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Secondary education

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Original poster

Triple science or combined science

58 replies

chickensandbees · 09/11/2023 12:13

Does anyone have any advice on whether it is better to do Triple Science or combined science. DD is in Y10 and hasn't been given the option yet (and may not be given the option) but I wanted advice in case she is given the choice. A parent told me the school usually give the option of doing Triple Science or Combined science to those that have the ability.

DD is predicted a 7 at the moment in science, she doesn't seem to think she is very good at science, but she enjoys Biology and would like to be a nurse. She has talked about doing Biology at A Level.

If she was given the option would it be better to do triple science if she can, especially if she wants to do Biology at A Level? Or as she is only predicted a 7 would it be better to focus on Combined science?

OP posts:
Araminta1003 · 09/11/2023 12:17

The most academic schools insist the kids do triple science. If she wants to do any Science at A Level and she can get reasonable grades, she should do Triple Science.
My DC are/were at grammar and were not given a choice. They had to do Triple Science and Ad Maths at GCSE.

secondfavouritesocks · 09/11/2023 12:18

she is already on one course or another, she won't have an option to change to triple if she is not already doing it

Hoolahoophop · 09/11/2023 12:18

Triple science was only offered to the very best students at my school, it is more work. But then if she is planning on a science A level its probably worth the extra work.

TheLonelyGoatTurd · 09/11/2023 12:19

If she is in year 10 has she not already started the subjects?

Talipesmum · 09/11/2023 12:20

Where do you live, OP? I’d have though by that if your daughter is already in y10 she’s already started her GCSEs and wouldn’t she therefore have already been placed in combined or triple science?

Also, a grade 7 prediction seems pretty good to me. I’m sure the school will steer on this but if she is thinking of biology a level, and has the capability, I’d have thought the more science the better. She shouldn’t choose a less intense path due to self doubt, when it sounds like she’s perfectly capable.

Gizlotsmum · 09/11/2023 12:20

My daughters school say it doesn’t matter if you do combined or triple science in terms of getting into A level. All the 6 th forms we are looking at accept either so might be worth having a chat with the school and see what they say.

secondfavouritesocks · 09/11/2023 12:22

Lots of schools are limiting the number of classes on triple science because the can't staff them

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/11/2023 12:23

Depends on the school. In my DC school, the sciences are streamed so that the top set do triple science. The grades also reflects it where triple science has significantly better grades then combined. They time table the same amount of time for both triple and combined science.

mumonthehill · 09/11/2023 12:23

Was she not told when she did her options in year 9? If she is getting 7's then triple science would be better. It is normally offered to the more able students.

Original poster
chickensandbees · 09/11/2023 12:23

Thanks, I'm told they all do the same till Y11, I was surprised as well. But another parent told me that it was then her son was offered triple science.

We're in Somerset.

OP posts:
Peachpicklepie · 09/11/2023 12:23

I did double science (all my school offered), did Bio and Chem and A Level and then studied Veterinary Medicine, so double doesn't mean she can't do A Level (although it will be harder). As others have said, she'll have started the course already so while she could drop down to double, she won't be able to step up to triple. So best to find out what she's currently doing.

TeenDivided · 09/11/2023 12:23

if she is y10 already, does that mean that they do triple in the same time as combined, rather than having selected it as an option in y9?

In which case it may be far better to stick to the slower pace of combined and really nail it, rather than speed through the syllabus and maybe come out with lower grades.

You can do A level from either.

Did they not explain all this when they selected their GCSE options?

Original poster
chickensandbees · 09/11/2023 12:27

Talipesmum · 09/11/2023 12:20

Where do you live, OP? I’d have though by that if your daughter is already in y10 she’s already started her GCSEs and wouldn’t she therefore have already been placed in combined or triple science?

Also, a grade 7 prediction seems pretty good to me. I’m sure the school will steer on this but if she is thinking of biology a level, and has the capability, I’d have thought the more science the better. She shouldn’t choose a less intense path due to self doubt, when it sounds like she’s perfectly capable.

I think you are right @Talipesmum it's the self doubt that holds her back even when she is told she has ability.

OP posts:
TeenDivided · 09/11/2023 12:46

It is better to get say 8-7 or 7-7 on combined than 666 on triple.

The more 'science the better' is not bad advice if triple science takes an option, but doing it in the same time as combined means 40% or so more content to be covered and revised for and longer exams come summer y11.

If and when she is offered it, go through the positives and negatives, but the decision isn't a 'no brainer'.

TheLonelyGoatTurd · 09/11/2023 12:49

Does your DD want to do all three sciences at A level, OP, or just one or two? @TeenDivided would that make a difference to what she should choose?

