science gcses

I agree dalziel. Poor DS's Physics result is dragging down the other two.

Why poor, Wordfactory?

I only did two Science GCSEs but did Science at A level, and for a degree.

Actually, it's quite a relief not to have the option. It's a Specialist Language school, so that's where the choices are broader.

cv that is really poor!

I did Chemistry and Biology. Never really got to grips with Physics.

At my DCs' school they all do Double Science - there is no option for Triple or Single.

When I was at school (1970s) it was impossible to sit all three at O level due to timetabling! It was a huge (but dire) comprehensive. I remembering arguing with them as to what would happen if I wanted to be a doctor - their answer, do two now and the other one in sixth form on top of A levels. I didn't want to be a doctor, I was just being argumentative because it seemed so wrong. I did Biology and Physics.

I suspect tAke up of physics would be small!

That's what I wish icy, then I would have told DS to drop Physics.

It is actually better as it means students have a more all round scientific knowledge.

when i was at school, Biology,physics and chemistry were taught as 3 completely separate subjects from Y7 onwards and this still happens at my DC's school.I don't see why they don't still do that and then DC could sit their 'best' science(s) if they don't want to do three sciences.

DS1 is doing double. He excels in Chemistry, is good at Biology but not great at Physics. The Grade is an overall 'science' score and this does not work that well for him.

That said, the Triple Science is a lot of extra work with after school lessons and a lot of homework. That wouldn't work for us logistically.

My ds is taking triple (separate b, c and p igcse), but it has limited some of his other options. Homework load is quite heavy.

At dds school only top set do triple. They squeeze it into the same space as for double but they do start the Easter in year 9.

The triple science sets do seem to be racing through the curriculum. DS1 has only done a quarter of each course, but I suspect a similar situation to the one Dunlurking describes. At DS1's request, I've bought a copy of each textbook (the school occasionally brings them out in class but not enough copies for students to take home) and he has been watching some videos on YouTube to consolidate his understanding. Predicted grades are AAA: we shall see.

Like others on here the (selective) school my dcs are at expects sets 1&2 to do triple, in same number of lessons as other sets doing double. To do A levels in Science I think your dc really needs the extra coursework of the triple behind them.

I ended up coaching my ds (who was in set 2) in the month before the exams when I realised he hadn't understood a number of crucial topics - I think the class time wasn't enough, and I realised too late. Without my coaching I thought he would have got 2Bs and an A. He's ended up with 2 As and a B, but he was predicted an A and 2 As. I think he would have been capable of 3As given extra classroom time. So do look at how the timetabling works, and be prepared to spend time or money to top up the teaching. I'm kicking myself now. Wish I'd realised.

Different schools offer different things. At my neice school triple science is an option but at DD and DS schools triple is taken I'm the same time table as the double. At DD school only top set science are offered it whereas at Ds school everyone has to do triple.

Our school used to offer:

Double: Core and Additional Science (combined B/C/P) or Triple (separate B/C/P)

now I understand - to cover all abilitites - they are offering:

Single Core Science GCSE and a BTEC (combined B/C/P)
Double : Core and Additional Science (combined B/C/P)
Triple : Core, Additional and Further Additional (combined B/C/P)

Not all schools offer triple science.

At DD's school, they prefer A Level scientists to have done triple, but will accept those who have done double provided that they are aware they may have to work a bit harder in the first term to catch up.

Ok thanks very much. Dd is more humanities but it is useful to know especially as they have to do a science

Depends on your dc's ability and interest and also the option blocks.

My ds has ended up with the 3 separate ones, and he's not at all sciency, but was in the top set and in his school the top set all did the 3 in the same timetabled time as others did the double, the single, or the BTEC.

My dd1, however, who is 'sciency' and much more academic than her brother, will end up with 'only' the double, as, in her school doing the three sep sciences meant it had to take one of her option blocks and she didn't want to miss out on the other options she had chosen.

However, as everyone else says, they will all have elements of all 3 sciences. At GCSE they then have on their exam timetable 'Physics' 'Biol' 'Chem' at separate times, then, they add them together to form a single, or double GCSE. It's completely bonkers, but it's the system they use now.

At DS1's school, it is partly the child's choice, and partly the school's choice. Generally, those with L7 at the end of KS3 do 3 separate sciences (iGCSEs so a completely different course from combined science), those with L6 are given the choice, and those with L5 do double science. Either choice uses the same number of teaching periods in the timetable and doesn't use up one of their GCSE subject options.

For AQA at least: Each subject is split in to four components, units 1-3 and coursework.

For core science: B1, C1, P1 and coursework.

For additionally science: B2, C2, P2 and coursework

For each separate science, biology example: B1, B2, B3 and coursework

Other exam boards work in the same way but often use different numbers as they split the units in to smaller sections. I think OCR has about 9 units per science.

"Double science" is where a student completes the core and additional components, so 6 units total and 2 pieces of coursework.

"Triple science" is when you complete units 1-3 for all 3 subjects and 3 pieces of coursework.

TriSci is not always required for science A levels. Less able students are better with double, as 2Bs are better than 3Cs!