Any science teachers who know about AQA combined Science GCSE?

[Appuskidu]

I'm primary so a bit clueless about exam boards.

DS is in Y11 and doing the above GCSE. He's set for 9s in Biology ad Physics but only a 7 in Chemistry (most of the class seem set for a 5/6 which seems so much lower than all the other subjects?!). Can anyone explain to me how they work out the two grades you get at the end?

Does it have to be 9-9, 8-8 etc? or can it be 9-8 or 9-7? What would you get it you got 9 in two of the and 7 in the other??


Any advice much appreciated!

[areyoubeingserviced]

Is he doing Triple Science?

[Appuskidu]

No-double science. Sorry, I thought that was the same as saying combined science.

[CarrieBlue]

Combined Science is the new ‘double’ Science so you’re right!

Each of the six papers has an equal weighting and the 17 possible grades are decided according to the combination of all the marks from each paper. Foundation tier will award grades 1-1 to 5-5, higher will award 4-4 to 9-9 (but there is a safety net of 4-3 if they just fall short). The bit I’m not clear about is if different tiers can be used for different papers (I suspect not, but my students are clearly one tier or the other for all papers and judging by your DSs predicted grades he is higher) - if anyone can tell me for definite I’d be grateful!

[TeenTimesTwo]

No idea, but interested so sort of place marking.

(If it is like BTECs they will add up all the UMS scores and then do the grades based on the total, so 9-9, 9-8, 8-8, 8-7, 7-7 etc. Thus no possibility to get 9-5 for example.)

[Appuskidu]

Thank you for the replies!

So, if he got say, 9,9,7-is it likely he would he get awarded a 9-8 or 8-8?? I can’t get my head around it!

[jaimelannistersgoldenhand]

My son did double last year but
P1/C1/B1/was the first grade
P2/c2/b2 was the second grade

P1 = physics paper 1
C= chemistry
B= biology

[TeenTimesTwo]

I guess it would depend on how high the 9s were and how low the 7s were. I suspect no one can tell you, especially as this is the first year of combined science.

Broadly speaking he needs to act as if every mark on every paper matters as there will be 1 mark that is the borderline between one grade and the next.

[TeenTimesTwo]

Jaime that was the old system where you could get A* for Core and D for Additional. The new system is different.

[Fffion]

With Edexcel, all papers have to be from the same tier.

[AlexanderHamilton]

This is an interesting conversation. My Ds is in Year 9 top set science (I suspect he will be moved down though). He is currently good at physics & chemistry & appalling at Biology (he is autistic & can't cope with human biology).

To give you an idea of the disparity last year he got 65% in chemistry, 63% in physics & 39% in biology last year (he was a grammar school then but is at a comp now)

[Rosieposy4]

No one can accurately predict this, but boundaries are likely to be tight and i suspect one weak science will still hit you hard, also 9s are supposed to be rare.
Part of it is your schools fault, if he is doing combined then why on earth offer up grades for triple😳, i suspect 8 8 if he really would get 9 9 7 but they don't know that either!

[Appuskidu]

Part of it is your schools fault, if he is doing combined then why on earth offer up grades for triple😳

Probably being clueless here, but what do you mean by that?

[TeenTimesTwo]

I think Rosie means why are they giving separate grades for the 3 sciences when that isn't how the actual GCSE grades are going to be? And that maybe saying you are working at around 8-7 but your biology is dragging it down might be more helpful.

[AlexanderHamilton]

At dd's school there are 3 science teachers so they each give individual grades for their subject. Double & triple students share some classes but triple option students get 2 extra double science lessons per week on a rotation with the three teachers.

[Rosieposy4]

That is what I mean teen.
We also have three specialist teachers for combined groups, but why would you report three grades?, it bears no resemblance to what the kids are aiming for or likely to get.

[Fffion]

No one knows what the grades will be like. Each student just needs to work hard and do their best.

I can’t see any benefit in telling a student that they are tracking a 9, because the teacher doesn’t have a crystal ball, and the risk is that the student gets a false sense of security.