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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To insist on science GCSEs

158 replies

Hippolyte · 06/01/2023 18:47

DD is yr 9. She's a bright all rounder on paper but no real interest in STEM. She is keen to ditch a science for GCSE so that she can carry on with more of the humanities subjects that she enjoys. This would leave her with 2 sciences (which ones to be decided) and an extra humanity that she will probably get a higher grade for. I think she should do the 3 just because I don't want her to rule things out too early but aibu? Will this impact on university entrance at all ? She's obviously thinking arts rather than science degree at the moment. Thank you all!

OP posts:
piedbeauty · 07/01/2023 08:49

@ForensicFlossy - Double science is compulsory (I think) and triple science is recommended for most students.

It's really not. At ds's school only a handful of pupils take triple science. At DD's grammar school, though, triple science was compulsory for everyone. And dd hated it.

Much better to choose GCSEs you're interested in.

piedbeauty · 07/01/2023 08:51

Megan1992xx · 06/01/2023 18:56

Essential to do the three sciences at GCSE.

Why??

And OP's dd will do combined science, in which you do study all three, just 2/3 of the individual GCSE course.

Kareah · 07/01/2023 08:52

Hippolyte · 06/01/2023 18:47

DD is yr 9. She's a bright all rounder on paper but no real interest in STEM. She is keen to ditch a science for GCSE so that she can carry on with more of the humanities subjects that she enjoys. This would leave her with 2 sciences (which ones to be decided) and an extra humanity that she will probably get a higher grade for. I think she should do the 3 just because I don't want her to rule things out too early but aibu? Will this impact on university entrance at all ? She's obviously thinking arts rather than science degree at the moment. Thank you all!

That’s not how double science vs triple science work. You still do all the sciences with the regular double science GCSEs just less curriculum in each one. You still cover biology, chemistry and physics. It’s not a case of pick two of these.

InsomniacVampire · 07/01/2023 08:53

Luredbyapomegranate · 06/01/2023 18:51

There’s no point forcing her to do 3 sciences if she doesn’t enjoy them I don’t think. If she is going to get a better grade in humanities she also isn’t entirely an allrounder. But do a quick Google so you can point out to her that she won’t be able to be a engineer if she dumps physics or a dentist if she dumps chemistry.

But she won't be able to do other degrees if she does not pick other subjects... Maybe she does not want to be a dentist nor engineer, I knew quite early on I would hate to do either.

piedbeauty · 07/01/2023 08:54

Ignore my last post - I've just seen OP's name change fail.

Doing two sciences at GCSE is absolutely fine if a student is not interested in science. I only did one science at standard grade and Higher (yes, a long time ago) and went to a top university.

Op, it might be sensible to look at entrance requirements for humanities courses at some unis so you know what your dd needs to get in.

Luana1 · 07/01/2023 08:54

My mum forced me to do double science at GCSE and I hated it, I got a double D grade for it and As in everything else. I ended up with a PhD in a humanities subject so the grades didn’t hold me back academically but it was so pointless of her to make me to double science when that’s not where my interest lay (this was in the late 90s so not sure what is compulsory now and what isn’t in regards to science subjects).

InsomniacVampire · 07/01/2023 08:57

As a (former) teacher, all I can say- let your DD chose subjects she LIKES. I hate it when kids turn up in September in y10 and you can tell who really does not want to be there, but parent thought it was a good thing to do. It rarely is.

Nothing worse than parents picking the options the kid ends up hating for another two years, or even worse, doing so for A Levels and then uni. Not everyone wants to be an engineer or go ionto STEM. I had a few friends whose parents forced them to do 'sensible' options, none is a Stephen Hawkings these days and none works in the field they studied. All struggled through Science heavy degrees which were meant to give them great jobs. They all ended up quite average as they were not particularly gifted at Sciences anyways and didnt have a heart to study them either.

Kareah · 07/01/2023 08:57

I’d let your DD pick what she wants to do so long as it doesn’t hinder her future plans. As she knows now she has zero interest in STEM…no point pushing triple science or further maths or comp sci or design tech or geography.

If she is happy with English, history, languages…let her run with it.

piedbeauty · 07/01/2023 09:00

There’s a huge amount of ignorance on this thread so it’ll probably descend into chaos quite quickly.

To be fair, @Chickenly, a lot of that was caused by the op not explaining clearly that her dc's school didn't offer combined science, then coming back to explain under a name change so posters couldn't search for her posts...

JaninaDuszejko · 07/01/2023 09:14

I think at GCSE it is sensible to study both sciences and humanities. I've encouraged my (bright, all rounder) DC to do Triple so they have a decent balance between science and humanities. So maths plus triple (4 STEM) vs Eng Lang, Eng Lit, a MFL, History or Geography (4 Humanities) plus an Art. I think it's important to keep options open at this age and studying mainly humanities restricts options far more than doing triple science does.

ShowOfHands · 07/01/2023 09:25

It is probably - as others have said - rare for interests to change after the options year but it's been interesting watching DD develop over her GCSE years. She does triple science but given the option, would have dropped physics as her weaker science and the one she really didn't like. She is in y11 now and 16 months with a new and dynamic physics teacher means it's her strongest science, scored 9 in her mock and she's voluntarily reading physics texts in her spare time and listening to podcasts about physics. She also wanted to drop languages but was strongly encouraged to continue with French. Again, a new teacher for GCSE and a dynamic curriculum and she's petitioning to be allowed to do a 4th a level so that she can carry on with French.

