GCSE options - sciences, history and/or geography

[Taswama]

Ds is in year 9. He has to take either history or geography but enjoys and is good at both. He can take both but that rules out single sciences unless he doesn't take any non academic subjects - he'd like to take either drama or nutrition.
He's top set for science and second set for humanities (out of 5 sets).
I think it makes sense to do history, geography and double cert, DP thinks single science is more important even if that means no drama/food. He's worried double cert science won't be as challenging as most of the top set kids will be doing single sciences.
Any thoughts anyone? Including on drama vs food.

What does he want to do after GCSE? If he's interested in science A Levels or a scientifically based career, it would probably be better to do triple science, although in theory it is possible to move to A Level science from double science (if this is something he might like to do, you should check at his current school/local sixth forms).

Both combined and triple science have higher and foundation papers, so if your DS is able in science he will be entered for the higher paper and will study harder content, regardless of which he does. It is, of course, probable that more of the more able scientists will take triple science, however others will also choose to take combined to allow them more freedom of other options. If it helps, in DD's year (average comp) 10% of the year are in line for taking the higher combined science paper.

Taking geography, history and triple science (and presumably also English lit and lang, maths and maybe a language) is a very heavy academic load and I think taking drama or Food would be a good idea for something a bit different (at DC's school you would have to take at least 1 less academic subject). Though your DS should be aware that there is still a fair bit of writing in both! I don't know a lot about food tech but drama has group work, so there is a slight element of risk as you might be put in a "bad" group. My rule of thumb would be, unless there is a very specific reason in terms of keeping future options open, DS would be best advised to do subjects he thinks he will enjoy most.

Our school pulled GCSE food & nutrition in 2018 as exam boards ceased to offer the A level. This meant that neither of my DDs had a non-academic subject. They both did 3 sciences alongside geography and history. It was & is absolutely fine. I don’t think there’s more workload in geography or history; they’re pretty content heavy. Be aware that drama is a lot of work - writing analytical essays about plays, theatre etc. It’s certainly not a light option.
Choosing dual science is 2/3rds of the 3 sciences so providing he obtains decent grades he can go onto A levels. There’s obviously more of a jump as he’ll have missed that 1/3rd in the sciences he takes to A level.

So mine did exactly what RedSky has said - maths, chemistry, biology, physics, English language, English lit, history, geography, Spanish & German. If food & nutrition had been available they’d have done that instead of German. They’d have enjoyed the light relief I’m sure!
What does your DS want to do?

Thanks all! He likes all really.
I have pointed out that both drama and food have written / theory elements, its not just turning up and acting /cooking.
Interesting that there is a lot of essay writing in drama.

I think having at least part of that GCSE before the summer of Y11 would be good too as they both have practical assessments.

It is likely he will do science at A'Level as he's very strong at maths and physics. But he's also very interested in history, geography, politics, economics. DP is assuming he will do sciences (which DP did himself) so would benefit from the head start single sciences will give him,

And yes he will be taking a language too. He will be dropping RE but he doesn't know this yet.

I would add that Geography is good with sciences and is useful for environmental science at university. So that keeps more doors open. Also good for Civil/Environmental Engineering when combined with Physics and Maths. So in his position triple sciences and Geography keeps doors open.

My DDs both did Drama but: their school was superb at it. Amazing teachers and the academic dc did it. Brilliant for confidence and no one messed about. Very different in some schools so check results. Ditto Nutrition.

He's worried double cert science won't be as challenging as most of the top set kids will be doing single sciences.

The syllabus doesn't change depending on who is doing the course, so doing combined doesn't miraculously become easier.

In the 'old days' of triple being done in the same time as combined I'd agree that there does become more likelihood of more able scientists doing triple so maybe the top grade 9 issues not being discussed so much. But I suspect that is less of the case now that it more generally needs a slot.

The triple course isn't de facto harder, it just has more topics. (DD has switched from doing combined to just biology, the extra stuff is no harder than the content already covered.)

However if expecting to do science A levels I'd think hard before not doing triple, as it is likely triple knowledge will be assumed as a starting point.

DD was also doing both Drama and Food Prep&Nutrition.

Drama - the thing to watch for is group work. If you DS might have any issues working with others then avoid it. Otherwise it makes a good movement break between other more sedentary lessons.

Food - has a good mix of practical & theory and is a useful life skill too. Some of the theory is really quite sciencey. Will require practicing outside of school.

Drama & Food both only had 1 written exam which would have made summer of y11 a bit lighter. The exam schedule can be brutal for those doing a full set of traditionally academic subjects.

Thanks Teen and Percy .
Ds has ASD so group work can be challenging, but he says I've done it before and its ok.
Nutrition and separate science are in the same option block so you cannot do both. I agree food is a good life skill and did it myself to GCSE.
I think DP means the level of debate within the class will be less, but I guess it depends if the double cert cohort are completely separate to the single science cohort. The 3 sciences will still be taught as separate subjects but 1/3 fewer lessons.
The science teachers have confirmed that you can still do A' level science without single sciences as not all local schools offer them.

Meant to say - good idea to find out about results Percy .

