Gcse science to Scottish highers

[Calili]

If you have done combine science Gcse can you do Scottish higher science?

You can't do science as a single subject for Scottish Highers. They are separate subjects, physics, chemistry and biology, or human biology.
Most children do 5 Highers, (some do 6 ) so if a child does physics chemistry and biology they can only take 2 or at most 3 other subjects. Possible but needs a bit of consideration.
Not all schools offer all sciences, either especially physics.

There is no Higher science.
It's Higher physics, Higher chemistry, Higher biology. All separate subjects

My DS did combined science at GCSE and then managed Higher physics as did a lot of his friends, most doing 2 single sciences at higher.

Thanks for your reply and clarification.
I think if one does combine at gcse would have to do a lot of catch up when moving to do highers in Scotland.

My ds crashed higher chemistry is S5 as he hasn't sat the Nat5 in S4. It is likely your dc could do that for whatever science subject(s) he was interested in.

Your child could do Nat 5 specific science qualifications, physics, chemistry or biology, in S5 and then move to highers in S6 if their results are appropriate

Re the previous answer: If your child is likely to be in the cohort aspiring to study medicine, vet med, dentistry, pharmacy ( I'm not sure about other science subjects) at university, be aware that many such courses at Scottish universities will require A passes at Advanced Higher in the sciences ( Highers won't be enough).

Therefore the suggestion I often see made of doing the subject as Nat 5s in the penultimate year of school (fifth year) followed by the Higher in sixth year won't work. (Traditional route at academic schools is three sciences ( amongst others- usually 7-8 subjects in total) at Nat 5 in fourth year, then 5 Highers including the three sciences in 5th year, then three Advanced Highers at 6th year - usually at least two sciences with either English, maths or other depending on uni entry course requirements) Don't underestimate the importance of choosing to live ( if you're privileged enough to be able to do so) in an area with a catchment school that can and will support this - not all state schools do so or even offer three sciences now).

And if you decide to apply to a university in England for similarly demanding courses, again they'll look for Advanced Highers. This is becoming increasingly necessary for many Scottish kids (those not eligible for special entry criteria due to deprivation ) as the places at Scottish unis are effectively capped for Scottish residents ( but not others) due to the cap on tuition fees the Scottish government are prepared to pay.

Having taught in both systems, I would suggest if they got a good pass at Higher tier combined science (double award) of 6-9 then they would be in a position to go straight into Scottish Higher in any 1 or 2 of the discrete sciences. If they sat Foundation tier GCSE or got a lower grade at H tier then it would be better to either start in S4 or do Nat5s in S5 and Highers in S6. Depending on your DC's dob that dropping back might make them much older than peers.

It would definitely be worth reviewing Nat 5 content before commencing Higher as they have content that is not in GCSE specifications. Particularly more in organic chemistry from memory. I know less about the other subjects in Scottish system as teachers specialise at that level - unlike in England.

If this is for august do be aware that Scottish schools will have started the Higher course in June after the S4 exams, so it's worth asking the school which topics were covered and making sure that DC have reviewed the missed content too so they can hit the ground running alongside their new class.

My son went from iGCSE triple Science to Higher Biology, Chemistry and Physics and found it quite hard - he got 9s in the iGCSES and then A2s in Highers and put in a heck of a lot of work (so was hoping for A1s). He found the transition to language and humanities subjects a lot easier.

Re the previous answer: If your child is likely to be in the cohort aspiring to study medicine, vet med, dentistry, pharmacy ( I'm not sure about other science subjects) at university, be aware that many such courses at Scottish universities will require A passes at Advanced Higher in the sciences ( Highers won't be enough).

Edinburgh
Medicine - Highers: AAAAA by end of S5 and BB at Advanced Higher in S6
Vet - Highers: AAAAB by end of S5 and BB at Advanced Higher.

Glasgow
Medicine - AAAAB Higher at end of S5 + BB Advanced Higher
Vet - AAAAB Higher at end of S5 + BB Advanced Higher

@Sloejelly
Yes - that's what the entrance criteria say. However, for the most competitive subjects, these usually vastly understate what is required in practice to get on the course unless you're within a special category/ deprived postcode etc. I would be astounded if anyone gets on to a medicine course at a good uni without straight As. It's also the case that Scottish candidates are competing with others from all over the world ( paying higher fees) and these others may well have studied the sciences to a higher level. Unis know that students with highers alone and not advanced highers will be behind students who have for example studied science subjects at A level.

One of my own children was told openly by admissions staff at Edinburgh uni a couple of years ago that there was no prospect of her getting a place to study law without three Advanced Higher passes at A regardless of what the brochure said. The competition is fierce!

Due to Scotgov rationing for Scottish students ( limited places with paid for tuition fees and no right for Scottish students to choose to pay fees) it's increasingly hard for aspiring Scottish students with no special circumstance criteria to gain admission to the most competitive courses.

EvelynBeatrice .

Every one of my DC friends who got into medicine did get 3 As at AH, but all of them got conditional offers of BB at AH. Medical schools recruit based on Highers, UCAT and interviews, they do not consider predicted AH grades. Also medicine is different from Law in that the majority of places are held specifically for Scottish pupils with fewer places available for rUK or overseas students; Scottish students at Edinburgh are offered interviews based on lower UCAT scores than rUK counterparts eg:

^”AVERAGE UCAT Score INVITED TO INTERVIEW at Edinburgh:

1. 2022 Entry: 2790 (Scottish), 2940 (RUK), 2840 (International)“^

On the other hand, if your DC applied for Law at Edinburgh two years ago they wouldn’t even have been considered without a widening access criteria flag. That caused an outcry so not there are some spaces for those without.

Thanks sloejelly - interesting. Pleased to hear about places being prioritised for Scottish applicants in medicine. Some common sense being shown then!

Until you get to F1 placements, then the NHS can’t prioritise UK graduates over overseas applicants.

Yes - I heard that - ridiculous. Off point of thread I realise, but why such poor planning in NHS/ recruitment?!
Its all of a piece. A friend told me her airline pilot brother had commented that he now knows two first officers who were formerly senior consultants in the NHS - one a cardiologist. They were made redundant during Covid when their hospitals were diverted to Covid support so trained as pilots instead and are now not far off earning as they did before…. Complete madness. Will throwing more money at the NHS really address such operational stupidities?