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Original poster

Combined Science

30 replies

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 02/02/2024 10:31

Trying to work out how the grades are worked out.

Do they take the results for Biology 1, Chem 1, Physics 1, add them together and divide by 3 for the first mark, and the same with Bio 2, Chem 2, Physics 2 for the second?

Or is there some complex formula that involves all 6 papers in giving the two marks?

Also, if you have a child who detests science, has zero interest and cannot wait to never do them again, plus SEN and high target grades... is it better to:

a) focus on pulling the least hated up to a decent level
b) focus on a bit in each of the three

ie would a good mark in one science and dire in the other two work out to a better grade than just being meh in all three?

OP posts:
Original poster
OhCrumbsWhereNow · 02/02/2024 11:10

FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant · 02/02/2024 10:33

Things must have changed since I was at school because we only had the option of combined science (rather than triple). We sat two papers per GCSE, one in year 10 and one in year 11, each paper was 1/3rd biology, chemistry and physics.

Now it's six paper - two for each science, all taken in Y11

OP posts:
notknowledgeable · 02/02/2024 11:09

All six papers are added together and an average grade given x2. It is best to focus on the weakest subject - that is the low hanging fruit

clary · 02/02/2024 11:07

@OhCrumbsWhereNow as I understand it they take an average of the three subjects. If you get (say) 8-7 it means you were just slightly below an 8-8. Obvs for a single subject, just below an 8 would just be a 7, so this acknowledges how close your grade was. There are 17 grade boundaries!

In terms of focus, I reckon 3 x grade 5 level will give you 5-5; one x grade 8 level, 1 x 3 and 1 x 4 would also give you 5-5. Probably.

In general it’s a good idea to focus on the weaker subjects as that’s where most improvement can be made.

newmum1976 · 02/02/2024 11:02

Nothing complex. They add up all the papers and divide by 6.

Most students will get two grades the same e.g 7,7 or 5,5. Occasionally you can get 6,5 or 7,6 if you are exactly on the boundary.

FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant · 02/02/2024 10:33

Things must have changed since I was at school because we only had the option of combined science (rather than triple). We sat two papers per GCSE, one in year 10 and one in year 11, each paper was 1/3rd biology, chemistry and physics.