Do kids have to be super clever to be able to do triple science at gcse

[Lardlizard]

Can, you choose to do this as an option or can the school say well you are not quite cut out for it

Not read all the replies - no time - so apologies if this is already covered.

My DD did dual science as she wanted to do art and geography and didn't have enough options. She went on to do A levels in maths, biology and chemistry and is now completing an MEng in Chemical Engineering. She caught up pretty quickly in the A levels - as they have to cater for those who haven't done triple - but did struggle a bit at first at uni with her lack of physics. No problem now though.

Son did triple science and found the first term of A levels (maths, biology, chemistry, physics) a bit slow as they covered a lot of old ground.

Good luck to your DC :)

At DDs school the top set did triple, although there were a few who dropped to double after mocks. DD only got 4s in her mocks but was persuaded to continue with triple. In the end she got 7,7,7.

My DC go to a spectacularly average comprehensive school ie the kind that lots of MNers go to great lengths to avoid. They offer triple science to the top set, which I think runs across two of the seven classes. My DC are contemplating science a levels so will want to take that option.

Triple is a lot of science.

DD2 is y10, for her year if you are doing double you get 10hrs science a fortnight, if you are doing triple you do 14hrs. You have to be 'permitted' to take triple science, but they won't force anyone. About 1/3rd (?) do triple. Good 'leafy' comp.

One advantage of triple is you can do Higher papers for Biology but Foundation for Chemistry. With the new combined (double) it is all Foundation or all Higher.

At ds’s svhool they can choose whether to do triple or double but to do triple you have to be getting the equivalent of grade 5 at the end of year 8 in all 3 sciences to be able to do triple. His school has a 6th form. If kids want to progress from year 11 in the school to their 6th form and do science they have to have done triple (although they will take kids with double from other schools if they were unable to do triple)

My DD's school doesn't offer triple at all

This is the case with quite a few schools which why there is no requirement to.have done triple sciences in order to do A level science.

If triple takes up an option block and is timetabled, that's a different situation to trying to fit 3 in the time of 2. My son's school does the second, which means they have to go at a fair old speed to fit it all in so it is top sets only.

I'm another science teacher who did combined, my school didn't offer triple either.

At my school (selective independent) the top two sets did triple science, the bottom three did dual.

At DD’s school (selective grammar) they all do triple science as standard.

Glad to come across this thread.

My dd is in Y8 and they have been told their set 'will do triple science'.

I thought this was a good thing, but it's interesting to hear that it may not be.

She has no idea what she wants to do for GCSEs let alone 'A' levels.

If shes interested in science then do the triple. You don't have to be particularly bright but if she's thinking of doing a science degree then she needs to do well - in our school you need a 7 or higher to do a science subject at A level.

At our secondary, they suggest it for those who are planning a science a level.

I have just been to parents evening and requested Ds1 dropped from triple to double. Head of science agreed.

Really interesting thread. My kids school offer triple to top science set only, and it takes up an option so gets allocated timetabled lessons. When ds was choosing one of his science teachers was very much in favour of his double the double (he's top set) but as he loves sciences he chose triple and is enjoying it (we'll get mock grades tomorrow but sounds like they are all 7s and above...) Interestingly, talking to six formers doing science A level as we were choosing a sixth form/college option, lots of the students stressed how much easier the transition was for those students who have done triple - so whilst it's not needed, my sense was very strongly that it helped, and that those who had done double had needed extra holiday work to catch up before starting A levels.

You only need a 6 or above to do a subject you have done before so English or Maths or any Science at his outstanding sixth form

OP: check this for the schools / colleges that would be a possibility for your Dd, if science A levels are on her radar. Because the sixth forms round us would not take science students with less than a 7 in their A level subjects. Though they do not discriminate between combined or triple science.

Dc school they start the triple science in yr 9 to cover the whole course. You have to be invited onto the course based on class and exam performance in both yr 7 & 8 and if you don’t maintain consistently good grades they switch you to the double. DD is determined to do triple but is finding the extra workload very demanding.

3 sciences are compulsory at my children's school, apart from a few children in the bottom sets who are entered for double science. The 3 sciences each get equal timetable time and are full GCSE choices.
I think they do accept pupils from other schools who have done double science for science A levels though, as the next nearest secondary only offers double science at GCSE. (The main reason why I didn't send my children there in fact.)

You only need a 6 or above to do a subject you have done before so English or Maths or any Science at his outstanding sixth form

Schools vary in their 6th form entry requirements. My son's school needed grade 7s for any science A level - that was in the corresponding GCSE and also a 7 in both Maths and Eng Language to do any science at A level.

Interesting and reassuring thread. Dd is doing double award and is leaning towards chemistry A level. However, her current school are not at all keen for double award pupils to take single sciences at A level, whatever grade they have.

Generally they put the children into the exams they have the ability and desire to pass.

Youngest did double science exam and oldest triple exam

Youngest in my view was the brighter child but oldest child was more focussed.

At my school (state grammar), we had five sets, two did triple and three double. The two triple sets were made up of one set who'd chosen to do double (but had to have got at least a 7 in Sats) and those who hadn't order originally chosen triple but who'd got a 7 or 8 in Sats.

I was in the second category (as in hadn't chosen) but it was fine, got two As and a B. (Though I wonder if I would have got higher in double). Got A in A-level biology which I ended up studying at uni.

A friend though got level 6 in Sats so automatically did double, got double A*, also got A in A-level biology and ended up studying sports science at Loughborough.

So probably not much in it in terms of longer-term prospects if individual is competent enough.

Those who did triple did 10 GCSEs and those who did double 9.