Triple science

[PriyaSagar]

Good evening, my son's school provides the students to take only combined science and not triple (individual) science.

It appears that my son keeps interest in STEM therefore I wanted to give him an opportunity to learn and take triple science exams.
Has anyone in the group or their child taken triple science as additional GCSE? Did their school arrange for the triple science exams in place of combined science exams?

Many thanks in advance and kind regards
PS

When my DD did triple science, the syllabus was additional for each science and she had more lesson time. It’s really difficult to see how this could be taught outside school. But you could try. I guess you could speak to the school about it and how he might take the exams. I would assume the school doesn’t have many scientists and is low achieving. I agree it seems limiting and I bet the school will say that double award is good enough for A levels. Of course what double doesn’t do, is feed his interest in science.

Triple science shares content with combined(Double) but has extra papers. Both cover all three disciplines and you can still progress to A levels, although he may need to catch up some areas.

The extra papers require extra learning and tuition though.

I wouldn’t consider a school that didn’t offer triple science. Can you move him? Not ideal I know - did this not occur to you before now??

If you are otherwise happy with the school, I'd go with the combined science, and keep interest in STEM going other ways. Read New Scientist or Scientific Americian articles, attend STEM events, read popular science books. Let his interests guide the topics outside the curriculum rather than being constrained to trying to add triple science to a combined course taught in school.

My dcs went to a school that only dies double science. As an ex-scientist, I was really worried, even contacted my old Oxbridge college, who reassured me that it was absolutely fine.

Which it was. Having double Science timetabled allowed for 5 genuine GCSE choices (both did 2 languages, then ds did 2 humanities and a practical arts subject while dd did 1 humanity and 2 practical arts subject. That breadth of choice and subjects is not to be sneezed at.

Dd went on to do Maths, a science, a language and an arts subject at A level, in a school where almost everyone had done triple science. She got an A* - the tiny amount of missing GCSE content not holding her back at all.

Statistically - I looked at this closely, using matched local schools with similar demographics but different science GCSE policies - students at schools who can only do double do equally well at A level science as those who go to similar schools that do triple and do triple then A levels. There was a slightly less good outcome for pupils who do double at triple-providing schools then A levels at the same schools, possibly because where tripke is available a) weaker scientists may do only double and b) A level is taught on the assumption of triple content in those schools.

So double isn’t an issue for A levels or university entrance, especially if your child stays at the same school for A level OR the school is used to teaching double scientists for A level. As my dd shows, it is also often not an issue full stop - one of her teachers said the difference in Physics is a single topic, revisited in Y13, taught again from scratch as so many pupils forget it.

I would think about moving him to another school if the school cannot facilitate triple science. Does his school have a sixth form? If so, what are their science A level outcomes like with students going on from having done double science at GCSE?

I would also say that the content of current double award Science (revised 9-1 GCSEs first taken in 2018/19) is almost identical to triple taken before then and graded A* to G. So anyone basing preparation for A level on earlier iterations (ie right up to A levels taken in 2019) is basing it on outdated info.

Triple science means sitting papers 1,2 and 3 in biology, physics and Chemistry, so 9 exam papers

Double science is sitting papers 1 and 2 from biology, physics and chemistry, so 6 exam papers

So you would have to get him to learn the content for the three paper 3s and then somewhere else to sit them

Please do read what cantkeepawayforever has written. There is a pavlovian response on MN to double science; anyone would think the school were suggesting sacking off teaching and allowing the kids to stare at the ceiling instead.

Do your school set in any way? Our top-sets do double (allowing more subject choice as above) but they are taught the content in the deepest sense for a very thorough understanding.

Both mine have done and are doing triple science. It's not really necessary and it's just extra work. One DC will be doing STEM A Levels and would have been just taking the combined to get into what is an excellent sixth form

That makes no sense sorry

Predictive text

He would have just as easily got into his selective sixth form with double / combined science

A level chemistry teacher here; my classes are always a mix of double and triple students and it makes very little difference. Over the summer they benefit from transition work to cover the extra content but it would be a giant over reaction to change schools. If they want a career in STEM then they should jave the aptitude to deal with the difference in content between the double and triple sciences.

