options help

[Feeeeee]

My dd takes her options in a few weeks, she is top set for science but doesn't want/have to take triple science, she would like to do core science with additional science, what is the difference between triple science and core with additional science?
Thanks.

If she does core & additional (double) she ends up with 2 GCSEs, covering 2/3 of the Physics, Chemistry and Biology that she would if she did triple (3GCSEs). The paper 1s and paper 2s are the same, she just won't do the paper3s.

DD1 is in y11 doing double, DH and I are both 'science based'.
imo The double option provides a perfectly good grounding in science for daily life and for someone who doesn't want to go on with science at A level and would rather spend the time doing a different GCSE instead.

DD gets 10 hours of science a fortnight. If she did triple it would either be very fast paced (with some self teaching needed) or would be 15hrs per fortnight - a lot of lessons.

However although it is possible to go on to do science A levels without triple (check expectation at your school if it has own 6th form), I think a child would be making their life unnecessarily hard as they might have a chunk of 'assumed' knowledge that they didn't have and would need to catch up.

hth

Basically a biology GCSE consists of 3 modules (B1,B2,B3) ,physics gcse (P1,P2 and P3, chemstry (C1,c2,C3)
Core science is just one module of each (B1,P1,C1) and additional science is (B2,P2,C2)

Forgot to say at Dcs school everyone does triple science. They get 3X40m per week of each science so 6 hours per week in total.They start GCSEW syllabus in Y9 though for biology, and mid Y9 for physics and chemistry.

as stated above doing double rather than triple does not preclude child from doing a level. However it is a step up especially chemistry so therefore if she is considering it as an a level it would be better to do triple so there is just step up to deal with rather than step up and catch up!

My DD is also in the top set (the only ones who will be considered for triple science) and is adamant she wants to do double science rather than triple science. Her reasons are:

1. She's not particularly interested in science and all of the jobs she'd be interested in doing at the moment, don't particularly involve science.

1. She has chosen her options and understands she has chosen quite a few which will involve a lot of work and wants to concentrate on these and do as well as she can, without the pressure of something she doesn't want to do.

1. She thinks triple science will involve more data handling, whereas double science is more case studies - which she is more interested in and better at. Don't know if she's correct, but these are her reasons.

Feeeee - you did not say what else your DD wanted to do to presumably use up the slot created. If she wants to do an extra language or something substantial and is good at whatever it is that is a very different story from wanting to fart about wasting a slot doing RS or Business Studies. Triple Science opens up rather more doors later on than that kind of soft waffly stuff.

If she is adamant then i would present this to the school.

Points 1 & 2 are valid argument. I don't know which exam board she is studying but there is little difference in style between double and triple Science it is more about the content ( and lots of the more interesting topics were moved in the last lot of GCSE changes).

I would be more concerned that she has a wide range of subjects and that she has chosen subjects that are suitably academic for her ability.

Does your school select options in Yr 8 or Yr 9 (i.e. 2 or 3 year KS4)? I ask as there are significant GCSE curriculum changes for pupils that sit GCSE's in 2018 (current year 8) and A level changes from next year.

I would speak to your daughters science teacher for more information.

Agree I think she has misunderstood the different science options. So worth discussing with science teachers. At dc school the all do double syllabus in year 10 then either review for double or do more detailed work for triple in Year 11.

Roguedad. It is ludicrous to suggest that all children must be pushed into what you might define as non waffly subjects because there are many who will be better at business studies and RE and do not need to do 3 separate sciences. At GCSE young people are better advised to do a broad selection of GCSEs and not specialise. Providing the usual Maths, MFL, Sciences, English and a humanity are studied, there is no reason why RE and business studies cannot be part of a balanced portfolio of subjects. Taking those subjects would not prevent anyone from doing 3 sciences or, having a career in science, engineering or technology. You need to get over your prejudices!