First Science GCSE module in yr9 - is this notmal

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DD1 came home early this week with her first "real GCSE timetable containing the following 60 minute exam in May :
Science B Unit 1 (B1,C1,P1) High (B621/02)

Is this usual for yr9?

She is still quite shell shocked, only having expected some ICT project work this year.
Unfortunately it has come at a time when she is very stressed about options. Choices due in next week, and this has made her question whether she wants to do triple science. Saying she is too young to take GCSEs at 13.

Lots of schools are doing very early entries now, especially in the modular exams. Maths Mod1 in yr9 is quite common now, I haven't heard of the science before, but I'm not surprised.

At ds1's school currently they do very little early entry, which I'm pleased about as I want ds1 to get top grades first time, which he's more likely to get in yr11.

But they've just got a new HT, who is more results oriented, and I suspect this approach may change.

Early entry is about "banking results - ie Cs" for the school, especially from the C/D borderline classes.

My DD is in Year 9 and sat a module (Biology 1) in January; she will be sitting Chemistry 1 in June. The science teacher told us that this is to take the pressure off those doing triple science who otherwise would have to do 9 modules over Years 10 and 11.

DD got a good mark so I'm very relieved but I really don't think they should sit GCSE modules so early as they are not really mature enough. This was borne out by the results in the year as a whole - there will be a LOT of resits.

DD1 has been doing modules regularly since year 9. Her first one was a huge shock and she was horrified when she got a D for it. A mixture of not revising properly and nerves. She's got As in all the others since.

Her school has a No Resits policy so any crap grades are counted in overall results.

At least they are allowed resits, but not sure what the threshold is for that.

Trouble is, at 13, they don't know how to revise yet. Up till now, most tests have just been on the previous terms work.

Its common to do the first module in January of year 10 anyway, so it's only 6 months early.

My daughter is also doing English a year early in June of year 10 and Maths six months early in Novemeber of year 11. No, she's not an A grade student but a borderline C/D on both. I think it's a way of making sure she gets two bites of the cherry (a bit like our double entering CSE and O level I suppose). I have always said they shouldn't be so lazy with the foundation and higher papers and that wold allow children to sit both, which presently they don't.

As my daughter is a borderline student, I am delighted she'll get these chances but I don't think I would be so happy with a A grader - what is the point of a C to them?

Yes, I can see the point with a C/D borderline.

I suspect DD is an A/B borderline, (currently working around level 6a/7c) - so it's probably not going to do her any favours.

I think she needs to know when she would sit the modules if she didn't take triple science but took the - I think compulsory - double science. It may well be pretty much the same time anyway and that might tip her back to Triple Science as a choice.

My daughter has just had her first module results and done very well. She also finished one in 20 minutes (she got grade C - maximum for her foundation paper) and the second in 30 minutes (and got one mark off the C). I think she had 40/45 minutes for each, so it doesn't appear that the come with the sort of time pressure you get on the exams we remember. I suspect the terminal papers will be worse in that way.

Because you learn the unit and are then tested on them I don't think you need the maturity you do for terminal type exams, where you never know what subjects will crop up and need to time manage well.

Lots of schools take the modular approach to science subjects, since it can take the pressure off in the later part of the course. They have been going for several years.

As far as I recall, each of the ten modules is worth 2% of the total mark in double science. Each will be based on the work of the last term or two.

All the modular tests I've seen have been 20 or 30 minute multiple choice tests, though that could vary according to the awarding body. (So they shouldn't be a cause of huge anxiety.) Most schools will permit retakes if results are disappointing.

I'd have thought it unlikely that doing double, instead of triple, science would make any difference to the timing of the tests, at least in the early days. Schools tend to wait until they have a clear idea of potential before making a final decision on this, and like therefore to keep maximum flexibility.

I think this is a strange year to do early modules in year 9 given that the specifications have changed and the first exam won't be available until November.

Amerryscott - Is that all exam boards?

also just found out she got a U in the mock ( missed a D by 1 mark). A few others got U, majority of class got Ds, a handful did better. DD says they had not covered most of the work questioned on.

Reinforces my fears.

Of course they have to cover the work. Poor kids.

My daughters D was off the back of one of three units not being covered (it was speed distance and the science teacher assumed they'd have done it in Maths! - forgetting that depends on which set they are in!)

This is being done to boost the school's results (so there's lots of time for resits) and not for the children's benefit. A good school would sit these exams in Year 11 and be confident of good results first time round.

The science GCSE has been changed for all boards this year (its the result of the last government tightening up GCSEs). The new Maths and English started this year, then new Science starts in September. As far as I know the syllabuses haven't been signed off yet.
The regulations are also going to limit resits, and insist on quite a large percentage of marks coming from the final sitting.

Personally I would be asking more information on how the school is going to handle this. It could be they are going to complete Biology earlier than the other two sciences, but I'm still confused that they are sitting exams already; maybe they are trying to do Biology under the old syllabus?

