GCSE Science double or triple

[eatyourveg]

Is it better to achieve a potential AB at double science or 3 Cs with the triple.Does the triple really have the better kudos when applying to 6th forms? Thinking of changing ds back to the double as he is struggling with the triple and already has half the double under his belt.

[snorkie]

I think AB is much better than CCC. Unless you are applying to do science A levels, and even then I think AB might be better than CCC, but you'd have to look at the specific entry requirements for the courses to be sure. I know triple science is becoming increasingly popular, but I don't think it's actually a requirement for anything.

[wicked]

You should go for the As at double rather than less than A at triple.

6th form courses follow on from Additional Science.

[Ponders]

martianbishop always said double science was plenty & no need to waste another subject choice doing 3, even if the student wants to go on to do 3 science A levels (& she should know )

Is there a subject he wanted to do but couldn't fit in? Pref something a bit arty to show his breadth.

[MaureenMLove]

Watching with interest because DD is taking her options this year. She wants to be a marine biologist, so I suggested that triple was a must. Maybe not.....

[wicked]

She needs to have a broad range of subjects. If she can do languages, then she should. A tech subject is good too, but not if she doesn't want to.

I think when my DD comes to making her choices, she will probably be a triple scientist and double linguist, which once you add on the compulsary subjects (4) and a humanity, it doesn't leave any room for art, textiles, music or drama. If she feels strongly about any of these subjects, then she will have to drop the triple science option, or do triple science and only one language.

[roisin]

How many extra hours do they have to do at your school for the triple science?

At our school they do 2 English (Lang and Lit) with 3 (1hr) lessons a week.

But double science takes 4 or 5 (I can't remember). Triple science 'takes up' one of their options, so is an additional 3 lessons a week. It seems an awful lot to me.

[Milliways]

DS's school ALL do triple as compulsory, but DD's was optional - but didn't take an option up. They started having an after school class but soon dropped that and just worked harder/faster/more homework in the time allotted. All those doing triple (2 full classed I think) did well.

DD wanted triple as she thought she could get AAC rather than have her weaker science bring her double grade down to say BB (but she managed all A*s)

TBH, unless you want to do a science based degree I would go with the double given a choice.

[snorkie]

"TBH, unless you want to do a science based degree I would go with the double"

I think there's an argument for the opposite of this in fact - once you've done science A levels & later a degree whether or not you did double or triple GCSE will be totally irrelevent. On the other hand, if you do something completely non scientific at A level/degree, that extra knowledge may be useful.

At our school triple uses an option, which is a shame as it then limits what else you can do, but the OP's ds has by the sound of things already done half the course, so would presumable just do one less GCSE rather than a wider subject range by dropping the triple. I still think that's a wise move as long as he's left with a reasonable number overall - quality over quantity.

[snorkie]

roisin, double science is 8 lessons a week for us (annoying as thats 3 for two of the subjects, but only 2 for the third) and triple is an extra 4 lessons on top of that. Lessons are 35mins I think.

As your ds is bright & quite sciencey, he might like to try what ds is doing - the double option for lessons, but learning the work for triple independently & sitting the extra papers. Worked out fine in year 10, but it's this year when what he's doing starts to diverge significantly from what the others in the class are doing. We shall have to see how it works out.

[roisin]

ds1 is only in yr8, so we have a while before he needs to make choices. I don't know whether his school uses an option slot if doing triple science, or not. I hope not, as he has wide-ranging interests and abilities, and I wouldn't want him to have to drop - say - languages or humanities, in order to do massive amounts of science.

[lazymumofteenagesons]

At ds(2)'s school the top 2 science sets do triple. They don't have any extra lessons they just cover the material faster and I think take some of the modules early.

But, I also think triple science is not a necessity to do A level sciences. Loads of schools don't do it and a friends daughter did science A levels with double and is now off to Oxford to read Biology .

[snorkie]

I agree totally roisin.

[eatyourveg]

thanks for all this and the delay in replying. am seeing head of science tmrw might just drop chemistry DS has 4 double periods for the triple and the double class get 3. Too late to take on an extra subjct but he'll still have 10.5 even if he drops one. (Can't get my head around the idea of half an O level but thats what the philosophy course is apparently)Wants to do Law so science not really crucial. Might wait for the results of the mocks next month

[wicked]

I don't think he can just drop one of the subjects. If so, it means he will be down to double science as he wouldn't get the Physics and Biology grades because there would be too much overlap with the Core and Additional courses.