[mumblechum]

At ds's (grammar) they opt for triple unless they're predicted to get less than a B in any of them in which case they just do a double.

Agree it's rather confusing!

[TrillianAstra]

If you do double you do 3 exams (Bio, Chem, Phys) but they are each shorter and you get 2 GCSEs worth, both with the same grade.

If you do Triple you do 3 exams, but they are longer and you get a whole GCSE with a separate grade for each.

No choice in my school either.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Thank you. Much appreciated. They said at parents evening last week that she was likely to be doing triple and I said oh lovely, not really sure what reaction was expected!! I magine there would be more lesson time and coursework for triple then.

She is only year 8 now so it's not yet anyway. But thanks.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Sorry. One more!!
If you were rubbish at one science say chemstry, can you take the full gcse for he other two?

Not an option for us, it's triple or double and they are told. Just getting my head round it!!

[juneybean]

I wasn't good at science but I chose to take triple science as one of my options.

You get 3 GCSE's as apposed to 2 with double award.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

I think double science seems a bit unusual really.

Am not worried about the number of gcses, but it seems you cover three sciences with the double anyway but not in the same depth. Maybe there should be a different name for it to refect that you have studied three separate sciences?!

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Am also trying to get my head round options this week

It's either double or triple. you can't do say biol and physics but not chemistry (as you could in my day). At my dds school you have a choice to do double or triple, but whether you are allowed to do triple depends on your science set.

"In My Day". Now that's a phrase I'm using a LOT with this options palaver

[HesterPrynne]

I don't know of any school that allows pupils to choose one or two individual sciences. Triple or double is definitely the norm.

If your DD takes a triple her award certificate will say Physics, Chemistry and Biology, each with their own grade. Those who take double will have two awards both saying Science, with the same grade.

I think Triples are usually timetabled the same number of lessons as double, but expected to get through the syllabus more rapidly so cover more in the same time

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Our school's timetable = 4hrs science per week if doing double, 6 hrs per week if triple

[violetqueen]

Umm ,I'm also confused- dc did OCR ( might have been 21st Century which I think people have said is a poor preperation for science A levels ).
I always thought he was doing double science ,his school doesn't offer triple and his statement of results lists 2 GCSE's
Science
Additional Science.
He did get A in both ( just missed A * ) but could any science teachers tell me whether I am right to believe that these are not a good prep.for A levels.

[snorkie]

technically double science doesn't exist any more. It's been replaced by Science and Additional Science which amounts to the same thing except that if you are especially bad at science you can just do 'science' and get just one GCSE.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

I think calling it double undermines what the students are doing, it implies only two sciences.

GrungeBob -
if you are doing double at yours - what do you do in the other two hours? Do they do another but different GCSEs?

violetqueen
I do not even know what OCR is! That is definitely before my time

[snorkie]

Oh - Science AND Additional Science is good preparation for A levels - the A level course starts where the GCSE Additional Science stops.

However, as doing separate science is becoming more widely available (previously lots of schools didn't offer it) some schools (mainly grammars) are beginning to ask for a separate science GCSE as a pre-requisite for the A level.

[snorkie]

It is possible to do an 'applied science' GCSE and that or just Science on it's own is no good if you want to do A level.

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Ratherbeonthepiste - at dd's school 'separate sciences' ie triple science, is one of 4 options, though you have to be in a reasonably high set to be able to do it

Some even in high sets may not wish to do it because they may prefer to do more arts/humanities/languages or (god forbid/over my dead body) one of the farkin' diplomas

Oh yes it is technically not double science, it is 'Science' (done by everyone, 1 GCSE) and 'Additional Science'. The school call triple science 'separate sciences'

[goinggetstough]

Both my children have done AQA core and additional science ( "double science" using the vocab above) but I don't believe it has been called this since 2007 as violet queen mentioned it is now known as science (core science) and additional science. They are both separate GCSEs, so you can get different grades. Some schools take GCSE core science in year 10 and then additional science in year 11. Hope this is helpful?

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Cor lummy!

Our school does triple or double, and the setting decides that, and I think that is that!!

But I wonder if doing the double means time for other things in the timetable.

She is Year 8 so I have a while to get my head round this, thanks everyone!

[MmeBlueberry]

Double science ceased to be a few years ago.

Nowadays, they do "Science" in Year 10, and "Additional Science" in Year 11.

Depending on how the school organises their classes, they can also do 'Extension Units' spread over Year 10 and Year 11. If they do the extension units, they can be awarded Physics, Chemistry and Biology GCSEs, instead of Science and Additional Science.

I teach Edexcel 360 Science and here is how it works (I think it is similar for AQA). For both Science and Additional Science, the course is split into 10 modules of 10% each. There are separate examinations in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, where they do 2 modules each. In addition, they do a teacher marked assessment in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and finally, a teacher assessement of their practical skills.

If they do extension units, there are two further units in each strand.

Whether to do Sci/Add Sci, or Bio/Chem/Phys depends on a lot of factors. Do they want to take Science A-levels? Although it is possible from Add Sci, it is easier from separate and they are much readier for January AS modules.

What about the other subjects they want to do? Do they want to do 2 MFLs, three humanities, arts, technology etc. These all need to be factored in. It can work both way for clever kids - they tend to be clever across the board. The less clever ones may have trouble filling their timetable if they, say, drop MFLs - they can still access the Sciences.

Triple Science is a lot of Science lessons in a week. They need to be broad and balanced at this stage in their education.

What are they likely to get? It is much better to get two A* than 3 As in the Sciences (and ditto for lower grades).

Does the school have all the clever kids doing Triple? If so, then it might be a good idea to follow them to avoid disruptive pupils or a focus on foundation level work.

On balance, I would say yes, if wanting to continue to A-level, and yes, if it means avoiding disruptive kids. Anything else, I would say tread carefully.

[muddleduck]

Watch out for how "double science" is taught. We're seeing lots of UCAS forms with a fantastic mark in "additional science" and a more mediocre mark in "science" which implies to me that some very bright kids are not getting a great deal when it comes to "science".

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

LOts of interesting posts here, many thanks everyone.

I really think it is a shame that we can no longer offer children straight GCSEs in separate sciences. So for example if chemistry and biology were their thing, they could take a pure course in those subjects. That was how it was in my day