Triple science GCSE - sorry if this has been done to death

[himalayansalt]

I'm looking for advice on the impact on his future if my son decides not to opt for triple science at GCSE, hope someone can help?

His teachers assure us he is capable of doing triple science but son is reluctant. He says he doesn't like science and tbh I just think he is slightly daunted by the effort it will require.

He hasn't even thought about what he wants to study at A level or University yet (he's in Y9) but I am worried about entrance requirements for good sixth forms and Universities if he doesn't have the magic 3.

His strongest subjects at school are maths, English and history. He isn't doing any foreign languages at GCSE.

Infact, if he doesn't do triple science he will come away with only 8 GCSEs if he passes them all - maths, statistics, computer science, English x 2, history, music, science.

I think that looks a bit poor for someone who is in the top set of all classes at school. Or perhaps I am just comparing him unfavourably with his rather more hard working older sibling who also doesn't have a great interest in science but managed AAB in triple science at GCSE.

I'd be very grateful for any thoughts at all. Presumably you need to do triple science if you want to do any science at A level? And would a (dare I say it) red brick University dismiss someone who doesn't have triple science GCSE or who only has 8 GCSEs?

Sorry that's a bit long and rambly. Just trying to include all info.

Thank you!

I'm not really convinced that doing subjects that you hate is a great way to educate anyone, I'd rather see my kids - who work hard, have an interest in their subjects - if they need GCSE Physics in their future they'd be able to pick up a textbook....I have taught them that at least - you need to know something, go find it out for yourself!

My son could not wait to give up English.
Should he have been allowed to drop it before year 11 ?

Maths and English are required for almost every post GCSE move - science isn't. Giving up English is not the same.

But a decent understanding of science is helpful/needed for 21st century life.

Just look at the vaccinations threads where some people have little understanding of how vaccinations work, how to judge risk, read graphs etc. Then add understanding issues around climate change, relative safety of driverless cars, basic physics that affects car control and safety etc.

I honestly think someone would be 'better educated' with combined science than doing only 2 of the three. In fact, I think it is more important than English Lit, but that's probably another debate.

I honestly think someone would be 'better educated' with combined science than doing only 2 of the three. I think we can debate the importance of lots of subjects - it's whether they need to be compulsory.
I can't remember much of my degree never mind my GCSEs....I don't think I'm alone on this....GCSEs are a stepping stone but if you really hate a subject, they are a full stop.

I honestly think someone would be 'better educated' with combined science than doing only 2 of the three

You do all 3 for the double award or whatever it is called now. You just don't do them to the same depth as doing triple science.

I happen to think people would be better educated if they had to do an MFL and a humanity and only one science, but that's an anathema to most people on MN.

in my view everyone should have to do English, Maths. one science, one humanity and one MFL and then however many options on top. And 8 GCSEs are fine by the way. I did 8 and I went to a grammar school and DS is doing 8 (including double science, two humanities and an MFL) at a well regarded comprehensive.

Studying the minutiae of punctuation syntax and reading about Of Mice and Men will be a lot less useful to kids than an understanding of the scientific method.

Single science is part 1 of each of the three (P1 C1 B1) = 1 GCSE
Double science is parts 1 and 2 (P1 P2 C1 C2 B1 B2) = 2 GCSEs
Triple science is parts 1 and 2 and 3 (P1 P2 P3 C1 C2 C3 B1 B2 B3) = 3 GCSEs

I have no problem with kids doing the single or the double
even single is far more key to life than Eng Lit

My DD did the double and then took Chemistry A level.

She did however have a crammer month at the start of the A level course to get to the same depth of both chemistry content AND mathematical content of the triple science...

I think the 'problem' is with KS3. DS2 went to internet school at the end of year 5 and so started their KS3 curriculum a year early.

He is totally used to studying 3 separate sciences and will naturally continue to do so for iGCSE. This was a complete change from combined science at primary and the combined science taught at KS3 in brick secondary school.

The KS3 curriculum is not huge. There is considerable overlap with geography and chemistry (ie rocks and the rock cycle) and physics and maths (ie speed, distance, time, velocity, acceleration).

He is still year 7 but in year 9 classes. He will probably be ready to start the iGCSEs at least a year early.

His physics teacher also teaches undergrads and wants to excite interest and so presents classes on the technological singularity, robotics and driverless cars and the large hadron collider (without any expectation of understanding the underlying physics) but they still have time to cover the basics ie Hooke's law.

