Combined Science

[OhCrumbsWhereNow]

Trying to work out how the grades are worked out.

Do they take the results for Biology 1, Chem 1, Physics 1, add them together and divide by 3 for the first mark, and the same with Bio 2, Chem 2, Physics 2 for the second?

Or is there some complex formula that involves all 6 papers in giving the two marks?

Also, if you have a child who detests science, has zero interest and cannot wait to never do them again, plus SEN and high target grades... is it better to:

a) focus on pulling the least hated up to a decent level
b) focus on a bit in each of the three

ie would a good mark in one science and dire in the other two work out to a better grade than just being meh in all three?

Depends on the paper, grade boundaries only apply to a specific paper

How on earth do they finish the course by the end of y10?
Anyway, sounds like FT might be a better bet, and also even as a state school they can ( especially for kids with sen) only enter them for 1 or 2 sciences, eg in the past we have had kids with autism who could not cope with all the body bits in biology, but we entered them for ft physics and they secured a 4, so left school with a science pass. They might not want to do that ( cos progress 8 and buckets and stuff) but if you think it is in your dcs best interests and most likely to give a pass or 2 then push for it.

I had a very very non science focussed child and after a big fight the school agreed they could do the single science they were actually good at - is that a possibility for your DC given you are thinking they could get 7s in one science but struggle to pass the others? Whilst I agree its great to offer an opportunity for a broad base in science there will always be DC who will not be doing a minute more than they absolutely have to and it might be better to play to their strengths.

@JaffavsCookie 3 year GCSE pathway so options were done in Y8

thank you and @londonmummy1966 for the info on the 1 science.

I suspect it’s mainly down to things like what do you do with them for x lessons a week if only doing 1 science, and the wretched Progress 8, Ebacc etc

I am feeling much more cheerful now I know how ridiculously low the grade boundaries are. I was reckoning on 60% for a grade 5…

tbf @OhCrumbsWhereNow when you talk about "ridiculously low" grade boundaries - remember you are looking at the higher paper, where the lowest possible grade is a 3 - so a 5 (while obviously a strong pass and a great grade) is effectively only two grades up from a U. So clearly 60% cannot be asked for for a 5 or there would be nowhere to go for grades 6/7/8/9.

Getting a 5 in the higher paper is tough tbh. I am no expert on science, but in my subject, MFL, it's a lot easier to achieve a 5 in the F paper than the H. Many of the questions in the H paper are aimed at students who will score 7 and above.

I understand that you are concerned about the F paper if your DC does no work for their weaker science - which will then pull down their 5 in the stronger science. That's why I would still push for single sciences and just 2 of the three. It's not about IGCSE - my friend's DD took regular GCSEs.

Which is the subject your DC dislikes - and which are they good at? I do think foundation 5s in the strong one(s) and then not taking the weaker might be better. There may be an SEN/hub type option for the dropped lessons? One of my DC took one fewer GCSE and had timetabled time in the SEN dept instead.