Advice from Science. teacher. - DD in Y9 doing GCSE Triple Science will it be harder than previous. years

[H3Kids]

My DD is in the top set for science and and is currently doing a GCSE in Astronomy in one year as her class has virtually finished the Ks3 syllabus. We have just been told that they are cancelling the Astronomy GCSE as the new Triple Science GCSE is much harder and they need to start the GCSE course in year 9. I need a science teacher's point of view. Is this a an acceptable reason to give to the group? My daughter is upset as she has worked hard and is predicted to get an A grade. I would like her to finish the course, what should I say to the school?thank you in advance for responding.

Yes, the GCSEs are much harder. The school will be making the best decision for the whole group, whose abilities will be a bell curve (sorry, Gove, it's what we call a 'Normal' distribution) and it sounds like your DD is somewhere near the top of that. They'll be considering the needs of the majority.

As she is a high achiever the universities she is likely to consider tend to look at GCSEs taken in one year rather than over an extended number so she won't be harmed by not having an extra GCSE. Triple science will be a greater asset overall.

I can definitely say they are harder from the 2012 GCSE exam cohort to the 2014 and that is as a Mum marking past papers/specimen papers for children who sat/are sitting both.

They are already harder than previous years. Triple is the same as double until p3,b3 and p3 so well worth doing the triple IMO.

Thank you for the replies. At my DD school they set all the pupils for science so she is in the top set. She was told they are cancelling GCSE Astromny course as they need to start the Triple Science GCSE curriculum after Xmas. Wouldn't a top set science group be able to complete the curriculum of triple science in two years? I dont understand why the school is making them start Triple Science early in year 9, I thought GCSEs were two years courses not three.

They're meant to be but triple science is an awful lot of work, especially if they're getting harder.
When I did mind we didn't even finish it all in time so had to revise at home. I know your DD might be sad she can't do astronomy, but I'd be grateful if I were you!

Thanks counting stars, it's been a long time since I took any exams and they were O Levels! They have almost finished the course so I am hoping they can do the extra at lunchtime or after school will wait and see.

Our school offers triple as the double science hours plus an ootion block - so about 7.5 hours a week. As a parent, I would hope a top set could cover everything in two years with that timing, or what hope would there be for the others. However, some schools offer triple to top sets without using any extra curriculum hours and, in that case, I am not surprised they want to start early.

After all, they want these students to do well. They are the most likely children to choose science A levels so the higher the grade for them the better.

Can I hijack & ask whatvthecdufferenve between double & triple is

Dd was due to go to a private school where science was offered as separate subjects.

She's now at a different school where only double is on offer.

Double science is two GCSEs:

Core Science (with a bit of Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and
Additional Science (also with a bit of Biology, Chemistry and Physics)

Triple Science is three GCSES - One in Biology, One in Chemistry and One in Physics. Because it is rigorous most only allow their above average students to take this option.

The advice given to our children was if they knew they wanted to do Science A levels then take triple. Otherwise, double is fine. My son took double and now wishes to take Physics A Level - we will ensure he covers the extra work in the summer of transition.

A friend of mine has sons who were only been able to do double as triple was not on offer. One is now studying Physics at Cambridge and the other Medicine at Oxford. They did get A is most GCSEs and A/A in A levels.

Thanks counting stars, it's been a long time since I took any exams and they were O Levels! They have almost finished the course so I am hoping they can do the extra at lunchtime or after school will wait and see.