What are these GCSEs, exactly?

[Tansie]

DC1 is in Y9. I just wanted to get a handle on what the GCSEs below are, as in what level, which DCs might expect to sit what etc? Are some 'lower levels' of others?

How do they fit in with 'double science' and 'triple science' award? (Both done at DC's school)

Note: I lifted the titles straight from the school's results, there is no 'double/triple science' percentage pass given.

Science-Core
Additional Science
Applied Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics

TIA

Double science is Core & Additional - 2 separate GCSEs

Triple Science is Chemistry, Physics & Bilology - 3 separate GCSE's

Not a clue what Applied science is - guessing it's may be an alternative for lower ability students.

Now I am confused! I though you studied Chem, Phys and Bio for both Double and Triple science award, it's just that you studied them to a lower level for double.

I thought there was a subject called 'foundation science' or am I thinking Maths? which was for the less able to get a science under their belt. What's that then, core?

I do note that exactly the same number of DCs took Chem, Physics and Maths which implies they are all part of 'the same course'

Right...without trying to confuse...I am going to use B, C and P to indicate biology, chemistry and physics.

Core science is usually done in yr10 and consists of a bit of B, a bit of C and a bit of P. If you pass B1, C1 and P1 modules you would get a GCSE in 'core science'. Weaker pupils will take 2 years to do this and not do anything described below.

If you do a bit more B and C and P and pass B2, C2 & P2 you get a gcse in 'additional science'

Instead of additional science you could do 'applied science' which would also be B, C and P but the exact topics would be slightly different - less about science 'facts' and more about 'how we use science'.

'double science' isn't actually a GCSE more a description of how many GCSEs you are working to.

So
core science + additional science
Core science + applied science
Core science + astronomy
Core science + phsycology

Could all be described by a school as 'double science' but the cetificate would show 2 different GCSE's.

Triple science pupils will do B1+B2 and B3 to get a GCSE in biology
C1, C2 and C3 to get a GCSE in chemistry
P1, P2 & P3 to get a GCSE in physics.

Note that the B1, B2, C1, C2, P1, P2 are exactly the same as for core and additional science, but if you do the third module for each you get 3 seperate GCSEs instead of core and applied. This would be described as triple but appear on the certificate as biology, chemistry and physics.

Foundation is about the level. For each exam you can take an 'easier' exam called foundation or a harder one called higher. You can't get higher than a grade C if you do foundation. School decides which exam. The level of exam doesn't appear on the certificate - just core science and the grade.

Ber-limey!

No wonder I had no idea how it works! Do you have a GCSE in 'How we measure Science in KS4', haunted, cos I hereby award you one!

I am much the wiser, thanks.

Interestingly, though I confidently asserted on another thread that this school only does a couple of subjects 'early', one being Statistics for the very able who all get A or A*, I note in the results table that several subjects have a tiny green mark next to them, including Stats, Science-Core, Additional Science and Applied Science; AND
Graphics Technology, Resistant Materials Technology, Systems Control Technology and Textiles Technology, presumably all subjects one might take in Y10. Which tallies with all you've said about Science!

I'm a trainee science teacher :)

The names of the modules differ for different exam boards but the above is from AQA which is easiest to understand.

Principles are always the same - little bit of everything = core science. A little bit more of everything = additional science and a bit more of everything = bio, Chen & physics seperate sciences.

I would also ask them about this, as Goveis very keen for everything to go to terminal exams. So triple science people will probably sit jeverything in year 11, whereas weaker students might do Core in year 10 and then Additional or Applied in year 11.

That is a very good and valid point mummy.

Because.of the terminal exams ruling triple science students are potentially disadvantaged by having much longer between teaching and exams for a given module.

There are ways around it under the current 40% rule, but depends a bit on which exam board and not all schools appear to be using the system in the best way possible.

The Govester really does have a lot to answer for, doesn't he?

I am not fundamentally opposed to the idea that some sort of re-evaluation needed to happen but you cannot move the goalposts mid game! I am thinking Eng Bacc; the political moves that caused AQA to increase the pass mark in the same year for certain GCSEs; the way, if I have this right, that Science is being tested differently, i.e. a different skills set is now being favoured.

The end result might be a clearer indication of a DC's abilities but not at the expense of DCs futures when a D in English slams FE doors closed on DCs, for instance.

A school near me has changed the way they teach triple science in the linear system.

They already start GCSEs in year 9 and have decided to do one in each year (eg
Biology year 9, Chem year 10 etc),

I can see this helps with the having to remember everying at the end (especially after 3 years) but am wondering how easy it will be to pick up an A level in a subject you have not studied since year 9.

That is one way round it and I totally agree cremola.

There is another way round it - as long as the school are cunning with their isa submissions - means they can pretty much teach as they currently do. At least for AQA, and the details are on the AQA website.

I think.

What's the 'isa' submission?

The ISA is the name that AQA give to their coursework.

Basically if that is submitted at the end that counts as part of their terminal exam, so the kids can do the B1 and B2 in year 10 or Jan of yr11.

Then they do the b3 exam and submit ISA scores in Jun of yr11 and that counts as 50% terminal assessment (min is currently 40% I think).

So no real change from what they used to do.

The above is actually advertised on the AQA website, not sure how applicable similar scenarios are to other exam boards, depends how the module %'s are divided.up.

Creamteas - my head of department is keen to use that model too but I'm not keen as they are still very immature in year 9 and unlikely to achieve their potential grade at that age.
Also, its tough going onto A level if you have a break from biology for 2 years.

Applied Science is more work related so the topics are related to vocations - usually big health and fitness topic etc. It isn't easier and doesn't prepare them for A levels, but some topics are more relevant for lower ability kids who wouldn't give a toss about ionic bonding for example.

I understand Edexcel have accredited a GCSE called 'further additional science' which is the B3, C3 and P3 modules, so that students can do core science, additional science and further additional science taking each one when the work is complete (maybe one in years 9,10 and 11) and at the end have taken all the same modules as Biology, Chemistry and Physics.