TeenDivided · 09/11/2023 13:01

TheLonelyGoatTurd · 09/11/2023 12:49

Does your DD want to do all three sciences at A level, OP, or just one or two? @TeenDivided would that make a difference to what she should choose?

From previous discussion on this board it seems to me that generally it isn't an issue to do combined then go on to sciences A levels, as the 'missing' topics are either irrelevant for A level or are re-covered anyway.
Unless the school insists on triple to be allowed to do A level of course.

(Note if this was an option subject it would matter far less.)

Original poster
chickensandbees · 09/11/2023 13:10

TheLonelyGoatTurd · 09/11/2023 12:49

Does your DD want to do all three sciences at A level, OP, or just one or two? @TeenDivided would that make a difference to what she should choose?

No she doesn't want to do all three, just Biology.

OP posts:
Happytimes123456 · 09/11/2023 13:12

secondfavouritesocks · 09/11/2023 12:18

she is already on one course or another, she won't have an option to change to triple if she is not already doing it

This is not correct. I am a science teacher and at my school the students decide at the end of year 10.

Happytimes123456 · 09/11/2023 13:14

I did double science at school. I then did biology, philosophy, art and maths at a level, and then biology at University. I am now a science teacher in a secondary school. Having the double award rather than a triple award never went against me.
If she struggles with physics and chemistry I would suggest she does the combined. The content is not as difficult and it means she can do another gcse to give her more options.

Ohnoooooooo · 09/11/2023 13:16

My son is at a grammar school and was given the option of doing combined as he was towards the bottom of the year in sciences. That said I think he was still predicted 7s. He studied hard and ended up with a 99 in Combined science and his school said he could do sciences for A levels if he wanted to.
Combined science worked for my son as it meant more time for him to study his other subjects.
There is apparently about 6 topics of biology missed in combined sciences she would need to catch up on over the summer for A levels.

JustKen · 09/11/2023 13:25

My DD did combined because she's never had much interest in science even though she was very capable. She prefers arts and humanities. Because her Art GCSE took up A LOT of her time it was easier for her to get the GCSE however she could so she was able to do her A' levels. She got 6s which isn't bad.

Bear2014 · 09/11/2023 13:25

If you're doing any science at A level, I would think you should do the three for GCSE. It will help having a good foundation.

Copasetic · 09/11/2023 13:29

Of my two eldest daughters one chose to do double science (but was given the choice as top set science) because she was sitting her A level maths early and didn't want to do maths. At that time only the top set did triple so the class she was in was full of very clever children who put effort in but were just not chosen for triple. She got A* A and went on to do A Biology without issue.

My second daughter chose to do triple (chose not to do any extra maths exams) but then regretted her choice panicking and thinking it would be detrimental to her other grades. By then the school had decided to put the top 2 or 3 classes into triple. She went to double for a week, realised that the kids in that class messed around and didn't want to learn, and went back to triple - getting 9, 9, 8. So I'd just say be careful if choosing double in establishing how many triple classes there are.

However, they did not find a problem with A level Biology either way.

elkiedee · 09/11/2023 13:34

DS1 did Triple Science - Maths and Science were his favourite and strongest subjects and the ones he did best in - he's now doing Maths, FM, Physics and Philosophy - but DS2 has chosen Combined as this gave him 4 options rather than 3. He said Triple would have been too much work, although I'm not sure it would have really meant more in total than Triple with 3 of his 4 options. The actual choices didn't change that much between 2021 and 2023 when it came to options forms, but they were presented differently in the booklet, in a way which I think gives more of the choice to students who could choose Triple Science but might want the flexibility to do other things.

In both years their classes completed the KS3 work and started on GCSE syllabus work in February/March of year 9, despite lockdown disruptions for DS1 - they did some kind of tests/assessment. DS1 didn't have mocks in Year 10 but two sets of mocks in year 11, and apparently these were used to decide whether students would actually do Triple or Combined and for Combined, at Higher or Foundation.

7 at GCSE is equivalent to A or B and it's a good grade - all of the sixth forms which DS1 looked at would allow students with 7s to do Biology - I think they look at your other science grades too, and they will take applications from Combined or Triple Science students. It's probably a good idea to discuss with teachers and to find out how the final decision on which exams your DD will be entered for is made. As she's already in year 10 I assume that the number and subjects for her other options are already chosen, and it's not a question of whether or not she can try a new subject or has a dilemma of choice between subjects she likes.

TheMildManneredMilitant · 09/11/2023 13:43

The other way of looking at it is if you have a bright but unmotivated child who does well at science and less well in other subjects then 'just' doing double gives more headspace for everything else. We went with double option for that reason. We had to choose in year 9 though.