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Original poster

Gcse science

46 replies

Panic71 · 20/01/2023 20:03

Anyone able to help?
Son is doing double award science.
Only top 30 kids were able to do single sciences.

He loves chemistry and physics but hates biology. Currently he’s assessment in chemistry and physics gave him a grade 7 and 8 but biology a 4. They gave him a combined grade of a 6.

Wouldn’t he have been better off doing single sciences??

OP posts:
clary · 20/01/2023 20:45

Triple science is a lot of work tho; maybe the school accelerates a group through it rapidly.

Does he plan to take sciences for A level? What year is he in? Even if he’s in yr 11 there is still time to really focus on the biology grade to bring up his overall mark.

I wouldn’t worry about what ifs; can’t really change now. And I’m not convinced that 4, 7, 8 is so much better in your profile than 6, 6. Plus you don’t know if he would be hitting 7 and 8 with the extra demands of the triple content. I would sisal to his biology teacher to see what he needs to do about the 4.

clary · 20/01/2023 20:45

Sisal?? Speak to his teacher haha

Scabz · 20/01/2023 20:49

He can still do a level with double award - and he avoids the stress of triple. It's fine!

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 20:52

no, if he is struggling with doing biology as part of the double award, he would be struggling so much more with it as part of the triple award.

Best thing is to work on the biology - try BBC bitesize - be sure to be using pages relevant to his specific exam board

wonderstuff · 20/01/2023 20:54

Agree with others there’s more content in the triple so all the grades might be lower. School will absolutely want to get the best possible grades for him.

Playdoughcaterpillar · 20/01/2023 20:55

I think you might be misunderstanding. It's not 3 single separate sciences as the alternative. Are you thinking it would be a chemistry gcse, a physics gcse and a biology gcse? It's not. It's stil combined but it's triple science. The biology would still pull the others down. More content and longer exams.

catsonahottinroof · 20/01/2023 21:03

I think the op means just taking physics and chemistry though, not biology at all. Agree the additional content for physics and chemistry could lower the grades - maybe it would be worth having a word with the science teacher to see if he could be entered for single chemistry and physics if he worked on the extra content in his own time?
Also it is quite likely that his grades will improve by the time of the real exam.

CatOnTheChair · 20/01/2023 21:05

Playdough you are wrong on that.
Triple science is 3 independant exams, and you absolutly do get grades based on the performance in each subject. You can also do 1, 2 or 3 of the sciences - so in the example above, the child would be best doing just physics and chemistry, and getting 2 GCSE's that way.

That said, it is very late in the day to be trying to move from combined to triple. I dont think that is a solution with so few weeks until the exams start.

If he wants to do science A level, the grades there will show his physics ability. If he doesn't want to go down the stem route, 66 or 77 would be a great result, and more than possible with some work on the biology. Personally I'd download the past papers, and mark schemes, and go through looking where to pick up additional marks.

clary · 20/01/2023 21:12

Playdoughcaterpillar · 20/01/2023 20:55

I think you might be misunderstanding. It's not 3 single separate sciences as the alternative. Are you thinking it would be a chemistry gcse, a physics gcse and a biology gcse? It's not. It's stil combined but it's triple science. The biology would still pull the others down. More content and longer exams.

Actually it is exactly that, a chemistry GCSE, physics GCSE and a biology GCSE. But most schools insist you do all three (tho I know of private schools that let you drop one).

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 21:49

Playdoughcaterpillar · 20/01/2023 20:55

I think you might be misunderstanding. It's not 3 single separate sciences as the alternative. Are you thinking it would be a chemistry gcse, a physics gcse and a biology gcse? It's not. It's stil combined but it's triple science. The biology would still pull the others down. More content and longer exams.

yes it is three single separate science GCSEs, not averaged out

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 21:50

sorry, I realise that has already been pointed out

Playdoughcaterpillar · 20/01/2023 21:52

Just went to GCSE talk this week. Sounds like there might be various triple science options. Wonder if it's regional/exam board variance. Had assumed same nationally. Apologies if not. Are you saying you get 3 different grades?

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 21:59

I think it's a shame only certain ' top' kids can do triple. At my school we let anyone who is interested take it. There is a Foundation triple paper available.

Schools shouldn't be so limiting.

lanthanum · 20/01/2023 22:06

The reason state schools insist on all three separate sciences or double award is that the national curriculum specifies that pupils should study all three (although there is no actual obligation to be examined on them all).

With hindsight, maybe your son would have done better with separate sciences, as he could then do foundation tier for biology and go for the high grades on physics/chemistry. However there is a whole lot of extra content for the separate sciences, so no point changing now.

The main thing is to look at what he can do about the biology. I think it's mainly learning, so with some graft he can probably bring the biology score up significantly.

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 22:07

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 21:59

I think it's a shame only certain ' top' kids can do triple. At my school we let anyone who is interested take it. There is a Foundation triple paper available.

Schools shouldn't be so limiting.

It doesn't work like that. Few schools have the staffing to offer foundation triple science. That is a minimum of one whole extra class timetables 2 or 3 times a week for each of the 3 sciences

CatOnTheChair · 20/01/2023 22:13

Playdoughcaterpillar · 20/01/2023 21:52

Just went to GCSE talk this week. Sounds like there might be various triple science options. Wonder if it's regional/exam board variance. Had assumed same nationally. Apologies if not. Are you saying you get 3 different grades?

Absolutely, in England you get separate grades for each science in "triple" science that you do.

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 22:15

It doesn't work like that. Few schools have the staffing to offer foundation triple science. That is a minimum of one whole extra class timetables 2 or 3 times a week for each of the 3 sciences

I have them in the same class. So while hard on me as a teacher. It can very much work like that.

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 22:16

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 22:15

It doesn't work like that. Few schools have the staffing to offer foundation triple science. That is a minimum of one whole extra class timetables 2 or 3 times a week for each of the 3 sciences

I have them in the same class. So while hard on me as a teacher. It can very much work like that.

You can end up with them in the same class, but only if they are all aiming for higher, then some drop down. You cant teach two specifications in the same class for two years

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 22:19

@Nimbostratus100

The specifications aren't really that different.

Nimbostratus100 · 20/01/2023 22:21

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 22:19

@Nimbostratus100

The specifications aren't really that different.

the teaching is completely different

Indigoshift · 20/01/2023 22:24

Just takes more planning. I literally am doing it now.

Not ideal granted but very possible and there isn't normally that many students doing the foundation.

Oblomov22 · 20/01/2023 22:31

Ds2 wants to do triple science.

MoreHairyThanScary · 20/01/2023 22:37

Dd2 is taking triple science she struggles with physics so is taking the foundation paper for that but higher for biology and chemistry.

Original poster
Panic71 · 20/01/2023 22:52

Sorry I should have said, he’s in Year 10.
Im assuming that a 7 on a paper in year 10 might not actually mean a 7 in a gcse exam though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Panic71 · 20/01/2023 22:53

MoreHairyThanScary · 20/01/2023 22:37

Dd2 is taking triple science she struggles with physics so is taking the foundation paper for that but higher for biology and chemistry.

This would be my preferred option too

OP posts: