Triple Science vs Combined Science

[TheShoesa]

DS has just gone into year 11. His school have sent a letter home stating that all triple science students like him, will be moved down onto combined science, because of lockdown.

The letter says that the school feels there is not sufficient time left to teach the volume of material left to the standard required. Then waffles a bit about how dropping from triple to combined is really good news for the students.

I wondered whether this was happening nationally?

I also am not familiar with the exam structure. I am old enough to have done O levels and in maths for example, some exams had an additional paper for those candidates who were expected to get the higher grades IIRC. Does a similar thing happen with the combined / triple science? I was wondering whether the triple students could do both exams and then be awarded either / or depending on their performance on the extra papers if such things exist.

The school letter says 'Your child is much more likely to acieve two good grades following combined science rather than risk underachievement across three. This in turn will provide them with better life chances'

It does point out that a local lockdown would impact badly on triple science students and where we are in the Midlands it is a possibility.

Sorry, it got a bit long! I am in two minds as to whether to contact school to see if there is any compromise, but wanted to see if I was being unrealistic if I did so.

Assuming that he's doing AQA like mine did, triple have the same number of exams as combined but their papers are 15 (I think?) minutes longer.

You can go onto A-level sciences from combined if that's a concern.

You can't sit triple and combined.

I think those doing triple science study extra modules, and have an extra paper for each science. But it's all-or-nothing - they can't just do the extra paper in one science, and it has to be decided when entries are made.

Some schools have the top sets studying triple science in the same time that other groups study combined science, but in others it's an option choice so they get extra teaching time for the extra modules - in the latter they shouldn't have a problem getting through the syllabus. Inevitably in the former they have to rely on getting through things very efficiently.

Sixth forms will take them for science A-levels without having to have done separate sciences, so there is a lot of sense in saying that they'll focus on getting the 8/9s in combined science rather than risk ropey grades in one or more of the separate sciences.

It would be interesting to know how the school would react to any parents who want to get private tuition to cover the extra modules. The school would need to be convinced by the time they make the entries that the student will get through all the material to a good standard in time, so they'd need to get through much of it this term.

Thanks chicken - I wasn't very clear in my OP.

I suppose I wondered whether the exams and curricula were totally separate, or whether the triple went into more depth during teaching time and then the exams had extra questions for the triple science candidates.

I do realise he couldn't get both combined and separate GCSE grades but I am trying to find a way round this drop from 3 to 2 GCSEs. It is a bit of a blow as DS is good at and enjoys science - he was hoping that the additional qualification took the pressure off him in a subject that he has been forced to do by school due to their error at the start of year 10 and which he neither likes or is any good at - it is unlikely that he will pass it IMHO and the triple science would have helped to offset this.

lanthanum I maybe need to ask a few other parents what their view is on this. I am sure DS would happily settle for less work, but as I said above, there is a real danger he will fail one of his GCSEs, which he should never have been taking anyway.

Out of interest how many other GCSEs is he doing?

My DC's school does OCR, so can't answer for other boards. Both combined and triple science cover the same modules in every science but combined clearly has less material to cover than triple. However the material not covered is a mix of the harder and easier, so combined science is not easier - just covers less.

As a PP says, they still sit the same number of papers, just that combined are shorter. It's still possible to go onto A Level.
The one slight difference (which may be an issue for DC who are better in some science(s) than others) is that at combined you have to sit foundation in everything or higher in everything - you can't mix and match as you can with triple.

so your solution won't work. How would students cover the additional material anyway, on the basis that school has said it doesn't have time? Are you proposing they would self study this?

Dd1 is year 11 doing triple but still not back yet ( Friday thank god!) if our school pull this I will be most unhappy they will be disadvantaged in comparison to others in their year because they chose science, and end up with 1 less GCSE.

More I wonder whether the OP's school is doing triple in same time as combined, whereas yours is using an option slot?

Our school is in-between, triple science is instead of doing core ICT or 'extra' maths/English.

OP - If school are saying they can't cover the material I'd listen to them personally. 88 would be 'better' than say 666.

Not sure where you are OP, but I'm in the Midlands and dc school has dropped triple science too because of teaching time. (My kids not in GCSE years but heard about it through other parents.)

My Year 11 is still doing Triple Science. He is top set of top set, and they are doing it.

State comp.

Actually, after re-reading your second to last paragraph I'm wondering if it's the same school.....

The reason I asked here is that I don't know what the exam structure is these days - I wasn't aware there was a foundation or higher levels with combined (which possibly fits a bit more with what I remember from when I was at school).

Orchids - Apart from science he is doing six other GCSEs and an NCFE. And possibly further maths, although he was asked about that in year 10 and if the school are concerned about lack of teaching time I suppose that might not happen now?

So with triple would be 9 and possibly 10 with the maths. Double would be 8 possibly 9. Plenty to be getting on with anyway, but not a ridiculous number.

DS is doing AQA. When we read through the content there is an extra topic for Physics (Space) if you do them separately. I think they cover the everything else in slightly more detail.

TheShoesa Yes 😶

Barefoot if it was primary I'd probably know you IRL. But seeing as it's not I almost certainly don't!

Does he want to do Science A Levels?
Does the school have a sixth form?
If not has the school discussed with the VI Form what they’re proposing?
I’d be very concerned OP.

School have said that it won't affect studying A Levels in any of the science subjects, but I imagine it will be harder going with having less depth at GCSE

TheShoesa 😁 Well, in a school that size....

I'm guessing they're just genuinely concerned about getting the course content finished. My dc is now yr12. When we locked down in March they still hadn't finished teaching the whole curriculum in some subjects, and that was with mandatory extra lessons before and after school.

My son did triple science and we were warned it was a lot of work. I thought they might be exaggerating to put him off. They were not. It was huge. I did his revision timetable and science took up the bulk just because of the volume that needed to be covered. I can understand why the school are taking this approach although it's a real shame for the pupils affected. But it will probably mean the difference between passing two and failing three.

I can't decide whether it is a good or bad thing tbh - as I said before I am sure that DS won't mind doing less work!
But his year are going to miss out on the chance of doing triple, that the year above did and the year below most likely will do and whether that will be problematic going forward remains to be seen. Although if you're not after a career in science perhaps it is less important.

I was interested in whether it was just our school, or whether it was something that was happening nationally - but if IthinkI'veseen's school are keeping triple, why isn't every school?

I think they're already too far behind in the curriculum (from what I can gather from someone who knows...). If school ends up closing they just won't be able to finish teaching everything in time.

Unfortunately they've had real problems with science teachers the last few years which probably hasn't helped. Yr 10-11 dd didn't even have proper science teachers for all lessons because too many left and weren't replaced.

"When we read through the content there is an extra topic for Physics (Space)"

The electromagnetism topic is far bigger for triple also. Triple is usually better for people considering a level as there is a bit more depth which helps with the transition a bit but it doesn't limit your options particularly so it is probably sensible to focus on the best grades you can get in combined.
It is also likely that grade boundaries will be lower next year than previous years but since schools will teach the content in different sequences how this impacts on individual schools will vary so it makes sense to focus on combined where it is more plausible to catch up.

I would consider the fact that there will be catching up to do across all subjects and also factor in the possibility of some disruption to schools this winter.