Re-starting a science in S4

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So at Parents' Evening it became clear DS has made a mistake in only taking 1 science. It is clearly where he has his natural ability. It was raised that he re-start another science for S4, which will then allow him to Uni to study his favourite science (where you'd need 2 sciences in total, + maths). But how hard is it? My instinct is to do it now rather than wait for S6 to crash higher, but the system has changed so much, has anyone (or your DC) done this? Thanks!

Is he in S3? Which science is it?

Yes, S3, so only one year teaching lost (but gaaahhhhh.... I did question it last year, but...)
He is taking Physics, it would probably have to be Chemistry (I don't know if Biology works with the timetable...)
Thanks.

My DCs school didn't encourage starting a new subject in S4 but since they did nat 5s in a year it was possible. You had to make a good case. Usually it was someone escaping science or a language rather than the opposite. It would be harder in schools that do nat 5s over 2 years or schools that do 8 nat 5s. DCs school only did 6 so you would have time to pick up a new science.

My DS did this with Chem. He was already studying the other 2 sciences so school were confident that he had the ability to catch up. He had missed some of the N5 material but they gave him the work and we worked through it at home together. There are lots of resources out there as well to use. He did well and went on to do Higher then AH chem so it was the right choice. Always better to change earlier than leave until S6.

If he’s good at physics and maths then he will find Chemistry easier than Biology.

Assuming that the favourite science that he wants to study at uni isn’t a biological science.

If he's good at science then imo studying 2 is easier than 1. So if he starts doing Chemistry not only should he find it doable it will also make Physics easier and presumably he will free up his efforts from whatever he drops. Agree this is easier to do the fewer subjects are being taken at Nat 5.

At my DDs' school there is timetabling for DC picking up an extra Nat 5 in any science in S5 or S6. This sort of class may be a better fit than trying to slot back in with his year group having missed S3.

Ask the school ASAP because the sooner he switches the more flexibility there is and the less catching up. There are no exams at the end of S3 to lose out on.

Just as a footnote do check the wording on Uni requirements. Quite often Maths is included as 1 of the sciences. That said, if he wants to do Engineering or Physics then it is the norm to also have Chemistry ime.

If he’s planning to engineering then he really wants to stay on to 6th year and do AH maths.

howabout thanks so much I rang them as I thought the wording was ambiguous (“2 sciences and maths and physics at A / B or B / A” or something). Anyway, Maths IS a science, although they did say another science would be useful...
Anyway, before I did this, I emailed the school asking for a meeting and explaining the problem So we can see what they say in any case!
And it isn’t (thankfully or it would be even more of a headache!) a biological science that he wants to do, but Physics. Engineering would be a good shout too, and he’ll certainly key be staying on to 6th year, and even then he’d only be 17 when he starts as he’s young for his year.
And of course all of this is assuming he’s uni calibre; it’s so hard to know with no benchmark - knowing his raw test scores means nothing without context, and we haven’t any of that! I mean at parents’ evening the teachers were all fairly complimentary about his potential ability, but I bet they are with most of the kids.

Could I suggest that you follow up that phone call with an email to the admission department confirming what you were told ?

I say this because when my Dc was choosing their subjects, they emailed admissions for their preferred course asking if they would accept subject B as a substitute for subject A.

They received an email back saying that they would accept subject B as a substitute for subject A. Great ! All good and she chose her 6th year options accordingly.

Followed by another email a week later saying “ sorry we missed out the word NOT from our email. It should have read ‘we do not accept subject B instead of subject A”.

I dread to think what could have happened if that error had not been picked up because the exchange had been by phone. DC would never have been able to prove what they were told.

( I don’t want to mention the actual subjects as I got flamed on another thread for doing so so sorry if it makes it a bit hard to read ).

Blimey @EL0ISE !
So at best you’d have appealed, and then your Dd would have been on a course where everyone else had studied the subject. And at worst, she’d have not got on.
So yes, I’ll email, thanks. Hope all worked out ok in the end?

YY. I don’t think she would have had a leg to stand on with just a phone call. “ well I spoke to someone in admissions , no I didn’t get her name. Yeah some time I’m January or maybe it was February ....”

I did ask the head of year at school what would have happened if the uni had not picked up their own error. He said they would have to honour it as it was in writing. But as you say, DD would still have been disadvantaged.

Yes it worked out ok for DD. She managed to take subject A at a neighbouring high school ( it wasn’t offered at hers ) and got a place to do the course she wanted at another uni ( not the one who sent the email ! ), which was her first choice. So she was very happy.

I told the school about it because they often advise the kids / parents to phone admissions officers and ask about entry requirements.