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Original poster

DS wants to drop triple science for combined

45 replies

MumOfDiamonds · 25/01/2020 18:11

Hi everyone! My DS is currently in year 11 and when in year 10 he was placed to do triple science. His school have only just started teaching the biology module and he's really struggling with it. He spoke to me last night, saying he wants to drop triple science and do combined as he feels he will get higher grades. He does a lot outside of school which contributes to what he wants to do for his career. He doesn't need science for this at all.

I was just wondering if anyone else's DC has changed from triple to combined this late in the year. Im worried doing triple will bring down his grades in other subjects.

Thank you!

OP posts:
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Sunshine1239 · 01/03/2020 14:50

If he can then I would defo

I did combined science then science A levels and a science degree

Many schools don’t offer triple science so unis don’t often give preference to it

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 29/02/2020 12:45

I mean combined not double! It was double when I was at school!!

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Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 29/02/2020 12:43

Just wanted to update in case anyone else is looking for similar advice.

DS has just done his second set of PPE's. They moved him and plenty of his class mates to Double science from triple. He got some good grades (6's in all the triple papers) but when they calculated them as double they came out as high 7's. He doesn't mind losing the extra GCSE grade as he's not doing anything science related and it has massively helped his stress levels in regards to revision.

I know so much pressure is put on them and I'm all for getting the best out of children, but it really needs to be worth it. I have a happy DS now who is going to be slightly more relaxed about his science papers!

Thank you everyone who gave good advice 😊

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Comefromaway · 27/01/2020 15:51

I will say however that dd is at MT college studying a Level 6 diploma. She does find a knowledge of biology very useful as they have to study safe dance practise, the healthy performer and the workings of the voice (biology & acoustical).

Comefromaway · 27/01/2020 13:53

*he might be better off dropping Biology and just taking Physics & Chemistry?

Not possible in the state sector.*

My son's state school only offers single sciences. Most choose all three but some, like my son only choose 2. he's doing physics & chemistry. They studies all three in Year 9 then chose options at the end of year 9.

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 17:11

ThatLibraryMiss he would probably do as other students on this thread have done, but as I don't work in a school I would have to speak to the teachers about the ins and outs of it. He is in top set at the moment and all of top set are doing triple science. The lower sets have completed the combined science work and are using lessons as revision. I only have my sons word to go by but I will be speaking to his tutor this week.

DS has done biology lessons but none since September, he started them last week.

I had a chat with him earlier and he wants to see how his marks are after the next set of PPE's, which are starting in February.

I personally think if he did triple, he would get reasonably good grades. He's told me that a lot of students in top set having been talking amongst themselves about how worried they are. I think this has stressed DS out even more.

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HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 26/01/2020 16:21

The students in our school who drop down to double remain in their triple classes but use them as revision session.

For what it's worth we haven't finished the double biology content yet as there is so much content. Chemistry and physics will be finished by half term and then we all pitch in and those lessons will be used for biology as well as revision in the run up to their GCSEs.

SmellMySmellbow · 26/01/2020 16:18

This is harking back a bit but I was top set and down for triple science, however I knew my A-levels would all be creative choices and ultimately my career would be something creative. I dropped to double science. Was a big relief and made no difference to my other grades etc.

wineandsunshine · 26/01/2020 16:15

My son did the same in 2018 (he stopped chemistry). It was decided in the first term that he would get a higher grade doing the double rather than trying to do the triple and not doing as well. He still achieved an 8.

He's gone on to do Biology A level now.

RedskyAtnight · 26/01/2020 15:59

Your school seems to be teaching in an odd way but if combined students have finished and he hasn't had any biology teaching since September, it's possible he won't be able to switch anyway - as he won't have done all the biology necessary for combined science.

I think it's really surprising that the school have not mentioned tiers to him - my DS is borderline and his teachers and have had a lot of discussion with him and he is fully aware of the reasons for going one way or the other and pros and cons of both! Actually the fact they haven't tends to suggest that they think he has no issues, so he should definitely check.

ThatLibraryMiss · 26/01/2020 15:48

What does he think he's going to do while all his classmates are in biology lessons?

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 15:07

errorofjudgement DS wants to study musical theatre. Outside of school he does dance, an acting class, goes to his singing tutor as well as a musical theatre school on a Saturday. He's got a singing exam, dance, musical theatre and singing shows coming up. He was doing so well managing it all until he realised they hadn't taught him everything in science. He's so focused about what he wants from his future, I really don't want him stressed about a science grade he probably won't use again.

I've spoken to him about the combined averaging his grades and I was right in thinking he assumed the triple was the same. He's confident he will get good marks in physics and chemistry so he's going to speak to his mentor tomorrow.

Thank you so much for all the advice!

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errorofjudgement · 26/01/2020 15:00

MumofDiamonds given he would still have 9 GCSEs, I would be inclined to talk with the school and check how much work still needs to be covered for the double science and then drop it down. We felt it was better for DD to focus and get her best grades in 9 rather than stress and drop grades in order to have 10.
Btw, my DD also wants to be an actor and studied English, Drama & History at A level. She’s applying to drama schools as well as universities with History as her back up.
So I appreciate how much extra curricular is involved to keep up the performing arts at a high level alongside the academic work for GCSEs. It’s a difficult balancing act!

RockinHippy · 26/01/2020 14:55

My DD dropped triple in favour of double science in year 11 due to a clash with the teacher that was affecting her performance & wasn't resolvable teacher was rubbish. She still managed good GCSE grades, but unfortunately was totally put off science, despite it being her best/favourite subject all through school & I regret not moving her sooner

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:51

Thanks for your reply HP, I think this is where my DS has got confused. I think he believes that the triple science also gives him an average and that his chemistry and physics grades will be brought down. I will speak to him and tell him that this will be a downside to switching. It may make him rethink.

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HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 26/01/2020 14:47

We sometimes have a couple who drop down to double from triple. More decided to take foundation in their weaker subject from their triple. The bonus of triple is that they get the 3 separate grades instead of an average.

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:46

Thank you for all the replies! It's changed so much from when I was at school, they have so many paper now.

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Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:43

Errorofjudgement, if he dropped the triple, he would still achieve 9 GCSE's. His school have done exactly the same, it feels very rushed.

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titchy · 26/01/2020 14:42

So it's just the last third of biology that they've just started. Sounds ok to be honest. Science doesn't usually finish till after Easter. He'd still have the same number of exams if he did combined or all three. If you say it's not important for his future then he may as well carry on...

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:38

Hi cats, yes we're in England. To be honest, I thought he was doing fine. Granted, he is naturally worried, as I imagine they all are in year 11 at the minute. He came to me on Friday, visibly stressed and this is not like him. I may ask to have a meeting with his tutor this week. I've told him to speak to his mentor, who's a brilliant advisor (was my tutor when I was there). I'm hoping he can help him make a decision that suits him. He's never really "got" biology. I think starting the teaching this close to exams has worried him.

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catndogslife · 26/01/2020 14:33

OP assuming you are in England, it's six papers for both combined Science and triple Science. The only difference is that the combined science papers are shorter with 1 hour 10 mins to do all the questions whereas the Triple science papers are longer with 1 hour 45 mins per paper.
6 papers for 3 GCSEs - one in chemistry, one in Physics and one in biology isn't any different to most other GCSE subjects.

Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:32

He covered biology in yr 10 but since starting back in September he's not done any. He's only just finished chemistry and they are starting biology now for the triple science students. The combined students have finished all their modules (not sure what they call them at school, I'm at uni and we call them modules) and are now concentrating on revising. He's doing further maths too but he's confident he will be fine with that. The triple science is the only thing he is worrying about and when it's not needed for what he wants to do later in education, I don't see the point in him doing it.

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Original poster
MumOfDiamonds · 26/01/2020 14:27

I understand he will have to do biology but they have already covered the modules needed for the combined GCSE. The modules he's doing now are for the extra papers. I just think 6 papers for science is way too much. He wants to perform on stage and as a fall back he would like to teach drama and English. He really enjoys chemistry and physics but he doesn't feel he's done enough in biology for the triple science papers.

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catndogslife · 26/01/2020 14:19

Not sure that I understand what the school is doing OP. Firstly there are no such things as modules anymore the subjects are all completely linear. Is the school doing a term of Chemistry, a term of Physics and then a term of Biology. So how much Biology has he done? Has he done the Y10 biology topics and they just have to finish the Y11 ones or has he done no Biology at all!
My suggestion if he is struggling with Biology but not the other 2 Sciences would be to move to the Foundation Biology but still take Higher tier in Chemistry and Physics. This would reduce the amount of biology content he has to do but would still mean he has the same no of GCSEs.
The danger of moving to the Combined Science is that the 2 grades are averaged across all 6 papers. So if he is much weaker at biology, than the other 2 Sciences, it could really drag his result down.
You cannot mix tiers for the different Science subjects if you are taking Combined Science but you can with the Triple.

errorofjudgement · 26/01/2020 10:18

Dd did this in Y11 as the school were only starting to teach the final module of one of the sciences after Feb half term, this was a complete balls up on their part, and around a third of the triple group dropped down to double. Those who continued (generally because they were very good at science and/or needed it for A level) were eventually taken off timetable for around a week and studied just that module.
DD didn’t need science for what she wanted to study, and it was going ti be too pressured for her with her other subjects, so dropping it was definitely the right choice for her. And she went on to get A*\A in the exams.
She’s applied to university this year and it’s not affected her offers. She still has 9 GCSEs.
Actually, that might be an issue. If your DS does drop it, how many GCSEs will he take? If it’s less than 9 then I would be more cautious.

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