GCSE options time do MFL and triple science matter ?

[holidayfever2024]

Hi all forgive my ignorance but am sure people on here will be able to help.
DD has just made her GCSE choices and hasn’t chosen French or triple science.
we haven’t tried to influence her at all but she came home the other day saying school had said that the above options were worth more UCAS points - I haven’t heard this elsewhere, is it true ?
I don’t think it will change our minds regardless but I would like to be aware if there is anything we need to be aware of like this !

No it isn’t true

Triple science is worth 3 GCSEs so will mean more points than Double science which is worth 2 GCSEs.
You can study A-level sciences with double science and having double science with higher grades is better than triple science with lower grades.

No MFL is fine unless she decides that she’d like to do A-level,

Only level 3 qualifications earn Ucas points (So: A levels, AS levels, IB, grades 6-8 music and drama exams, and the odd one like AEA or FSMQ).

GCSE and IGCSE are level 2 qualifications. They don't earn Ucas points, nor do any other level 2 qualifications like grade 5 music.

Only the lower ranked unis tend to use Ucas points, and unis aren't terribly interested in GCSEs beyond ticking the box of English and maths. There is no UK university that requires a MFL on entry, nor do they require triple science at GCSE. Triple science is a little bit helpful if going on to do science A levels but those with double can easily catch up.

However this doesn't necessarily mean those choosing triple science get an extra grade. At our school, triple science is in one option block, so they will get 3 science GCSEs while others get 2 science and 1 other subject instead.

Yeh what @OneBrightBiscuit and others say. GCSEs do not bring UCAS points, which in any case are only relevant with lower-ranked unis (altho there is nothing wrong with those unis which make an excellent choice for many).

Your DD should take what she will do well in and enjoy (usually a correlation between those two). I assume by not opting for triple science she is opening up another GCSE option so will end up with the same number? not that it matters as long as you are taking 7-8-9 really.

Can you find out who told her the nonsense about UCAS points? as a) GCSEs don't count for them, as noted above, and b) neither GCSE MFL nor GCSEs in separate sciences are needed for uni nor for A level (unless you want to study MFL at A level obvs). I would say that if triple is offered, it might be the case that most of those studying A level science in the school's sixth form will have taken it; but I presume if she has not opted for it, she is not so keen on science anyway. And double is not a barrier to A level.

I say all this as an MFL specialist. I wish more DC would want to take MFL but if they don't, I don’t think it’s a good plan to force them tbh.

as long as she doesn’t want to do mfl for a-level it’s totally fine

Advisable to do triple science to do a level science but many schools don’t offer it so not essential. Some sixth forms might insist on it though.

if she enjoys other subjects more, and is likely to do better at them, then she should chose those

Thanks so much for all the replies I am glad it wasn’t true ! I was wondering how I had over looked it if it were the case. I think the school like as many as possible to do triple science but it is as @CocoPlum said and she does the same number of GCSEs over all in the end. She is unlikely in my opinion to u turn on her preferred subjects and DH and I were happy for her to choose what she will most enjoy as its her who has to do the studying not us. Quite surprised that some of her friends are doing what their parents want them to do, but that’s not my business I know.

Our school forces you to do a language.

None of those gcses are relevant unless she wants to go into stem or MFL

My DS is doing French because there are only 5 of them in the class (everyone else took Spanish for Y9) and non of the other options were what he wanted either. He doesn’t get to choose triple science though as only the very very academic students are allowed to sit triple science as it’s not an option subject and simply done in the normal science lessons. He is in a top set (parallel so 2 top, 2 middle and 2 bottom) but won’t be one of the students chosen.

Thank you I just re read your reply - I agree with it all.
I asked DD again and I think the misinformation in fact has come from one of her friends whose parents are insisting she takes French. I did French A by level and did really hope DD would choose it but haven’t put and pressure as I hope the link between her choosing what she enjoys will feed into the efforts she makes !
She loves reading and ‘wordplay’, enjoys learning , loves her school , and is eager to stay there for A levels . I would rather this all continues without too much stress and pressure.
She will take 10 GCSEs at her school and only 4 of those are her choices so I wanted her to get those to be her own decision.

Just a couple of thoughts on the triple science which I don't think have been mentioned:
They definitely don't need triple to do science A-levels. However if they go to a sixth-form where almost everyone has done triple, it may be a steep learning curve at times. Some sixth forms may ask for triple (but if they take kids from schools that don't offer triple, then they probably won't).
If she's a high-flier, and most of the other high-fliers opt for triple, she may find the pace is not so good in the double science groups.

As she hasn’t chosen triple Science, I am assuming she is not that bothered to study Science at advanced level. She would choose triple Science if she loved it.

Does she want to do A level science?
If so check entry requirements for 6th form. Eg at our secknary with triple you only need the qualifying grade in the preferred subject but need it on both of you just do the double.
If she's not into science then a wider range of subjects would likely be more interesting.

While double science is fine for A level, I agree with those flagging that doing triple if possible may help for A level, as in, more content covered, and not being at any kind of disadvantage against those in the sixth form who have taken triple.

But as @Vivienne1000 and others say, surely if she were interested in science A levels then she would choose triple (= more science content at GCSE hurrah)?

One point @lanthanum has alluded to tho is that often the group of triple students is in general more academic and the classes have better behaviour... my DCs' school set for triple versus double (as in, the most able were chosen to take triple, so for example including my bright but non-sciencey DD) so that was obviously the case there – but anecdotally others have said it can also be an issue where triple is an option (as in, the more academic or able students are more likely to pick it, even if not big fans of science). May not be an issue but I guess it's worth asking about?

Thanks for the extra thoughts all. She is much more focussed on the creative / humanities side of things and although she enjoys science she is very unlikely to want to pick any of these up for A level.
I hope the behaviour being different won’t be an issue but it’s definitely something to watch out for as I would like her to do her best with the combined option, her school has made it clear that only one class is combined and 4 are triple so I hope we do t end up with the weakest teachers etc.
I do t imagine it changes our minds but it’s something for me to watch out for.

Oh that's interesting. So 80% of students take triple? That's very high. Is it a selective school? At my DCs' school (set for triple as noted) it was more like a third taking triple. That would make me concerned tbh as if only a small number take combined I would worry that it might appeal to the students who were weaker academically.

Of course a student of any ability can take triple and in fact there are tiered papers; in addition as it is an option, triple will not be being taught at a faster pace in the same time as combined (as it was at my DCs' school hence the setting). Still there is sometimes that perception and it would be a shame if your DD's preference for hums left her in a science class that failed to challenge her. I might be tempted to ask the school what the usual situation is.