There is also no competition with English lit - he has already 'done' The Lady of Shallot, Romeo and Juliet and Of Mice and Men.

He also does an hour of English language, French, Spanish, art, geography and history each week plus 3 hours of maths.

OK there is no RE, PE, DT etc but it only takes up 15 hours per week and leaves lots of time for HE groups (his main interests are swimming, experimental science and computing (robotics and coding)).

I don't understand why it is so hard for schools to find time to teach science and computing.

DC's school teach "Science" in KS3 but it's actually taught as modules- so they might do 5 weeks of a Biology topic, followed by 4 weeks of a Chemistry topic followed by 6 weeks of Physics etc. so the DC do study separate sciences. I'd be surprised if this is not the norm everywhere.

This is my point - one term of biology, chemistry, physics as opposed to one year of each subject over the three years of KS3. Hence single subjects taught throughout the year are a big step up.

Dr doing double and will do two.sceinces at a level. It is not an issue.she just needs to get 7 or above.

You only need five gcses.
You can have five gcses sometimes six are needed and do a levels.

Check the a level places he might go on to.
I bet you none require more than six gcse passes to study a levels.

So 8 or 9 or 10 it really does not matter !

DS2 does one hour per week for each subject (total 3 hours) at internet school but only did 2 hours per week (modules - so no chemistry or physics in the autumn term) at brick secondary school and lost continuity. Plus most of the time was spent setting up and giving everyone in the class opportunity to participate in experiments.

It depends - our local grammar 6th forms require a scoring of your best 8 GCSEs (56 minimum so 8 grade 7s), our local secondary needs 5xgrade 7 including grade 7 in all subjects to be studied, the local colleges need 5 GCSE passes at grade 5 or higher.

My daughter has double science and only chemistry and biology and drama at Al level, plus AS maths.

She is at medical school and it hasn’t been a problem.

Keep just checked my DD's timetable.
She has 3hrs of science per week, y8. This term it has been physics and biology. Last term it was biology and chemistry. I expect next term it will be Physics and Chemistry.
I'm not convinced there is any particular benefit either way between 1 hour each subject all year, or blocking so you do a module of one science then a module of another.

We need a scientifically literate population, yet here we have calls to do less science. A lot of MN want to be in the EU but asking children to learn a MFL seems to be an anathema.
I am all for more science and the ebacc for most children is a good thing.

Dd doesn't want to do less science, she wants to do less physics!

I know this has been brought up in the past but I’ve had this email from dd’s School this morning.

Dear Parents,

Please find below an email that we have recently received from Ofqual clarifying the GCSE grading system for the new 2018 Science GCSEs (Separate and Trilogy) for your interest and information.

GCSE science grades: new explanatory resources

As you will be aware, another 20 new GCSEs will be graded from 9 to 1 this summer, in addition to English language, English literature and maths. Those being taken for the first time this year include biology, chemistry and physics, and combined science.

We are keen to raise awareness among parents, pupils and employers of the way in which these science subjects will be awarded. Students taking the single science GCSEs will receive a single 9 to 1 grade for each subject, in the same way as for other reformed GCSEs. Students taking the combined science qualification will receive an award worth 2 GCSEs. It will consist of two equal or adjacent grades from 9 to 1, giving 17 possible grade combinations – for example, (9-9); (9-8); (8-8) through to (1-1).

We considered a 9-point scale from 9-9 to 1-1 but we believed it would be unfair for students to lose (or gain) two whole grades at each grade boundary. After all, a student studying single sciences who just misses a grade 5 by one mark in biology would not also lose their grade 5 in physics or chemistry.

Explanatory resources

We have produced some new resources, and refreshed others, which we hope you will find useful for answering questions from pupils and parents. They include:
a film that explains that how combined science will be graded, and that it is worth two GCSEs. You can watch the film here.
a 'postcard' in conjunction with this film, which you can find as part of our postcard pack here. The film and postcard draw on the same themes as those we promoted last year for the introduction of the new 9 to 1 grading system, and which we updated in December.
a PowerPoint presentation that you might consider using at parent evenings or teacher training events. You can view it here.
Yours sincerely

Sally Collier
Chief Executive, Ofqual

Was just wondering if a science teacher could verify this for me please.

If a school has been doing a particular board and it still offers the single combined science, do the school have to change boards to one that does the double Trilogy, or can they continue to use the single combined until the syllabus runs out?

Independent schools can use whatever board they like whilst the syllabus is being offered but they do then risk those results not counting in the league tables.