DD didn't get GCSE options

By the time DCs apply for med school, it will be clear from AS results whether they are "up to it", regardless of GCSE science options. Similarly to think that a prospective medic will not be able to bridge the gap relatively easily between double science and A level Chemistry [key for med school bound DCs] etc is to say they're not really suited.

The only possible question may be when entering sixth form, why she didn't do triple if the school offered it. If you can get round that one, then it's not a problem IMHO.

Agree that EBacc is neither here nor there, if the reason for not getting it is there was something else better/ as good being offered. A talented linguist may opt for four or five ancient/modern languages, failing the EBacc there is fine.

oops sorry about the strange characters in my 'copy and paste'!

Thought it was some sort of governemnt policy re: level 6 and the option to take triple science. I have just found this on google:
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
has contracted with the Learning and Skills Network to
support awareness and take-up of Triple Science GCSEs
through the Triple Science Support Programme.
The programme aims to support the following policy objectives:
to enable all young people with level 6 or above in science at Key stage 3 to study Triple Science GCSEs from September 2008

some med schools may take it into account, but that isn't compensation for being offered a substandard education.

All schools have a responsibility to take science seriously and only offering the double is not taking science seriously. It closes doors for students when a school's job is to open them.

I would be mad too as in many schools a level 6 allows study of triple. What is her current level (I don't mean the one-off assesments at level 7 but her overall grade)

How do you know someone has been admitted and not made the grade?

Take a look on school website for the complaints policy or get a copy from the reception and follow that if you are getting nowhere.

schilke - I think that medical schools would take into account the fact that a student couldn't do triple science because the school didn't offer it as an option.

I know pupils can do GCSEs out of school but it isn't ideal

EL24 your DD's school is actively closing doors for her. Yes, there may be some med schools that will take her with double science but that is not the point!!!!!

I really would take this to the top.

schilke it is absolutely appalling that your school does not even offer more than double!!! What about the able scientists!!!

I would look into changing schools. Double science is not nearly as good ( I did double science myself).

There are people I went to school with who only did double GCSE science and are now actual doctors.

At the school my children go to they can only do double science. It's a big comp - 240 in each year. There is no triple science option. It has good results and good reputation - does this mean no-one from that school can become a doctor? I find that hard to believe.

can you change schools ??

Can you speak to HoY?

There probably is quite a strong correlation between children good at algebra and those who have done triple too.

Do fight for the triple if it's what she wants (she'll do better doing subjects she likes aside from anything else), but don't let her dismiss her medical aspirations if she can't do it either.

One big plus for double for this years year 9s is that with the new terminal rules the triple children will have to do all their exams at the end of year 11, but the double science ones can still do core in year 10 and additional in year 11 which spaces things out and gives an opportunity for an early exam to test the water so to speak. But if it's a grammar she may be doing some other subjects early too, so less of an advantage than if science is the only one.

Thanks for that, glaurung. Interesting point about triple science - it is a grammar sixth form.

HI OP. Both my DCs are taking triple science as I was advised that it makes the transition to 'A' level science easier - particularly chemistry. Our school stated that you had to achive a minimum of level 6 as well. Perhaps they haven't given her the chosen options due to a timetabling clash with something else she has picked? A meeting with school should hopefully clear things up but she may have to change 1 of her other options. IMO the ebacc is not important for medicine re: history or geography, but a language may be required by some unis. Don't forget the ebacc is a measure for schools and not an individual qualification. Good luck!

HeathRobinson a mole is a number - like a dozen only much bigger. Not too difficult to pick up really. What children struggle with on mole calculations is lack of algebra skills - there's a lot of rearranging equations to be done and the key problem here is that children can get top grades in maths GCSE and still be rather poor at it. Ability in algebra is much more important than having done triple science for success at Chemistry A level imo.

If she Aces core and additional science GCSE and chooses Chemistry and Biology A levels she will meet the requirements for almost all med schools (I think the careers fair person was wrong), but you could phone a few up and ask. There's not very much extra science in the separates that she'll miss and she could always read the chapters in the summer before A levels start (it won't take long, believe me) if she thinks she'll be disadvantaged otherwise.

The only time problems do arise is when schools insist children have done separate before accepting them on the A level course, which is rare - I've heard of it in just a few grammars and independents and cynically I think they do it to restrict the intake for those subjects to high ability children who generally (but not always) do triple.

OtOH if triple is what she wants to do and she's met the eligibility criteria then go and make a fuss. It sounds as if the school needs more transparency over their selection procedure.

I know some current 1st year med students who only did double science GCSE.

Maybe it's changed since they were in Y9 & Y11.

It would be very unusual to get any medical school offers without straight A's or A* these days whatever it says on the table of medical school requirments.

Because, I suppose, you're covering so much more ground that you're already a bit closer to the A level? For instance, the teacher was talking about mols (sp) and the kids on the double science option just didn't know what she meant. (Neither do I!)

This sixth form has extremely good results, so I guess they know what they're talking about.

but if you only got Bs in the single science options, how likely would you be to get a med school offer anyway?

They might not demand it but surely covering as much science as you can at GCSE makes the transition to the very hard A levels easier. Even marginally.

However, will she need the Bacc too? I don't know if that is going to be a request of the Unis too?

Ponders - at a recent sixth form open evening, I got the message that starting A level science from the double science option, was a distinct disadvantage.

And, for this particular sixth form, you'd have to achieve A grades at GSCE doing the double option and only B's doing the triple option.