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Original poster

Double or triple science?

41 replies

AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:06

Just after a quick piece of guidance please.
Dd's report has her on track for a predicted 7 in science. She's got to pick her options for GCSE soon. Is that strong enough to pick triple science or would she be better with double science?
Obviously I will ask the department's opinion too but she's one of the few girls in her top set so I wonder if they might be keen to get girls into triple. That was certainly the case when I did my O Levels and I don't know if much has changed :(
So unbiased advice. Is a 7 double or triple territory.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:47

Thanks all. I am feeling more confident in supporting her through her decision making. Hopefully we will have the detail of the options soon so we can work out where we need to drill down.

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lanthanum · 28/02/2020 12:46

If triple science uses up one of the option blocks, rather than being taught in the same time as double science, then I don't think you need to worry about workload, as she'll have the same number of subjects either way.
It's likely that most of the strongest scientists will be doing triple, so that group will be a high-flying group, which may suit her better.

If they do triple science in the same time as double, then it will be a greater workload, but as I understand it, most of the content is the same, so it may be relatively easy to "drop down" to just the double award if she is getting overwhelmed.

Original poster
AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:39

Red it's a decent comp rather than a grammar. It's a very long time since I was at school and the gradings keep changing so it's hard to equate things to my experience. She's autistic and very clever so she doesn't have a massive social circle and it can be hard to have these conversations with people without them thinking I'm being ridiculous or bragging.

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LolaSmiles · 28/02/2020 12:35

It would mean she's more than capable of doing triple science, but it doesn't mean she should do it.

When we do options I tend to say to my students to do triple if they like all three sciences a lot (or love two and have ambivalence to the third) and they are good at it. If they hate one of the three then it's probably not for them because it takes up a lot of time on the timetable if it's counted as an option block.

Either double or triple is appropriate for entry to A Level, though triple naturally has a bit more grounding.

RhymingRabbit3 · 28/02/2020 12:34

If she enjoys the subject, it's worth going for triple. Especially if they get extra teaching time. If shes just doing it because she can I wouldnt bother. Double science doesnt preclude you from taking science A levels or degrees in science subjects so there isnt really any advantage to it, apart from learning more in a subject you enjoy.

Original poster
AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:32

Yes I have read threads on here stressing that double isn't a dead end for A Levels or a degree. :)
Hellohah sounds like dd but she doesn't hate biology fortunately. She won't dissect anything though!

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Original poster
AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:29

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis we think she's OK for her choices but we haven't had the full details yet. She does say she wants to do a particular science field as a career but I suspect she'll end up using her maths (eg IT, finance, insurance) in the end as she's gifted in it.

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Abraid2 · 28/02/2020 12:27

My daughter only did double science through choice and is now a medical student. She actually only did two science A levels too. Hasn’t had problems with her course.

clary · 28/02/2020 12:24

7 is totally fine. Does she want to do science A levels? If so triple will help.

Yy as others say, is triple an option (=extra lessons, uses up one of her choices) or done at the same time as double (=faster pace but leaves the same number if other choices)?

Alsoplayspiccolo · 28/02/2020 12:24

Just to add, doing combined science doesn’t stop you taking sciences at A level, so if triple takes up an extra option and there are other subjects she’s keen to take, that might be worth a thought.

Hellohah · 28/02/2020 12:23

Does she like Science?

DS picked Triple because there was one unit in Physics (Space) that they didn't do in Double (he loves Space), but he has 15 hours every 2 weeks of Science, which is 30% of his school week. And he hates Biology :(

Original poster
AlunWynsKnee · 28/02/2020 12:23

Thank you :)

I am pretty sure that triple get extra teaching time at her school but I will double check. Good point.

Boucle no it's the other way round! She wants to do triple but I (privately) don't want her to bite off more than she can chew. As far as she knows I am 100% supportive.

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Rollergirl11 · 28/02/2020 12:13

DD has literally just chosen her options. At her school you are automatically selected for triple science if you are in top set science (which she is). 2nd sets need teacher approval for triple and bottom 2 sets are strongly advised to take combined science. I would say she’s strong enough for triple given she’s top set and her predicted grade.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 28/02/2020 12:12

a 7 is equivalent to an A
so I imagine that is more than fine for triple science if that is what interests her
all schools do it differently - but with the curriculum so very limited these days my question would be whether they teach triple science in the same timetable slot as double, or whether that will only give her one other choice?
what does she want to do next?

RedskyAtnight · 28/02/2020 12:11

It's definitely fine to take triple science. Are you at a very academic school that you think otherwise? (Though that said, some schools to impose their own rules, but if she's in the top set, I doubt any such rules would affect her).

Of course that doesn't mean she should pick triple science. There might be good reasons for sticking with combined. One pertinent question to find out the answer to is if triple science is timetabled in the same time as combined science. If it is, that means that it goes at quite a pace and means a heavy workload. If it doesn't that means a lot of science lessons every week, so should only be tackled by someone who is keen on science.

BoucleEponine · 28/02/2020 12:10

7 is an A. Definitely has the ability to do triple. Don't force her into triple unless she wants to do it just because she's "top set" - I let my DD do double.