Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Combined / triple science gcse

25 replies

35and3 · 24/08/2023 18:44

My daughter is going into year 9 next month so very early days for GCSEs but she has to submit her options in the New Year. She wants to do medicine so I assume triple science is a must for science alevels? Could someone confirm, please?

OP posts:
redskytwonight · 24/08/2023 18:51

Triple is not a must to take science A Level (not all schools offer it) but if she enjoys science and it's offered, it's probably a good idea to take triple.

Also consider the sixth form where she might be going (if you have any inkling at this point!) - if she's going into a sixth form to study science A Levels where most have taken triple science, this will make her first term that bit harder.

Ukelele101 · 24/08/2023 18:54

Students can do A level sciences after doing combined but there are parts of the A level course studied earlier on that build on content taught to the triple science students only. So in a way, the triple science students are better prepared. Also, following the combined science route would give your daughter two GCSEs in ‘science’ whereas doing triple your daughter would get a gcse in each science so three in total. Triple science could also be favoured when looking at uni applications etc. Hope this helps.

Original poster
35and3 · 24/08/2023 18:55

Thank you both Smile

OP posts:
Cathpot · 24/08/2023 19:04

Another plus for triple science is that it gives you 3 separate science grades , whereas combined science gives you 2 grades that are worked out by averaging the 6 papers. This means if eg you are brilliant at chemistry but less good at physics, your triple chemistry grade is stand alone and isn’t put into the pot with your physics grade. Most medicine courses require chemistry, another science ( usually but not always biology) and then another A level - so you don’t have to take all 3 sciences at A level. If she is serious about medicine there are lots of things she can start doing now that will help her application- some very helpful posters on threads about it on here if you’ve not found them already.

Greigewalls · 24/08/2023 19:08

My DC is a Dr, triple science was almost mandatory

Greigewalls · 24/08/2023 19:10

Also chemistry was the only A level which was mandatory, best have a look at medical schools admissions and go on the student room

caerdydd12 · 24/08/2023 19:12

Greigewalls · 24/08/2023 19:08

My DC is a Dr, triple science was almost mandatory

Absolutely not possible considering many schools don't offer it.

Hersetta427 · 24/08/2023 19:56

Certainly not required but there is a big difference in the content for combined science and triple science so doing combined puts you a bit behind the curve when you start A level biology and chemistry. I would definitely do triple even if you don’t really need physics.

Housewife2010 · 25/08/2023 06:29

When choosing options, my daughter's school told us that if they chose combined science, but later decided to do science A Levels, then by the Christmas of Lower 6th, they would have caught up with separate science students. Doing combined science wouldn't affect their career choices. My daughter chose combined science. She got 8/8 yesterday in her GCSEs and will be doing Physics and Biology as two of her A Levels.

TheCyclingGorilla · 25/08/2023 07:22

My DD just got a six in Combined Science. She's never enjoyed the subject, nor felt very good at it, so we advised her to do Combined over Triple just to get enough to go to Sixth Form or College. Most of her friends did Triple, but it's a lot of extra work, however they were very suited to it.

TeenDivided · 25/08/2023 07:26

The other things is doing triple science she is more likely to be in classes for science with other good, interested students.

In combined science classes there will of course be good, interested students, but also kids who are only doing it because it is compulsory, some of whom may not try so hard.

Why wouldn't you choose triple if looking at medicine?

CurlewKate · 25/08/2023 07:35

@TeenDivided
"Why wouldn't you choose triple if looking at medicine?"

Because lots of kids aren't into a position to choose triple science. But hey, them's the breaks, huh?

redskytwonight · 25/08/2023 07:44

TeenDivided · 25/08/2023 07:26

The other things is doing triple science she is more likely to be in classes for science with other good, interested students.

In combined science classes there will of course be good, interested students, but also kids who are only doing it because it is compulsory, some of whom may not try so hard.

Why wouldn't you choose triple if looking at medicine?

This entirely depends on the school (but I agree it is worth checking).

