Science GCSE - how much maths involved?

My dc are at a comp, top two sets ( 4 sets in total) do triple. They all get three options, so plenty of room for a humanity and a tech or art, they have to do a language.

The country does need scientists, but scientists with with a rounded education.
Exactly!
Well, if it is grammar school, where pupils are selected on academic merit, it is hardly reasonable to say that what they do should apply to all schools.

I said it should be applicable to the top quartile (or thereabouts, on average) in a comprehensive. (I'm talking about a catchment GS not a 'superselective', to be clear - so the pupils should be the same ability as roughly a quarter at a comp). What's unreasonable about that?

The country does need scientists, but scientists with with a rounded education.

Well, if it is grammar school, where pupils are selected on academic merit, it is hardly reasonable to say that what they do should apply to all schools.

By manage I mean do them, and well.

It is a GS, so this applies to all the pupils, but I'd hope that a comprehensive should be able to provide similar for the top quartile. If you're not in the top quartile its fairly unlikely you should be contemplating triple science. (sorry if this sounds elitist but this country really needs 'great scientists' - it also needs people with great vocational training.)

What do you mean by manage?

What type of school is it?

Cottonmouth - DDs school seems to manage triple science, an MFL, a tech and still have options spare for humanities and arts. Its not an either/or.

Has the content of double science been beefed up - I know that a few years ago it was widely viewed as not up to scratch for transition to A level sciences.

She'll need to be able to rearrange equations, not just substitute in numbers. Also maths will be required with higher level chemistry, for example working out relative formulae or mole calculations. I've also noticed more maths sneaking into biology using information from graphs etc. But as already mentioned that'll be on double award as well as separates. It's also a little difficult to predict how much maths in the exams until there have been more in the new spec.

Not really, startrail.

In my opinion (YMMV), triple science is a lot of science for one student. They should be doing other subjects - humanities, MFL, arts.

It is not worth risking A for. It is far better to have 2A for Science/Additional rather than AAB for triple. The extra science grade isn't contributing to their broad/balanced score (or Ebacc, if you like).

Top universities are doing their first screen at the number of A (or possibly As, but they are quite quiet on this). 7 A seems to be the magic number.

Some people have the idea that triple science is better for A-level, but it really doesn't make a lot of difference. The leap to A-level is big for all candidates. There is not enough of a difference on the type of learning in the extention modules - it tends to be just some factoids that can be learnt in the student's own time.

Again, IMV, if a student is to do 2 sciences at A-level plus maths, it is better for them to have as much exposure as possible to the subjects they will never do again - so keep them going to GCSE. It would be a shame for a future scientist to give up arts/humanities/languages at 13. It doesn't really make them a great scientist to not be part of the wider world.

My ds is doing triple, but it doesn't take any option time. He will probably get A*, A, B. Y ou don't need above c grade Maths in Science Gcse, now a'level is another matter.

Cotton, triple science only if you are going to get A*
That really shows how they have degraded the GCSE grades.

We've been told the same. Double is a lot of Science anyway, so unless you are heading for A A* then stick with Double or if you really are Science mad and can't pick other subjects from the triple science option blocks.

as a science teacher, I wouldn't worry about the maths holding her back. A grade C maths student can access the maths in science. However the fact that its doubtful she will do sciences at A level suggests the double science route would be better for her.

That was meant to be A / A at double, blooming bold function...

My DS1 is in Y9 and wants to do triple science. Maths is his strongest subject, he's very able, but he's weaker at science, still top set but only just. The DC at level 6 and above have to take a SATs style test and only the top 25 will be allowed to take triple science, in the same lesson time as double science. The test is next week and those who pass will start the GCSE syllabus after half term. The school are saying that if your child could get A or A at the triple sciences, well and good, but that AA or AA etc at double science is a better result than Bs at triple, so will put children back down to double if they aren't heading for As or As.

I think that is quite common, TPA.

The secondary schools in my area offer only triple science to the top sets, and double to the middle ones. There is no top double set, that might contain all the dual linguists, for example.

( I know those two posts sound a bit contradictory - but not really, both saying get more info! )

You should check with the school - depending how they set/stream and manage the timetabling of options, if she didn't do triple science might she find herself put in with lower sets for other subjects too? That might be doing her a disservice.

Does your DD have any ideas about what she wants to do after GCSEs? If she's weak at maths, probably not looking at taking science much further I'd guess? In which case a different subject might be better for her.

Best to go straight to the 'horses mouth' I find - you don't get a lot of sense if you go via what a teenager a) takes in and b) remembers !

Obviously, might be entirely different at your dd's school, just thought I'd throw it out there as it could be something like that goes on.

ds enjoys science and is doing well in it. He really doesn't like maths and has to work at it. However, does it necessary take up an option ? At ds's school, the top set science do the triple science in the same number of lessons as the next set do the double science, so, whether you take the double or triple, you still have the same number of other options available for humanities or languages, you just come out with an extra GCSE. The school offers it to all the pupils they feel will be able to work at a slightly faster pace in Science over the 2 years.