Possible impact (or damage?) of only doing Combined Science

[Kutik73]

I hope someone can help me understand the system in science study in this country...

DS is about to start his Year 7 at a school where they offer no Triple Science for GSCE/no Physics for A levels. They say;

'Chemistry, Biology and Physics topics are covered at KS3. At KS 4 all pupils study Combined Science resulting in one IGSCE, or Co-ordinated Science which results in two IGCSEs. Both courses are run by the Cambridge board and include units of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. There are three Science exams that need to be completed after the two years of IGCSE. At KS5 Biology and Chemistry A level course are offered. We follow the OCR Biology specification and the Edexcel Chemistry specification.'

I was told that allowing DS to study only Combined Science means throwing away his science option for A level. This may not be a problem if your strength lies in other subjects but DS is bright and very much a Maths/Science child and a Triple Science material. As DS loves the school and wants to go there so much he says he doesn't mind about it. But obviously he is still too young to know if it's a right path for him. He may find Physics fascinating...

DS has an option to leave the school after GCSE but having done only Combined Science, how hard it will be for him to consider Physics for A Level? Or, even before then, how hard for him to get a place at a decent sixth form college to study Physics?

Another question is, is it possible for him to prepare for Triple Science outside of school, such as using online resources or private tuition?

Any advice, experience, knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

DD's school only did double award IGCSEs, they had a significant number studying science or engineering at Imperial/Cambridge, medicine etc.

It's much harder to switch once you start GCSE work so I would say it's an idea to review your options at the end of Y8
That's great advice, thanks Loose. And, yes I agree, I'll let DS enjoy music for now as that's the whole point of choosing this path.

cathyandclare, very encouraging. Thanks.

Loads of state school children only do double award science and go on to do science A levels It really isn't a problem, honestly. Presumably the school you're talking about want to make sure they free up as much time as possible for Music and know that not doing 3 sciences does not disadvantage anyone wanting to go on with science.

Hi Kutik, if he wants to keep all options open make sure he is allowed to take the same number of GCSE's as other schools, and that he does 2 science iGCSE's, not one.
I had the same worries as you about my yr 8 DS who is going to choose options next year. To be able to take as many different subjects as possible he will probably do 2 iGCSE's for science (at your school called co-ordinated science) instead of 3, because that frees up another option for him (they are allowed to take 9 iGCSE's only, plus an HPQ). The school says there is only a small problem with Chemistry, should he want to do Chemistry A-level, and he would need to do a bit of catching up over the summer preceding A-levels. Physics and biology should be fine. He would still be allowed to take chemistry A-level if his iGCSE-grades for science are good enough.
I also checked with the sixth form our local grammar which is very high performing and pretty selective; for any A-level science the criteria are: a 6 for a GCSE in the same science they want to do for A-level, OR two 7's for double science (co-ordinated science at your school). So, a boy who wants to study A-level physics at this grammar will be accepted if he got at least a 6 for a separate physics (i)GCSE or two 7's for the two combined science (i)GCSE's. The grammar does not distinguish between GCSE's and iGCSE's.
I agree with other posters: see how it goes, he can always change schools after year 8. I would probably worry more about how lack of a good physics teacher at the school could influence your son's love for physics, but that's a different matter! Well done to your DS for gaining a place at his school.

Thanks Bertrand and MadameChauchat. I feel so grateful with all the advice and sharing the information. I am so glad I started this thread. I now have a much better idea what to look at and prepare for the next few years. Again, thank you so much everyone for taking your precious time to write and share. Hope this thread can be of any help for others who may be in the same shoes as me.

Hi Kutik - My dd has just finished Year 11 at an MDS (dance) school so a very similar set up.

If he wants to pursue science at A level then he must do the Combined Science that is equivalent to 2 GCSE's. My dd's school for the first time last year began offering single sciences and she chose that route. The only children who did the combined Single science were a couple who are not at all academic and in a "normal" school would be bottom sets. The school decided to forgo their progress figures in order to do the right thing for those children. However that does not sound at all the right thing for your child.

Double science will not be a problem if your ds wants to do science A levels as long as he is prepared to do some study over the summer holidays on the extra content.

Dd did a lot of self study by the way. She had some poor science teaching in Years 7-9 but then there was a staff change and things improved greatly. She used Tassomai which is a paid for app but you can start it in either KS3 or KS4. She also had CGP textbooks and revision guides.

Thanks Alexander. At the moment I strongly feel DS should do double science but it's because he seems to be a mathy/sciency child and he appears to be bright enough to handle even triple science. But this side of him may slow down in a couple of years time. He may decide to commit a lot more into music than academic. He may lose interests in the subjects he enjoys currently.... So I'll see how things go. Before this music school thing came in our path, I was so convinced science would be his thing that I feel very strange he may not do any science for his A level. But I think I have to adjust my own image/expectation on him and accept his change on course. Kids change and develop differently.