At DC's school they have a top set for triple science and a top set for combined science, and mixed ability everywhere else. The top set for combined science is basically everyone taking the higher paper. Whereas an awful lot of strong scientists are in mixed ability groups in triple science. And some of them chose triple science because it sounded more interesting than the other options in the group, not because of a deep interest.

The school's policy on taking triple science also feeds into this. At DC's school it's only the very weakest students that can't take triple. At other schools it's limited to top students only.

HappiDaze · 25/08/2023 07:51

My DC school invited them to take triple science. They won't even give you the option if they don't think you're up to it

If they let her choose triple them she should do triple for sure

TeenDivided · 25/08/2023 07:55

CurlewKate · 25/08/2023 07:35

@TeenDivided
"Why wouldn't you choose triple if looking at medicine?"

Because lots of kids aren't into a position to choose triple science. But hey, them's the breaks, huh?

OK. I should have written 'Why wouldn't you choose triple if you have the choice'
(But I thought that was somewhat obvious from use of the word 'choose'. You can't choose triple if it isn't a choice.)

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 25/08/2023 07:57

HappiDaze · 25/08/2023 07:51

My DC school invited them to take triple science. They won't even give you the option if they don't think you're up to it

If they let her choose triple them she should do triple for sure

This - at DS's school, you are "invited" to do triple science. You need to be pretty good, and competent and confident, as three subjects are taught in 2 option blocks. I think it's the top 20% of people scored on Y9 science tests. Might be more nuance than that.

Ghostlight · 25/08/2023 08:04

At ours they just split it on ability and it isn't something you get as an option, they put the top set for triple, 2nd and 3rd sets for double/combined and 4th and 5th for single science where they do paper 1 of all three sciences.

If she wants to go into medicine and she has the choice I would choose triple, plus it's a whole extra gcse for not really that much more work.

randomsabreuse · 25/08/2023 08:10

Depends how it's structured at the school. If it's an option block that takes out a subject she really wants to do, the fine to do combined. If it's in the same time as double and therefore an "extra" and probably best to do that

Would definitely also consider sets and who you'd be working with, crowd control issues really affect science teaching!

CurlewKate · 25/08/2023 13:33

" it's a whole extra gcse for not really that much more work."

I'd take issue with this!

Scarfweather · 25/08/2023 13:54

My DD loves chemistry and biology but hates physics (despite high marks) and was expecting to do triple science. However she also wants to do one creative GCSE and because of the option blocks she can only do combined. So I checked around as this didn’t seem fair, but it does happen, apparently, and all teachers I spoke to have said she will be fine to take chemistry or biology A levels.
My friend’s DD is studying medicine at Oxford and she did combined as school didn’t offer triple.

Of course, I’ve had ‘friends’ mention that only ‘underperformers’ take combined science. It’s amazing what people will say to themselves to self-comfort or give themselves the sense of smugness they so desperately feel they need. There are people doing this here too.

redskytwonight · 25/08/2023 14:40

Of course, I’ve had ‘friends’ mention that only ‘underperformers’ take combined science. It’s amazing what people will say to themselves to self-comfort or give themselves the sense of smugness they so desperately feel they need. There are people doing this here too.

Yep, My DD also took combined science as she preferred another option over taking triple. I think this is very common.

She got better GCSE grades than DS who took triple, but chose it as he really enjoyed science.

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 14:54

Some years ago the girls’ grammar near us didn’t offer triple science. DD did it but her former primary friends didn’t. A while ago now but if it’s on offer, I would take it.

Palehorse · 25/08/2023 16:47

Having had my DD's results yesterday for combined where she scored an 8-7, it was clear from the breakdowns that she got 9s in chemistry and biology, and a 7 in physics (her weakest of the sciences).
We were advised by the school that she was better suited to combined rather than triple (essentially to lessen the 'exam stress'), but with hindsight she would have been better to do triple as the extra 'stress' wouldn't have made any difference and her overall grades in biology and chemistry wouldn't have been pulled down by physics.

Original poster
35and3 · 25/08/2023 16:47

Thank you, yep she'll defo do triple! She wants to do biology, chemistry and maths alevels.

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 16:54

Why don’t schools look at ability as opposed to judging maturity and personality? This can very much change in 2 years. All exams can induce stress.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page