DD not being allowed to do Triple Science, really wants to, anything we can do?

[avidhorizon]

We moved to York this year and DD (year 10) got a place in a school that we wanted that's supposed to be really good. She has a flight path 7 in her old school, and we were assuming stupidly I suppose she could do triple science, like she wants to.

The school is saying only flight paths 8 and 9 can do triple science. I dont see this rule written down, and other kids at the school are surprised she's not doing triple with a 7, but the school is adamant. She's gutted and we're really cross because of the effect it has on her, and because we generally think this school (which is well regarded by veeeerrrryyyyy traditional) doesn't like doing science for girls (hardly any girls doing A level science there, we now realize).

Is there anything we can try, before we look at letting her apply to another school, with all the disruption that'll involve?

That's out of order. I would move schools ASAP because if that's their attitude...it doesn't bode well in other areas.

My DC school let anyone who wants it, do triple science. There are tons of options so if you are choosing triple, it's probably because you like it regardless of predicted grade (7 is great anyway!). The triple classes are great and in my opinion easier than a whole new subject. The leap to A level is huge and I wouldn't recommend less than a GCSE 8 taking A level because it's a slog, but if she can get 3 7s that's fantastic!

Schools vary massively in how they approach this.

Some do not do triple at all and everyone has to do double.

Some make people apply for triple and only have one group doing it.

Some make triple an option but let anyone choose it

Some have an "express" set who do triple in the time everyone else does double (this sounds quite likely for your school if they want everyone to be predicted 8s and 9s.)

Some make nearly everyone do triple and only a few drop down do double.

The best way to get her in the triple course is to make a nuisance of yourself. Do best in mind that they may have started in year 9 so she may have missed content, and if it is genuinely an express set they'll be going like a rocket.

If you are going to move schools be wary of the above. Not all schools offer triple at all,

Triple science is not harder (there's just more of it). My DC took triple science and got grades lower than 7s.

Some schools do have the rule that they have limited places for triple science and offer to top sets first though. So may be something like that.

This is ridiculous. I have kids in my triple class with MEGs (minimum expected grades) of 4. They end up doing the foundation paper but still enjoy the course.

Not allowing your enthusiastic daughter to do the triple course is crazy!

Science teacher here.

From experience, students get spread too thinly with separates. So there’s a chance of ending up with say, grade 4’s in B, C & P rather than ‘2 grade 7’s in science’. Separates is much harder and significantly more content, which explains the dip in grades that often (but don’t always) happen when they were previously working at a higher combined grade.

If it was my child I’d take it upon myself to prove that she is currently capable of achieving the same grade (or better) such as by giving her exam condition mocks at home in separates, prove her maths is good enough, ask exactly why they say only grade 8 and above can do separates such as is it a class size issue or a ‘spread too thin’ issue described above, for example. See what they say to the evidence in your case as it would be obviously wrong to deny her the opportunity if she is going to excel!

Not really. There’s just more content. There’s a foundation option. Not that this applies for OP’s daughter. Sounds like she’s doing pretty well with a MEG of 7.

Some really depressing comments. OPs DD is a solid grade A/B student. There's absolutely no reason why she shouldn't take triple science. We shouldn't be rarioning education at age 15.

More of the content she’s currently not excelling at.

Not all schools accept a 7 as an exceptional grade, it’s fine but it’s obviously not the best or particularly successful.
Many more academic led schools only encourage pupils to do triple science or advanced maths when they are going to do well rather than struggle.

Unless there are already 30+ students in the triple science class & therefore physically no more room.....

Utter nonsense. A predicted 7 at this stage is perfectly acceptable. Likely to increase as she’s enthusiastic. She should not be prevented doing something she is passionate about.

I have had plenty of kids start with predicted grades of 5 or 6 come out with 9s.

My DD was in a similar position but in her case the triple science was oversubscribed and she didn't meet the cut, even though her target grade was an 8. We tried to fight it but didn't get anywhere so she had to choose a different subject. Happy to say though she achieved an 8-8 in the combined science this summer and has started A- level Chemistry and Biology this autumn and seems to be on a par so far with the students who did the triple.

Attitudes like this make me despair for the future of kids (girls) in STEM subjects.

Let’s only consider results rather than what’s best for the child?!

Not my experience at all, in a secondary state for 22 years.

Experiences can differ.

Similar length experience in state secondary.

Can you give a clue as to which school she is in? Dd is in Year 10 in a York school and doing triple science. There is only 16 in the class though so plenty of room. I don’t think it is the same school though - the “traditional” doesn’t ring a bell.

St Peters?

DS Also in Y10 is predicted a 7 also and was offered a chance to do triple science but declined. Definitely challenge this decision.

If your dc loves science. I would speak to school and push for triple. The class may be full but you won’t know unless you ask.

My son is at a grammar school and it was suggested he move from triple to double - we looked into the difference carefully and its kind of like doing 2.5 gcses rather than three gcses - you can still do science for A level there are just a few topics to catch up on.
Anyway, he was moved to double as they were worried about his science grades...he ended up getting a 99 for the double.

Isn't it a B?

Lower level A, like A- then. 8 would be a solid A and 9 A*. That was how it was explained to me.

9 = A*
8 = A* / A
7 = A/ B

It would be worth finding out why the school only allows students predicted 8/9 to take triple. Is it because there is a single triple class and it's full? Because they have found students predicted a grade 7 struggle? Some other reason?

In the few years between my DCs starting Y10, their school has changed the process of deciding which science course the students would follow. This has resulted in DS (who really wanted to do triple and whose predicted grade is an 8) not making the cut for triple whereas his older sibling - who had no strong feelings either way about triple/combined - was in a year group where more of them were given the opportunity to do triple. For DS's year, there is a single triple class of 30, everyone else does combined.

We spoke to the school, DS pleaded and explained why he was so keen to do triple but the school wasn't prepared to let more of the year group study triple. The compromise was that DS would self study the triple content so if anyone left the triple class, he would be in a position to take up the space. There were all sorts of frustrations along the way but just as Y11 started, we heard that someone was leaving the triple class and DS was being moved!

The school doesn't usually let students change class in Y11 so DS has been lucky to some extent but it's only been allowed because of all the additional work he's done over the year. Had there been space in the class, I believe he'd have been able to move sooner but the rooms aren't physically large enough for more than 30.

7-9 A and A*
4-6 B to C

Not sure about lower. These were the original guides given by the boards.

So people roughly think

9 is A*
8 is low A*/high A
7 is low A
6 is high B
5 is low B/high C
4 is low C

9= higher than A *
8= between A* and A
7= A
Conversion table is available on the gov website.