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Original poster

gsce triple science

34 replies

ameliah123 · 05/09/2015 07:46

my daughter took triple science and got a c ,the school will only take b for a level but if she had taken double science she would have got BB which would have allowed her to do this subject the other pupils are taking it with BB double science would she be able to ask the exam board to let her have double science grades so she can do a level chemistry her teacher said she has the ability to do do a level but the sixth form head says b is the grade she needed and wont budge is it worth appealing as come monday she will be at home with no school to go to the council wont help as she is now 16 can anyone help me with what we can do please

OP posts:

LIZS · 05/09/2015 07:57

It isn't really anything to do with the exam board. Other schools/colleges probably would let a c grader progress to a level, especially if they perhaps under performed. Have you considered alternatives?

LIZS · 05/09/2015 07:59

Or maybe she should consider different options if science was weaker than other GCSEs

fastdaytears · 05/09/2015 08:08

It can't be a case of doing this science subject or nothing? Is there nothing else she would want to do?
I did one science A level from an A in the GCSE (we did separate science not triple- don't know if it was the same) and it wasn't easy. I think almost everyone else had an A*. That was biology in 2000 though so this might be a different subject and I might be being a bit precious. Science a levels are HARD though.
I would have thought she should be looking at carrying on with the subjects she got the best grades in.

fastdaytears · 05/09/2015 08:09

Sorry you said Chemistry! Ugh I need to wake up.
Chemistry a level reduced lots of my friends to tears. Is it what she really loves?

Bunbaker · 05/09/2015 08:11

DD's school specify that students need a minimum of B Grade GCSE in any subject they want to study at A Level, and it is not negotiable. So she needs to either consider other options or another 6th form college.

Hackersschmakers · 05/09/2015 08:14

I can't imagine doing well in A level with a C. Sounds harsh but if she under performed in Triple, she probably won't handle the jump up to A level. What does she want to do?

The exam board won't award her for double.

Poppiesway · 05/09/2015 08:14

Does she have to go to the school sixth form? Do you have a local college that provides a levels?

My son started a levels this week, the schools in my area no longer provide a levels. They all have to Travel to a central sixth form college for all the other schools in the town too.. Unless they travel further afield for other sixth forms

SanityClause · 05/09/2015 08:19

Different schools have different criteria for studying sciences at A level.

For example, at DD1's old school, they had to get an A for the physics part of the exams, if they wanted to do physics (for example). So, even if they got a B, overall (if they got B for the chemistry and biology parts, this could happen) they could still do the physics at A level.

You need to quickly find a school which will allow her to do the subjects she wants, or she needs to change options.

AngelaRipp0n · 05/09/2015 08:19

I think you should rethink her choice of subject, if she got a GCSE grade c she is going to struggle at a level that's why good schools out these parameters in place. My dd's school asks for a/a* in order to study a subject at A level, a minimum of B in maths and English. I remember the transition from GCSE to A level and being shocked by how much harder the a levels were. Presumably she's doing more then one subject, so will they let her in form he others and is there an alternative subject she could do that she's got a B or higher in? In dd's school they take four A levels but drop one after a year so if it's not a subject she loves (might grow to love it) she could drop it at the end of this year anyway.

IndomitabIe · 05/09/2015 08:20

The exam board won't change anything. She was entered for separate sciences.

A level sciences are hard, a lot harder than GCSE. Which is why the entry requirements are often Bs. If she didn't get Bs, it's likely she's not cut out for the A levels. If she had taken double science and got Bs she would still have struggled with the A level, having missed the Further Bio/Chem/Phys units. (And it sounds like she did terribly in these if these exams brought her average down from B to C)

Does the school do Applied Science? Surely she must have applied for 3 other courses alongside Chemistry?

Bunbaker · 05/09/2015 08:29

I confused about getting a single grade for triple science. Don't they get a grade for each science subject?

Karoleann · 05/09/2015 08:32

A level chemistry IS really hard (I did it off the back of an A in GCSE chemistry), I also think its very unlikely that she will cope at all if she only managed a C at GCSE.

I think she just needs to choose something else.

fastdaytears · 05/09/2015 08:37

Bunbaker I don't get it either but it was all easier in my day. 3 science subjects 3 grades. I think this is all blended somehow.

Original poster

ameliah123 · 05/09/2015 08:49

Thanks for all your replies my daughter , she had been very ill and only had 52 percent attendance she gained a biology b physics b english b english lit b re and c in chemistry ,she was predicted a star in chemistry and was achieving highest in her school ,but she totally mucked up her exam ,she want to do medicine ,also to resit her chemistry in november ,but im not sure where she will be able to resit this thanks for all the replies

OP posts:

LIZS · 05/09/2015 08:53

Are there any resits in November? Given the circumstances could she resit the year and retake in June? Did she manage all the assessments?

onadifferentplanet · 05/09/2015 08:55

What other subjects does she want to do at A Level? Are the school not suggesting any alternatives to Chemistry? Was she given any special consideration due to her illness?

fastdaytears · 05/09/2015 08:56

If she's dead set on medicine then it sounds to me like she needs to resit the whole year as they'll be looking at all of her grades. But the school should be helping you with this and it sounds like you've been left without much advice.

Original poster

ameliah123 · 05/09/2015 09:02

My daughter has asked to resit the whole year the school have said no as they don't have the money for her to do this ,her chemistry teacher has said she has the ability to do a level and she is one of her most able students its just the sixth form teacher who wont budge on this so i will take it to appeal probarly wont win but we will try if her chemistry teacher didnt think she could do a level i would have listened to her but she doesn't think that way .

OP posts:

fastdaytears · 05/09/2015 09:03

Well I certainly agree that the chemistry teacher will know more about your daughter's ability than the head of sixth form.

PurpleDaisies · 05/09/2015 09:04

I tutor a level chemistry and I have to agree that the school is right. A level chemistry is a massive jump. If you search for transition matrices that show how GCSE grades translate into A level grades you'll find c grades basically go on to fail completely at A level. Even kids with A*s can really struggle.

Her GCSE results don't really sound as good as most medicine applicants would have, sorry. If your daughter really wants to do medicine, all isn't lost. There are graduate entry courses available now so if she did a degree and applied afterwards she'd be able to train in hour years not five. She'd also have lots of time to get work experience which is hugely important. Good luck to her, whatever she ends up doing.

TheSecondOfHerName · 05/09/2015 09:09

Is her health better now? If so, then if she really wants to do medicine then in my opinion she should redo Y11 and get A* and A in all or most of her GCSEs. This will also mean that she will be in a stronger position to start Chemistry A-level.

TheSecondOfHerName · 05/09/2015 09:11

Sorry, cross-posted so when I wrote my post it didn't yet say that the school wouldn't let her redo Y11.

PurpleDaisies · 05/09/2015 09:13

I missed your post saying her teacher thinks she is good enough to do it. It sounds worthwhile appealing but I would worry those GCSE grades wouldn't be good enough to get in to medicine anyway. She could do with chatting to some admissions tutors to see whether it is worth applying or not.

noblegiraffe · 05/09/2015 09:14

She won't be able to resit chemistry in November I'm afraid, it's maths and English only.

WitchOfAlba · 05/09/2015 09:16

A level chemistry is hard, I think I'd encourage my DD to look at alternatives if she'd got a C in her GCSEs. Good luck with finding a suitable course and college.

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