AQA combined science trilogy and triple science- what on earth is the difference?

So the school has a cut off for triple?

Why will DD's 99/98/88 or whatever not have stretched her? the 9 means the same, it is just a (quite small) difference in 'content'.

My understanding is that the 'extra bit' in the triple science is not 'harder'. It is just 'more'. So to use a history analogy, it is like learning about another historical period, not doing 'harder history'. To get a 9 in the Physics part of double science is just as challenging, it just has slightly less content.

Yes, and some schools offer Japanese or photography or FSMQ and some don't. Schools organise their own curriculum.

You are also assuming the difference is primarily challenge rather than extra content.

Physics in the combined gcse can be very challenging.

Why don't you write to the school and insist he does triple science? If he doesn't want to do biology then that'll be a challenge for him

What has the school said?

Does the school do triple and double in the same amount of lessons, or does triple take up an option block? Very sciencey DD is being very stretched by being able to take a second language due to having 5 option blocks to play with - much more than she would by having another couple of Physics modules that she could easily read up on after GCSEs if she moves school to take science A-levels, or as part of the A level courses if she carries on in her current school.

Combined Science has 17 grades, the highest of which are 99, 98 and 88. The challenge is there...

My dd chose to go down the two science GCSE route - she toyed with the three for a while and can probably get decent grades but ultimately decided that she found science subjects more stressful and going for two and then having extra time (via one less GCSE) for either extra work on stress-y subjects, or ability to do greater read around work in the subjects she enjoys made for a better balance in her opinion (and I support that). Her school were clear that at sixth form they may have students joining for science A - levels that came from GCSE routes that only provided for the double GSCE science option and therefore there was no explicit prohibition to progress to science A level from the double GCSE route. Thats not on the cards for DD (thankfully for me!!)

Look if he ends up doing double and wants to do Physics A level he just needs to spend a bit of time reading the extra topics. Plenty of kids do A level from double GCSE.

This is what dd2 is doing. She is predicted an 8 in maths though which is why school have said fine at a level. She's predicted 7 in combined science

So getting a 6 in one means he can do triple then.

Oh FGS - IT DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL.

I don't know what your school recommends. I think you are getting worked up over nothing

It is entirely up to the school to decide how to organise their science curriculum and setting. You will not be able to get the answer on here!

If he wants to do Physics A-level, then a decent grade in combined science, a REALLY good grade in GCSE Maths, and a bit of reading between Y11 and Y12 and he'll be fine.

Look if he ends up doing double and wants to do Physics A level he just needs to spend a bit of time reading the extra topics. Plenty of kids do A level from double GCSE.

at DD3s comp, the majority of DC are doing double science (ie 2/3 of each of Bio, Chem and Phys)

Nooooooo they will still be studying all three subjects

If he loves physics then her can study for the extra knowledge in the summer between GCSEs and A levels. Still better imo than no biology learning from age 14.

What grade would cope with the separate as a bare minimum?

Any grade! Why shouldn't a kid do triple and get grade 1s in each? Clearly nowhere near enough for A level but could be a fantastic achievement for that kid.

He'll be doing lots of physics.

at DD3s comp, the majority of DC are doing double science (ie 2/3 of each of Bio, Chem and Phys). There are a handful (maybe 25 out of 330) doing triple, and the extra content is being taught in after school sessions once a week, with the expectation that the DC will be bright enough to pick up everything in the time.

They've emphasised to parents that double is more than good enough for science A levels in their 6th form, and will not penalise anyone wanting to do science at uni (the head of science spoke to someone in admissions at Oxford, who said that double science would be perfectly acceptable in a medicine application, even though the school offered triple).

From what I understand from DD3, the extra content is fairly discrete, and will be "extra questions at the end of the exam paper". Maybe one of the science teachers on here could confirm that? Our school were only recommending triple to very sciencey students (at least half of those who started have dropped out), and I suspect that invitations to do triple will be more sparsely handed out, once everyone's got to grips with the course and the exams.

FWIW, I think it's a great idea that everyone does some of each science to GCSE - I have no school science qualifications at all, as I was allowed to choose just languages and humanities for my GCSE equivalents. DD3 is horrified .

Toomany,

I can't quyite see what you are not understanding.

Combined science exams go from grade 1 to Grade 9.
Each separate science exam goes from grade 1 to grade 9.

So every exam is pitched at every level.

Are you imagining it that only lower grades are available in combined science, and only higher grades in the separate sciences (like the tiers in maths?)? it really isn't like that - all grades are possible in all exams.