Double science GCSE for high achiever

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I'm looking at secondary schools for my son, and one school that would otherwise be a great option does not offer triple science GCSE to any pupils - just single or double. My son is a high achiever, particularly in science, and I would not be surprised to see him study a science subject at university. I'd welcome any opinions on whether we should see this as a drawback - thanks in advance.

There is no single science option for gcse anymore (unless you are in Northern Ireland) - there are individual science options (gcse Physics, gcse Chemistry or gcse Biology) but it’s unlikely that a state school would allow a student to take less than all 3 (unless taking combined science) because of the impact on league tables. Are you sure about the school’s offer?

I’ve taught mostly combined science (or its previous incarnations) and then A-level, not a problem

Your post is confusing OP. You say the school offers single or double.

Single science as a 1GCSE combined science option no longer exists. Single sciences generally means taking 3 separate GCSEsin each of the three sciences.

Double Science is taking a combined science qualification that is the size of 2 GCSEs.

Agree, some confusion about what is meant by the OP.
I have 2 DC at the same school. One of them took 3 science GCSEs last year, physics, chemistry, biology. The other is taking double science - so studying all 3 subjects but resulting in 2 GCSEs.

I did double science at GCSE and it did not prepare me for A level at all....however I'm 43. But thinking about it logically, how can a school prepare a child as well for science A levels in 2/3rds of the time another school doing single subjects (or triple science) could do?

You don’t tend to get 2/3 of the time underneath. We teach triple in the same time allocation as combined. Every year i teach kids in the sixth form who have come both from our school, and others, that have done combined. If you came into my lessons and observed the y12s I genuinely do not think you could seperate out who has done triple and who combined.
Several of my dc have/do attend a school that only offers combined, they average 10/12 to oxbridge and 30/35 to medicine/denistry/vet med every year out of approx 200. Doesn’t seem to harm them at all.

Thanks for all the replies. The school definitely said they offer 'single or double award' for science, so I'm not sure what that means, but they confirmed they do not offer triple science.

We do have other options, although this school is much closer than the others we are considering.

cantkeepaway - thanks for sharing your research; it's all food for thought.

Is it an independent school? I teach a pupil at an independent school who is doing a single science GCSE (she struggles with school generally and is doing a reduced load GCSE) - she sits in the double class, but will only do a single exam. I have no idea how this happens, as I'm not involved in teaching her science particularly - but they must have some way. It's independent, though, so might be an iGCSE? It seems to be combined.

I know of another independent school that offered separate sciences but would allow pupils to choose one or two of them, so one girl did only biology. That was also iGCSE.

Yes, it's an independent school. There are several other schools we could look at, all of which offer triple science - this one would be much more convenient though.

I did double science, got double A* and went to Cambridge to study engineering. In my A level classes I didn't notice any difference between those who did single subjects or the science double.

For those saying it allows you to study an additional subject, this may not always be a positive. I did 3 sciences, 2 mfl and 1 humanities within my 9 subjects. I wouldn't have wanted to choose something else as well.

My highly selective secondary school only offered double science. Plenty went on to a level and then degree level science.

My son who did triple found that, at A level, because lots of children had only one double science, the first term was spent going over some stuff the double science children had missed, so it is't an issue.

You said the school offers single or double. I'm assuming this is either igcse single or they offer each of the sciences as an option (ie single biology, Chen, phys). If it's the later, just choose all three??

Double isn't bad, btw. It's a pretty solid curriculum and you're more likely to get a higher grade (which is what unis want and might be better preparation for a level for many kids). Eton used to only offer it (haven't bothered to look since the curriculum change) and not triple, for example.

My point of view comes from being a physics teacher for 7 years.

Thanks physicskate. I don't know what they mean by 'single' but have asked for clarification. They definitely don't offer each science individually.

I did double science and we studied all 3 sciences so we had lessons for biology, chemistry and physics. We didn't just study two subjects. It's just the name of the award. I got BB.

Ds1 is in year 11 and as I have mentioned before due to a fuck up with sciences instead of being able to do the triple he has to do the double instead. It is his half of the year group so not just him. We have spoken to the head of science about it.

Ds1 has applied to do A level physics, the sixth form itself told us that lots of schools do not offer the triple award so most students have obtained the double. That is where they teach from.

Also if your son is in year 7, he may well change what he loves.