Would you go for Triple Science or Double in this situation?

[kpp11]

Ds is very good at science and will most probably study it at a level (he will definitely not study all 3 at a level, just one or two). My question is should he go for Triple Science because that will probably give him an advantage at a level or should he go for double science and another subject which will most likely give him an 8/9?

The new, reformed GCSE’s have a lot more content, hence it is entirely sensible to timetable 1 option slot per GCSE.

I agree. At DD's school triple science took up three subjects slots, double science took up two.

Rubbish.. dd did double science

It isn't rubbish for some students @Embracelife. Clearly your DD is very bright if she is at medical school, but the step up to A level from double science is bigger than from triple science because more content is covered in triple science. Why would you make A levels harder than they need to be?

If your DS wants to do science A levels OP, it makes sense to take triple science.

He should be able to get a 8/9 if he goes for Triple Science. The other subject is just much easier and he loves it too but he will never study it at a level. At parents evening both teachers said he would get a 8/9 easily, both are hoping to get him next year. I think the best choice is triple science, but will speak to ds and see what he really wants to do.

The A level will be easier if he takes triple

He needs to love it though - triple is usually 8 lessons a week (vs 5 for double)
If you check the coursework books, the pages are marked for the extra triple content, so you can see the difference

Both will mean 6 exam papers (2 each on Biology, Chemistry & Physics) but on triple they will be approx 45 mins longer each

At DC's school you can only do triple if invited, but dd turned it down as wanted to do History & Geography as well as German

Is the subject he would have to drop a favourite/best at one?

Is the other subject something he can learn about (or do, if creative /tech) in some other way rather than as a gcse?

The other subject is not a favourite but he enjoys it and he is probably the best one in the year group, I think this is why he is considering it. He can learn more about this other subject by reading books etc., but to be honest, I don't think he will look at it again unless he chooses it for gcse. And I am probably answering my own question here lol. He has a real interest for science and has the potential to do very well, so I think that will have to be his option.

If he's best in the year at the other subject, then the teacher may well want him to do it, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's in your DSs best interests. And if it's something he could learn by reading about but probably wouldn't ... yeah. I think that tells you something!

The step up from Chemistry at gcse to Chemistry A level in particular is sometimes underestimated so if it is highly likely that he would do science A levels he is giving himself the best shot at A levels by doing triple especially if he is an 8/9 student anyway.

They cover all the same topics in combined as they do in triple but in less depth. There are also more practicals in triple. If your DS is taking one or more sciences at A level then triple would be the best option. Otherwise double. There's no need to take triple if then taking humanities or arts for A level.

DD's school only offered triple as an option to those who were doing well in science when she moved into Y10 which was lucky as she's doing two sciences for A level.

Precipice - saying only dim kids do combined science is so offensive! My daughter got 120 for both her maths and English Yr 6 SATs, and passed two different counties 11 plus exams. But she doesn’t like science and will never do it for A level so we are advising her to do combined science as it will be easier for her to get better grades in it.
For the op - I agree with others if he likes science it might make more sense to do all three if he wants do do science at A levels but if he doesn’t want to do all three than just do the combined. Some schools only offer the combined and these kids still go on to do A level science.

Precipice - saying only dim kids do combined science is so offensive!

I agree. What a shitty thing to say

In most schools triple science takes up three options, so students aren't cramming more work in the same time that double science students are.

If a student is better at languages and humanities why should they take triple science at the expense of a humanities or language subject?

Loads of very bright students at DD's school took double science and achieved all As and As at GCSE, and all As and As at A level.

The other thing to consider is, if he takes science A Levels, whether the other kids around him are likely to have taken triple science as this will make a difference to the expected background knowledge and where the Teschingen will be more pitched at.

If it’s his school sixth form and most have come from the school, it sounds likely they will have mostly done triple. That may not be the case if he goes to another school or a college.