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Original poster

DD didn't get GCSE options

135 replies

El24 · 24/04/2012 10:05

Just found out from DD that she didn't get her GCSE choices despite currently being in the top set for the chosen subject. She wants to be a doctor and having the triple science option is key to her future ? this has been confirmed by several F.E colleges. I also found out someone who isn't in the top set got in. To say we are deeply disappointed is an understatement. I've already called up the school and been fobbed off. Is there anything we can do?

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
Ponders · 25/04/2012 15:01

that does make a difference to UCAS applications

if your school doesn't offer an option that's fine

but if it does & you don't do it, & it's relevant to your course, it can affect your chances

hellsbells99 · 25/04/2012 15:09

25 places does seem very low. My DDs school (just changed to academy) have 200 in the year (8 classes) and 66 are taking the triple science split into 3 classes. They have to take it as an option choice though and had to be level 6. They are encouraged to take it if they want to do science at A level.

GrimmaTheNome · 25/04/2012 15:20

I think the question must be: is the decision because the school doesn't think she's up to triple science for whatever reason and please could they tell you straight.

Yes. TBH if she's not up to doing triple science, she should adjust her ambitions. While a doctor who's done double GCSE is fine, a doctor who wasn't capable of having done it would really not be.

I would query the only 25 places for triple science anyway- what if there was a very bright year group and there were many more pupils that had the ability to take it? Seems very rigid.
unfortunately, it seems a lot of schools just have one 'top set' doing triple science. Maybe they are limited by lab space - that could be a logistical issue.

titchy · 25/04/2012 15:26

Ponders - trust me universities do not have a magic list of which schools do and don't offer triple science.

Yellowtip · 25/04/2012 15:46

If your DD is absolutely set on Medicine - which would require her in practice to do Biology to A2 as well as the Chemistry - but the school is currently doubting her, I think what I'd be inclined to do myself would be to find a reputable tutor to guide her through the extra unit for each, but without necessarily signing up for external exams. Physics too, if she is keen on that too, though far fewer med applicants take it.

That would minimise the impact in terms of additional work outside school, avoid hassle with the admin of exams, avoid a head on confrontation with her school and not rock her boat socially, yet position her for the A2 course if she does well enough in the double award to make it reasonable to go ahead.

The school would be in an incredibly weak position to refuse her on the A2 courses if she can demonstrate that she's covered the ground voluntarily - especially if she's managed A on the double award (science teachers out there: am I right in thinking that it's harder to get an A on Unit 3?). If she's serious about it and really truly sees herself as a medic, this might also persuade her to cut the chat!

LeeCoakley · 25/04/2012 16:43

It wouldn't matter so much if the school would consider her for science A-levels with dual, but it seems as if they are saying students can only do science A-levels if they have done triple. Madness.

Yellowtip · 25/04/2012 17:03

Well she would have done the syllabus for each science if she covers the third unit externally.

The school will have to nail its colours to the mask:

  1. Why exactly do they not feel she's capable, especially in the light of her current attainment? If they give cogent enough reasons then
  2. Will they exclude her from A2 if she hasn't done triple? If yes, then
  3. Will they accept her onto A2 if she covers the work externally at her own expense [and does well in the double GCSE]?
GrimmaTheNome · 25/04/2012 17:22

The idea that a school can exclude a pupil who is aiming for a science-based career from triple science and then on the basis of their decision exclude her from the A levels is incredibly wrong. The country needs people with STEM skills far more than a bunch of arbitrary EBacc qualifications. And this is, IIRC what the OP said, supposed to be a school with a 'science specialism'? HmmConfused.

noblegiraffe · 25/04/2012 17:30

I can't see how the school is doing its job as a science specialist of promoting science education (and especially boosting the numbers of girls taking science which is also a government-identified area for concern) if it is restricting the numbers taking triple science so severely that there are interested and able top-set girls being excluded.

TheFallenMadonna · 25/04/2012 18:07

You need to talk to the Head before you talk to exam boards (nothing to do with them) and the DfE.