Do ask for more information, and mention the new syllabuses.

Thanks for the info mummytime.

Not sure what the board is for science - no info in the options/subjects booklet we have from, the school. But looking at the exam entre in my original post, it indicates they are sitting the first bit for each of physics, chemistry and biology.

According to the booklet it is undecided whether they are sitting modular or single exam based maths.

"The science GCSE has been changed for all boards this year (its the result of the last government tightening up GCSEs). The new Maths and English started this year, then new Science starts in September."

Entering for modular science under the existing scheme of work suggests the Head of Science is more confident with devil he/she knows, than the Devil they don't know. So many schools take this approach that the old scheme must keep going for a couple of years.

"This is being done to boost the school's results (so there's lots of time for resits) and not for the children's benefit. A good school would sit these exams in Year 11 and be confident of good results first time round."

I wouldn't disagree with the first part of the first sentence above - but a good school may very well judge that results would be better, especially for weaker pupils, with up to 20% of marks in the bag before terminal exams in year 11.

It looks as if OP's daughter is entered for three modular exams in May (B1, C1, P1) at the higher level. The ref to B621/02 may be that of the specification (=syllabus) so you may be able to work out which awarding body (=examination board) it is.

The exam centre letter should have the board on it. If it is AQA then it will be P1, C1 and B1; or possibly P1a, C1a and B1a - but I thought those which are half the multiple choice papers were being abolished.
The new syllabus exams cannot be taken until November at the earliest. If it is OCR, then the Chemistry syllabus hasn't been approved yet. I just had a quick peek at the websites.

I am really curious as to what your school is up to, so if you find out please let us know!

'but a good school may very well judge that results would be better, especially for weaker pupils, with up to 20% of marks in the bag before terminal exams in year 11.'

But that's not really good, is it? It's not really in the pupil's interests long-term?

Yes, because in real life you do things as you go along, not all in an exam at the end. Terminal only papers are also not in some childrens interest.

I like the idea of modules and of controlled assessment coursework which gives more chance to test right across the syllabus instead of whatever questions can be crammed into 3 hours of exam papers.

Modules and controlled assessment is a lot of extra work and £££ for schools though.

The new English AQA is a car crash. Daughter has been told se is working in the top of the new band 3 and bottom of 4 but the exam centre will not give anyone any idea what grades are what band (there are only 5 bands and there are 8 GCSE grades!)

Exams are a better measure of someone's intelligence and knowledge of the syllabus than the drip-feeding that goes on. It's too easy to acquire some GCSEs now and that is in nobody's interests.

Yes it is quite common these days. ds1 did this exam in Y9 and it was used as a measure for deciding who would take double science and who would do triple.

rather annoyed because having done the triple it makes it more or less obsolete. Who needs 4 GCSEs in science!

The exam itself is more or less a memory test and she shouldn't worry. From the revision materials ds1 had, if you learn it by rote, the questions are more or less the same every time with a few changes in the wording. Look at the past papers online and you'll see what I mean.

These early modules are definitely not being use to assess for triple science at DDs school - the pathways are already decided.

DD is in the triple science pathway. They will get 7 hours of science a week vs 5 for double. They can opt to drop down to double and have an extra option. DD has been waivering on this for a while, as she is thinking of ttaking either Drama or Catering instead.

Not sure what happens if they are in the triple group and then start getting bad grades. Too late to drop back to double and they will have lost out on another option choice. Guess it then ends up with foundation papers.

Much prefer the system others have on deciding later on and letting the brighter ones do triple without extra timetables lessons.

It's really knocked DDs confidence doing so badly in the mock. Yet to find out the exam board so we can get sone revision notes and past papers. The entry schedule we have is the schools own - just says board "01" which looks like their internal reference.

Sounds like 21st Century science with Cambridge which DD has just sat. I thought the Higher papers very hard as an adult both in terms of time and difficulty of questions. DD started working on GCSE in Y8 but only took first exams in Y10. Good luck to DD.

The entry and date seems to match the OCR board, but will check with the school before buying the revision notes.

Since Year 9 no longer have to do National Curriculum Tests (sats) schools often like to get them started on GCSE work. Some kids will go off the boil/off the rails in year 11 and these early grades could make all the difference between pass and fail if the kids become troublesome/disaffected as they get older.

For the more able, it may mean they aren't ready to score the top grades in these modules yet. However, I presume they can retake them if they get a C in year 9 and are then predicted an A based on later performance.

I thought that the criteria for Triple was supposed to be that children who achieved level 6 or above in year 9 should be given the option, not on the basis of a GCSE exam which they, theoretically, need not have started yet. On the other hand I have heard of schools where top set Science start studying for Triple Science in year 9 in order to cover all the content in time. Ask your school for their policy.