Triple science or 2 humanities?

[ithavebroke]

Ds is about to choose his options. He excels at humanities (he's like an old historian trapped in a child's body...) and all three teachers were saying how good he'd be and how he would be sure to get grade 8 or 9. He is also excelling in English and he also loves drama and that teacher was similarly enthusiastic about his prospects. He's determined to take drama and history and is now torn between geography or triple science.

His science teachers have no concerns about him doing triple but it's not a subject he excels in so I don't think he'd get 8s or 9s. He enjoys science and finds it interesting and also wants to stay with his friends, who are all doing triple and who are all stronger in it than him. He's worried he won't enjoy it as much if he doesn't do triple as he'll be in a lower set, which in his school tends to mean behaviour issues, and the work may not be as interesting as it may not be taught to such a high level.

I think it's a trade off between enjoying the lessons and the experience but having lower grades or ending up with more of the top grades but not enjoying the experience of science as much (he'll have it every day either way). So will it matter about all his grades when it comes to A level/degree? He's interested in law and I don't want him to close any doors by poor choices at this age. Will lack of triple science be frowned upon even if it's not a science degree he wants?

My son was top set but hated science. His science teachers said that to do triple science, you have to love science because there is SO much science teaching.
He doesnt love it so he chose double and used the space for another language. He got 8,8 in double and is now applying to do languages at uni.

I think he should do the humanities options. Double science is fine. My nephew was a good all-rounder but loved humanities, languages etc. He did double science instead of triple in order to fit more subjects in. Did a mix of science, maths and humanity subjects at A level, and is doing a science subject at a top university now.

DD2 did triple science and 2 humanities, her other options were French and Drama. She would have done a Geography A level if it had been offered at our 6th form. But then our school allowed 10 GCSEs - not all schools do. Her lowest grades were 2 6s, everything else was higher.

The critical thinking skills used in science are fundamental to law. It probably won't matter if he does double or triple in principle, so long as it is taught well and he gets good grades. Sounds like he might be at risk of underperforming in the lower set.

Are you sure it's a choice between triple sci and double humanities? At our school it's perfectly possible to do both.

It would be possible for him to do both but he's set on drama - absolutely loves it and we've also heard it's good for law, though it seems everything is!

The reality is that double science will have a more mixed cohort. Lots of the able students will be going for the 3 separate sciences, which then distorts the groups doing double. Unless they set for double science (unlikely) then he will be doing science with a less able group than if doing 3 sciences.

Whether this is an issue depends on the school and your son. Presumably he learns most subjects now in a mixed environment and gets on okay. But do remember that the brighter kids largely won’t be in the classes if he goes for double.

But,putting up with that might be more beneficial if he gets to study she subjects he loves and might do for A Level. It’s a bit of Hobson choice as you lose out somewhere in this system when you’re not a scientist..either you have to learn with the less able or you sacrifice the chance to do more humanities.

There will be loads of bright kids who don’t do triple science - because they’d rather do humanities - if timetable is constructed in a way that doing both is impossible. One of mine did double science because she wanted to do two foreign languages, and that was the only way it was possible.

I’d say there will be some bright students not choosing triple, but the majority will go the triple route. Whether it’s right or not, the triple has kudos and the children given it as an option usually like that fact and go for it. Sciences at A Level arena growing thing, as is Maths and people often (rightly or wrongly) think separate sciences will look better on their UCAS application and prepare more for A Levels. In some humanities, it is also possible to pick them up at A Level without having done GCSE.

So while I agree there will be some other bright students picking the humanities and going for double science, you’ll find the majority of the bright ones go for triple.

That doesn’t mean your DS can’t get top grades in double science. I’d ask tos eve the results from the last 4 years if they aren’t readily available. They are really important. See how students doing both double and triple perform...you’d expect the triple results to be better, but are students in double getting top grades too? Also useful to see the humanities results too,for interest.

It is a shame to have to take these things into consideration when choosing and to not just be able to go for your favourite. However, in most schools, some departments performs substantially better or worse than most, and it’s worth knowing.

I’d say there will be some bright students not choosing triple, but the majority will go the triple route.

OP has said only the top set are allowed to take triple science, so unless it's a very small school with very few sets, there are likely to be a good number of able scientists taking combined.

In DD's school they have nearly 50% taking triple science and they still have about 10% of the year taking higher level combined science (schools will have to set combined science at least from part way through Y11, due to the nature of there being foundation/higher papers).