The lower sets will certainly do work that will enable them to access level 6s and 7s. When I set my year 9s into 10s, not all of my top sets went into the triple groups, and some of my second sets did. It is a difficult decision at the borderline, of course it is. And it is about the numbers often.

I dream of a triple group with only 24 in. That doesn't sound "full" to me. It sounds like 24 students were selected.

The big difference for us is that we push our higher achieving Core and Additional students to get the grades required for A level Sciences. We encourage them to aim for it.

noblegiraffe · 25/04/2012 18:12

I'd love a top set class of 24 students - imagine what you could get done with that small a class of bright kids!

TheFallenMadonna · 25/04/2012 18:14

I know. And the knock on effect on their lower groups...

Have there been issues with their triple science results I wonder?

noblegiraffe · 25/04/2012 18:19

It does seem an artificial restriction on numbers. They can't argue that there's no room in that triple science set because there aren't enough desks in the labs, unless it's some sort of micro-school. I'd be interested to know their justification for such a small class.

BabsJansen · 25/04/2012 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
El24 · 25/04/2012 18:27

@Yellowtip I think the question must be: is the decision because the school doesn't think she's up to triple science for whatever reason and please could they tell you straight.
Of course, if she is struggling to keep up, then I would hope the school would consult with me to help her achieve the levels she's capable of. The prob is they have said nothing of the sort so I'm only to assume based on her levels given she is doing okay.

@BrigitBigKnickers I would query the only 25 places for triple science anyway- what if there was a very bright year group and there were many more pupils that had the ability to take it? Seems very rigid.
I'm trying to schedule a meeting with the head and will try and see if they can accommodate more students on the programme. Two slightly smaller triple science sets are most definitely better than one.

OP posts:
Original poster
El24 · 25/04/2012 18:29

There are 180 girls in the year, so accommodating 36 for something which in some schools is considered core shouldn't really be a problem!

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 25/04/2012 18:33

36 would be a really bad number actually. Too big for a lab (I have fitted a group of 33 in my room, but only just), and too small to be divided in two. Staffing two top sets of 18 just wouldn't happen.

Coconutty · 25/04/2012 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheFallenMadonna · 25/04/2012 18:35

I wouldn't consult a parent over level 6s if that was the right level for that child. What is her target for end of KS3? Mind you, I wouldn't promise triple science places until I had done the setting.

Original poster
El24 · 25/04/2012 18:57

I've just taken a look at last year's GCSE results and the results are grim. Out of 110 girls entered for Core Science only ONE got an A and 13 got an A. The rest trickled over up to U grades. As for the 24 entered for triple set, it's a B grade average. Only a few scraped an A/A. By the looks of things, I'm probably better off doing it independently.

OP posts:
Original poster
El24 · 25/04/2012 19:00

Her target for end of KS3 is 6b, but she's already exceeded that.

OP posts:
Original poster
El24 · 25/04/2012 19:10

These targets were set in Yr7 mind.

OP posts:
Mendeleyev · 25/04/2012 22:16

What type of school is this? Is it a comp? Those results look terrible.

Loshad · 25/04/2012 23:27

those results are awful Sad
to whoever above asked about students at Oxbridge doing medicine with double - i know several, whilst at my own school nearly all the kids do triple, at the indi my boys go to core and additional is the only option. They get between 18-25 into Oxbridge every year, they all have done double only. At least 3 of last years year 13 are at Oxbridge doing medicine with core and additional (all with A*s though) this year.

gelatinous · 25/04/2012 23:55

At my dc's independent, a few of the brightest children choose double to fit in an extra language or whatever instead. It's not stopped them go on to medicine/science later on either and they have actually had the choice to do triple and declined (which someone upthread suggested might be relevant). To be fair though, I don't think anyone's taken that path (medicine from double science) for a few years now, but that's probably just a statistical thing as I'm only talking about the occasional child here.

OP those results look a bit grim - your dd will need to be right at the top of her cohort to get the grades needed for medicine whichever route she goes. Some external tutoring wouldn't go amiss if the school hasn't taken steps to improve things.