It's the A Levels that matter most when applying for Uni

Also science A Levels will probably tell them to forget half of what they learnt in GCSEs as they'll be looking into in it all in a more complex way

The paper 2 and paper 3 are usually in the same exam slot though so even if content studied elsewhere he'd have to take the paper 3 at his current school.

@titchy
Thats what op was asking. Is that possible?

It’s sometimes difficult to know Dc will enjoy science when they are not examined in it at primary school. It’s not a sats paper. So choosing the “right” secondary is based on little knowledge. I had no idea DD would be good at MFL. We just got lucky that her school took MFL seriously. I would not advise OP to change schools but there’s no harm in asking about how his enjoyment of science can be enhanced.

This is out of date advice. There are no additional papers for the 9-1 individual GCSE Sciences.
For 3 separate Sciences there are two each papers in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, these papers are 1 hour 45 mins long. 6 exams in total.
For combined Science there are two papers each in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and the papers are 1 hour 10 mins long. So 6 shorter exams.
The exams for combined Science and the 3 separate Sciences take place on the same days and times for all exam boards.

My dd did triple science at GCSE, and is currently doing science A-levels, working towards a scientific degree and a scientific career. Some of her A-level classmates did combined science. The ones who did triple have a slight advantage over the ones that didn't, in that they covered a bit of extra content at GCSE that the others hadn't, but dd's view is that it really doesn't make a huge amount of difference overall.

She didn't know that she would be going down a scientific route when she chose her GCSE options, and she very nearly went down the route of doing combined science and a second language. Her then science teachers assured her that it wouldn't limit any future options if she did that, and with hindsight, I think they were absolutely right. DD is glad that she did the triple because she really enjoyed it, but it would have been fine if she had done the combined instead. I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you.

@catndogslife
So 35 minutes per paper longer. With 6 papers, that’s over 3 hours of additional questions. This must indicate extra learning and teaching is needed. Of course you can do A levels with combined science but the breadth/depth of learning must be different.

The breadth is different, not the depth. The additional topics for triple are the same level of hardness as for combined. You don't go into topics in more depth.

My DD only did double science. She's just about to start her Masters in Microbiology so obviously hasn't made too much difference!

To all those saying ‘move school’ - surely it’s a matter of balance?

For whatever reason, mn is focused on triple science. However, what about the opportunity to do:

• at least 2 languages, for prospective linguists


• at least 2, or even 3, out of history, geography, RE, classical civilisations, for those with an interest in humanities.


• art and a Design Technology subject, for future artists and designers


• music and drama (plus at least annual shows an termly concerts) for those heading towards theatre-type routes


• economics and business studies


• further / additional maths and computing

etc etc (plus obviously suitable, and suitably resourced, more vocational routes or routes for those sen pupils taking fewer subjects with higher support)

Don’t look at the sciences in isolation as a measure of school quality. A school that teaches double science really well, in the context of a breadth of curriculum that allows pupils to get multiple qualifications in their areas of interest / expertise, can be excellent.

When my DD did triple science in 2008, the girls grammar she could have gone to did double. It’s not really been a concern for parents until recently. It’s certainly seen as beneficial on MN. However if, as @TeenDivided says, there is more breadth, and over 3 hours difference in exams, I don’t see how the extra topics are covered in the combined science lessons. Greater depth I could see.

I do agree that breadth of education that might be opened up by combined is not a bad thing. My DDs had to do a MFL, a humanity, RE, an art or technology as well as the compulsory maths/science/English.

Triple science is not the same as taking separate GCSEs in Biology, chemistry and physics.

Student who take double science do go on to be successful in A Level sciences

Triple science in common parlance IS taking the 3 sciences as individual gcses these days. It was different before the reformation, but not now.