The above is probably the exception to the rule and it doesn't make a huge amount of difference to her eventual career path. She won't study STEM at A level but she has been very lucky to be stretched and challenged across years 10 and 11 and to her benefit. She was already strong in all humanities and good in science but has been steered to be strong across the curriculum which means she is not coasting (she almost certainly wouldn't have done as she's conscientious but the challenge has benefitted her).

I was led by the school who pushed for DD to do a language as they thought it would benefit the way her mind works and allow her to learn a new skill at a greater depth. They were right. Ultimately, they let DD decide but gave clear and supported evidence/advice.

If the school say drop a science, knowing her abilities, aptitudes and educational needs, I'd be led by them and of course, led by your DD if she is adamant.

surreygoldfish · 07/01/2023 09:28

InsomniacVampire · 07/01/2023 08:57

As a (former) teacher, all I can say- let your DD chose subjects she LIKES. I hate it when kids turn up in September in y10 and you can tell who really does not want to be there, but parent thought it was a good thing to do. It rarely is.

Nothing worse than parents picking the options the kid ends up hating for another two years, or even worse, doing so for A Levels and then uni. Not everyone wants to be an engineer or go ionto STEM. I had a few friends whose parents forced them to do 'sensible' options, none is a Stephen Hawkings these days and none works in the field they studied. All struggled through Science heavy degrees which were meant to give them great jobs. They all ended up quite average as they were not particularly gifted at Sciences anyways and didnt have a heart to study them either.

This …

Bigminnie1 · 07/01/2023 09:41

Megan1992xx · 06/01/2023 18:56

Essential to do the three sciences at GCSE.

No it's not. It's so much better for a child to do the subjects they want to do, not what they are forced to do. They will do better and be happier.
Also, if a child has no interest or ability in Science, why force them to do the Trilogy?
My DD is at a top London state school. When discussing GCSE options in Year 9, her head told the students it was far more important to do what interested then.

FunctionalSkills · 07/01/2023 09:47

But if they do double science, has has been said above they DO do all 3 sciences. Just less of it.

Double sciences as a minimum is required around here - I thought everywhere? Although my daughters school they all do triple as standard.

I was relieved my daughter didn't have to do a language to be fair...

Feelallright · 07/01/2023 10:57

FunctionalSkills · 07/01/2023 09:47

But if they do double science, has has been said above they DO do all 3 sciences. Just less of it.

Double sciences as a minimum is required around here - I thought everywhere? Although my daughters school they all do triple as standard.

I was relieved my daughter didn't have to do a language to be fair...

They don’t offer double science, though, so it’s irrelevant.
Personally, I’d say it’s much more important to have a language.

Vallmo47 · 07/01/2023 11:06

My son chose triple science as his GCSE option because he genuinely loves science, and he does still love it but it’s incredibly hard work and very intense. On top of choosing it as his option he also has the box standard science lessons that are compulsory. If your child doesn’t love science I would never encourage her choosing it as an extra.

Mikimoto · 03/05/2023 08:59

And then there is the secret plan C/D, whereby you're home-tutored and can drop all sciences if so desired!
Still amazed computer science isn't obligatory over chemistry, etc.

JaninaDuszejko · 03/05/2023 20:14

The trouble with letting children choose is that they are 14 and don't know the consequences of choosing e.g. closely related non-academic subjects and how that will limit choices later on. Which subject they like can really be impacted by the quality of teaching they get at that age. In other countries children have to study a wide range of subjects to 18, it's really not a hardship to insist that a 14 year old has to continue studying a core academic subject for the next two years and that includes the sciences, languages and humanities.

Casba · 03/05/2023 21:34

I think it's worth keeping them up until older. It gives you more options career wise. A reasonably bright DC can apply themselves to any of the GCSEs and do well.

Piglet89 · 03/05/2023 21:41

My mum forced me not to choose GCSE drama: my only options in her mind were triple award science and two languages, which half my school also seemed to do (very academic school). I did 3 sciences and a language at A level, thereby making my life much more difficult than it needed to be, as I went on to study…law.

Denying me that agency and ownership of my choices contributed to my being in her thrall for MUCH longer than I should have been and not having confidence in my own decisions until much later in life.

If her reasons are sound, let her do double award.

BurbageBrook · 05/05/2023 11:19

Many schools only offer the double award. YABU to insist on this.

Stompythedinosaur · 05/05/2023 11:48

I think, by that age, they make their own choices, and your role is just to talk through the consequences of the decision so they understand.

No decision is absolute, with the best planning in the world dc sometimes make the wrong choices, and then have to retake whatever they needed to do the career they want.

BarbedButterfly · 05/05/2023 12:07

I knew 100% at that age that I didn't like science or maths and didn't want a career involving either. Let her pick. No point forcing someone to take something they aren't interested in as they just won't put in the effort. Plus you are looking at it the wrong way round imo. If she wants a humanities based career she will probably need the GCSE to get into the right a levels and degree.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 05/05/2023 12:08

It’ll be a combined double science, as pps have said, not two of the sciences.

If it’s not her top thing, then I wouldn’t insist. Doing all three separately is hard.

I only have double science as my school didn’t offer the three separately, and it hasn’t held me back at all - never even come up.

(I’m a lawyer if relevant)

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 05/05/2023 12:10

My YR 9 Dd chose to study a language to GCSE neither exh or I speak at all, rather than one that I speak reasonably and exh is bilingual in. That was a bit annoying from the pov of helping her, and relative ease of going on holiday in that country, but as pps have said, they make their own decisions at this stage.