When my DD1 did triple science, the top set all did it and they were separate from the double award lower sets. They went at a faster pace because there is more work to cover. DD2 did double science and stayed in her second set. You just do not do the same in depth learning which is why triple is better prep for A levels. Double is no barrier to A levels but check gaps in learning are not a step too far.

Not sure debate really matters in a science class. It is really more about ability and pace of learning and A level aspirations at GCSE level.

They went at a faster pace because there is more work to cover

This was probably because the top set did triple science in the same time as everyone else did combined science. It sounds like OP's school uses an extra option block for triple science, so this won't be the case in her school.

Food & nutrition is absolutely a useful life skill but he doesn’t need a GCSE to learn those skills; a lot can be learnt at home. Given he’s already thinking A level physics, he may be better off with 3 separate sciences. The jump from a full (3/3rds) physics gcse to A level is already significant. So the leap from 2/3rds physics to A level will be seriously significant. Obviously not impossible but worth considering. Gaining 3 science GCSEs (doing 3/3rds of each science) and a smaller jump to A level maybe more beneficial than 2 science GCSEs (2/3rds of all 3 sciences) and food GCSE. I hope I’m making sense.

Yes it's true that a lot can be learnt at home and I currently try and get him to cook him once a week but even he says he's better at school with the time pressure. He needs constant supervision at home or he will wander off to watch TV!

But you are probably right about sciences winning out over nutrition.

It’s just food for thought. It really has to be what your DS will find ‘best for him’. I’m loving the idea of him wandering off to watch telly whilst the cake’s burning. Sounds like my DD3. Except she leaves the mixer going 🙄

Drama v food I have no opinion on but I think it's a great idea to have one or the other, if he is ok with the performance aspect and group work of drama. Actually if he really benefits from being taught things explicitly, where others might just pick up as they go along, then food tech sounds like a very good fit. I think it's good for your brain to have something a bit different in your week, if it's chosen because you enjoy it.

Either double sci + 2 humanities or triple +1 humanity are really solid choices that lots of able children will take before going on to university. I don't think all schools even offer triple sci though the ones we looked at all did. Again I think it comes down to what he enjoys most. I'm not getting a strong feeling from you that he actually prefers hist & geography to sciences.

One other thought that is probably unfair & snobby. My Y9 says a lot of her peers moan about science and mess around. She wants to do triple science partly so she will be in the group who've actively chosen it. But maybe the setting avoids that being an issue for your son.

I would say he prefers science over history or geography individually but likes history and geography pretty much equally.
I agree that its good to have something that challenges your brain in a different way.

He tends to wander off while cooking tea, so a dish that should take half an hour at most can take an hour and a half. He also eats half the ingredients as he goes along, eg grated carrots or cheese!

Yes, I can also see the logic of being with a group who genuinely enjoy science.

I hear you on the wandering off thing! My able autistic lady's only Y7 so we haven't given it much thought, but I can imagine food tech being enjoyable for him but also quite a challenge in terms of organisation, planning tasks etc.

Lady should be lad!

Yes that's exactly it murmurur !

He would get 5 hours each of history or / and geography and 10 or 15 hours of science depending on double or triple per fortnight.

Ds1 did combined science, came out with 9,9 and does Physics A level, he is predicted A*/A in it. I think it is more about picking stuff up easily, most of the A level group did combined rather than the triple. There is a strong maths element to it, not as much as GCSE but those who do well at maths.They were put in sets for Science so no messing around in class.

Both History and Geography are very content heavy in terms of facts and figures to remember and the essays you have to write. If you do know the exam board have a look at a past paper to see the marks given for each question which will give you an idea.

I can only talk about History GCSE as both mine did that (they are now year 13 and year 10) they do OCR and it is 3 papers and 5 topics. Very interesting but a lot of detail. It is burned into my memory from flashcard hell of revision.

Thanks onthebench . DS does pick things up easily and reads loads of non fiction or listens to it on audible, so he's recently listened to A brief history of time by Stephen Hawking for example.

Had another chat today and pointed out that food would have some science elements and drama is more of a humanity so if he decided to take triple science it would be a better fit. Maybe thats why food is in the science block, but it's probably not that logical!

He's veering towards history, geography, double cert and food although we still have 2 or 3 weeks to make a final decision.
Regarding level of revision, he has encyclopaedic knowledge of key dates and events already and I assume for science you also have to learn key formulae, definitions etc?

Normally I'd say double science doesn't really hold you back from anything. But as he's top set and all other top set kids are doing triple I'd say do that. They'll be able to challenge them more for top set grades and behaviour will probably be better

A lot of kids don't like science as it's "hard" so behaviour in those lessons can be more challenging as you've got an unwilling audience.

I think I need to email the head of science directly and ask her for some data on which kids from which sets are likely to take triple vs double.
Its only offered to the most able kids, I'm not sure if thats set 1 only or set 1 and 2. I'm sure he won't be the only one who could do triple but wants to do double to keep other options open. I had the option of triple at that age but chose double so I could take two languages.

How big is the school (i.e. how many sets)? If triple science is only offered to Set 1 or Set 1 and 2, then in a big school there will still be an awful lot of good scientists taking combined!

Its a big school, there are five sets.