GCSE choices - double or triple science?

[CordeliaNaismithVorkosigan]

DD is trying to work out what to do about GCSE. Because of the way her school timetables the GCSE curriculum, she can’t do triple science and geography and history- she has to do double science or drop history or geography. At the moment she doesn’t know what she wants to do for A-level, so I’m advising her to do the thing that limits her options least. The school reckons she’ll be able to do A-level physics or chemistry from double science and it’ll be fine, but does anyone have any experience of this? How hard was it for a student who hadn’t done triple science to catch up?

(As an aside, I find this ‘double award science’ business infuriating- if they did separate GCSEs DD could just have dropped biology and she wouldn’t have had a dilemma!)

Our school has advised that double science is very close to as good as triple science as far as sixth form colleges go. Also obviously less work and you're not spreading yourself as thin. If you are definite about a specialism in science eg biology it's worthwhile they advised, but if you're still quite open double is fine.

Our school only does separate sciences everyone does all 3. I certainly would not do A level science without having done the whole gcse.

Also, history and Geography are good humanities subjects to have under your belt, in case she realises in a couple of years she would prefer to head in that direction. Our son doesn't hugely want to do maths A level, which a lot oh physics/chemistry A level courses seem to strongly recommend, hence he is doing double science and something else to keep his options B-road.

Broad not b Road.

Personally, I don’t think that double science is good prep for A levels / it’s too big a jump.
most state school do the double/triple science thing because it’s easier for them.

does she have any idea what she might like to do at uni? If it’s science based she should do triple, if not I’d go with the double.

My DS did double science at GCSE as he did not wanted to gave up his other choices then did physics A level. He then decided to do Math at Uni.

Where is she planning on going for sixth form? Does her school have a sixth form?

My Dd did double gcse science then A level chemistry and got an A*

I think double science is fine, but in my school nearly all the higher achieving students do triple and the behaviour is generally better in a triple classes. This isn't the case in all schools so try and find out how many do triple and what the results like for combined.

Hi Op, my DD is studying chemistry and biology at sixth form and took double science.

They have to do all 3 at my dds school.

One of my daughters went to a grammar, where the head at the time had changed the system from insisting everyone did triple science, to allowing them to choose double science. For a grammar this was seen as very unusual as the girls were all expected to be “academic”.

Girls were allowed to take a science at A level if they had achieved the necessary result in the dual science exams for that science.

Interestingly, the take up of sciences at A level increased at the school when she brought in this system.

My school (state grammar) only offered double science, I then did biology A-Level with no issues. DD is also choosing her options (comp) and her science teacher said it wasn’t that important, even if she wanted to do science A level (she doesn’t) that doing what she enjoys is best (as triple science uses up an option).

It's perfectly possible to do A level sciences after double science GCSE. At my DC's school most do triple but the neighbouring school only offers double and they still have plenty of pupils who do well at science A levels and go on to do STEM degrees at well respected Universities.
I guess for a pupil who is set on science A levels and a STEM career then triple makes more sense but not everyone is sure about that at the point they are choosing GCSEs and I don't think double closes any doors. I'd say that choosing as broad a range of subjects as possible is very sensible at GCSE, especially for a pupil who is not uet certain about their next steps.

I think double science is more than 2/3 of the workload of triple (depending on the board) so I’d choose triple personally. Incidentally my DD did history A level without history GCSE.

I did double science and then a science A level with no issues

My super selective girls grammar only offered double and everyone was fine at a level. But then they did stuff like enter us for triple anyway as we got it all done in time.
We also upgraded dt / graphics from short to full and it and rs so ended up with silly amounts of full gcses. Like 12 to 14.

I teach at a very good but not super selective grammar and most take double award.

Yes, technically they cannot stop you doing a level history or geography without the gcse as there are no requirements to have done it from the exam board. Schools can be naughty though but will back down if fully challenged. Of course its not really advisable though as gcse does give you a leg up in both,very bright kids don't need it.

We have consistently been told that they can take A level history even if they haven't done GCSE. I think it also depends where she plans to take A levels. If at same school they will be set up for supporting them to develop additional knowledge. If moving to a different school where most people take triple science it might be more challenging.

She’s planning to do A-levels at the same school (it’s one of those state comprehensives that suddenly becomes highly selective in the sixth form, but unless something goes really wrong she’ll get the grades to stay). She hasn’t a clue what she wants to do at university, that’s half the problem.

My DC's school only offered double science and plenty of people went on to get good results in science A levels. I think it is easier to do science A levels from double science GCSE than to take up Geography or History from scratch to do A level.

The school sets for everything, so not too worried about behaviour either way: she’s top set for science and humanities at the moment.

I don’t think she’s likely to try to do geography or history A-level if she hasn’t done the GCSE.

Interesting that quite a few posters are saying A-level sciences from double award are fine, that’s very reassuring. I did my GCSEs back in the dark ages and a lot has changed.

Dd did double sci at state comp, then a level chem + bio
Got into med school
So just do double if she wants the other options