A level physics, how hard is this truthfully?

[southeastastra]

ds is thinking of doing this, ime it's exceptionally hard (well was at o level) what is the A level like?

ds is doing double gcse science atm predicted B

I think he will find it hard if he "only" gets a B at GCSE Double Science - is he predicted/has he achieved better grades in the Physics modules?
Having said that, DS2 got a B for GCSE Maths and managed to keep up with A Level Maths - because he has had good teachers and small classes.

...I did physics A level...back in the days of O levels.
Going from O to A level THEN was hard. So he should expect to put in a lot of work to get up to speed with physics as a pure subject.

On the other hand I really enjoyed it, fascinating subject.

What Miggsie said. His school may well him to do A level maths too - and if they don't want him too, then he should anyway, or he will find it very hard.

I LOVED school physics, but found it hard. Did the level (in 1989!). It was never my best subject, but I went on to do it at Uni too. Still loved it after that too. IF he can cope with the concepts, and can do the maths, then it shouldn't be that hard, although I do remember needing to put the most time into Physics.

I agree with Lilymaid. I got a B in double science GCSE and reckon A-level Physics would have been a nightmare. However, at my school they'd only let you do science A-levels if you had done the three separate sciences at GCSE.

maths is his strongest subject and he really does enjoy it, as well as physics but i wonder how much of a jump it is to a level.

it's so hard he has to pick so early yet there doesn't seem to be another subject he could take instead iykwim.

i think i'm getting a bit neurotic about it of his behalf.

I'd have thought if he was only doing double science rather than triple he'd struggle tbh. There are I think (happy to be corrected by secondary teachers!) a couple of extra modules that triple science students do in physics (and the others too obviously) which at AL he'd be expected to have covered.

that's my worry titcy, i've told him to go and talk to his teachers, but they seem to leave so much up to the kids which is quite frustrating.

I got A at GCse physics and found A level really, really hard. Got a C in the end - but I haven't got a 'maths brain'. Those who did found it easier!

I did maths and physics A level. Yes they are hard but fit quite well together.

If he wants to do it then I would let him have a shot - if they're anything like my school were they wouldn't let him do it if they didn't think he was capable.

But the fact is most A levels are a jump from GCSE and they're meant to be.

Have you spoken to his teacher? DD is taking physics, maths and chemistry for A level. She is doing triple GCSE. We both went to the 6th form options evening and both spoke to her teachers. The school does have an entrance criteria for doing science subjects although I can't remember what exactly that is.

Although he has to choose now, my understanding is that it is quite easy to change course depending on what the actual GCSE results are.

My DS only did the double science at GCSE(cos thats all the school offered)and is now studying AS Physics, and will be taking it to A2 hopefully.
BUT
he did get A* in double science and maths, and the syllabus the school follows leads on directly from the double science GCSE award.

Can you email the head of science and ask whether the A level course they do is suitable for double science candidates?
DS says it is very maths based, so if maths is his best subject, that will certainly help.

My DH teaches Physics. In his school they only offer double science (we are abroad) and his students go on to do A level from that, so I don't think that precludes you DS necessarily. Why is he doing double - because it's all the school offers, because of timetable issues or because the school advised this?

I think my DH pretty much knows who should go on to do A level and what kind of grade they can expect so I second the other posters who have said talk to his teacher.

And yes, it is very maths based, so strength in that will help. What is he predicted in maths?

i found it easier than i thought.

it's all modular these days, anyway, which a) makes it harder because you have a lot of exmas to do at short (revision) notice, so you have to be really prepared all the time (ie work hard) but b} makes it easier because you only have to learn small chunks of concepts at a time.

i don't think it was as much of a leap from GCSE to A-level as it was implied. (that was from 2 GCSEs of combined science)

(and i got a BB at GCSE)

A level maths and mechanics is a good accompaniament...maths/stats does not fit so well.

Now A level maths...that was hard! Once you get your head around the abstract/theory it is great and a lot of it feeds to physics.

he's doing double as he wanted to get other subjects in.

he's predicted b at maths but wants to do that at A level too. i think he's capable but will have to motivate himself to get this. He knows that it isn't easy.

should i just let him do what he feels he is capable of?

school didnt seem very helpful as i said earlier.

FWIW, in choosing A levels, I would look at which subjects your DS is predicted to do best in at GCSE, then look at what he likes most, and hopefully both lists will be the same or very similar. It's really important to choose the subjects you enjoy, but be realistic about your eventual grades if they are not your strongest subjects.

I am a secondary teacher and teach GCSE physics, maths and chemistry and chemistry A-level. B in double science would mean a bit of a struggle and most likely underperformance at AS although by the end of A2 he should probably be fine if he is good at maths. It is a big jump from GCSE since a lot of the mathematical concepts have disappeared from the spec (even for GCSE physics) in favour of more 'How Science Works'. Does his school run taster sessions for each A-level. This will help give him an idea as to whether it is the A_level for him. Also consider his other subjects so they compliment.

My DS1 got an A in Physics and Biology GCSE much to my amazement. We thought he certainly wasn't capable of doing Physics A level, but he did do Biology to AS and found it very hard (just scraped a pass) and then dropped it at A2.

Conversely got B for English GCSE (should've got an A or A*) but did go on to English A level and got an A, so you never can tell!!!

I think the difference may have been he actually enjoyed English.

My ds loves physics ( Y 11) and is very good at it, predicted A and got A in recent mocks, but has NOT got a 'maths brain' - or at least not an indication of one so far - and I am worrying my socks off because he is mega keen to study physics at uni and has to somehow develop a 'maths brain'.. I have asked numerous maths teachers about the likelihood of developing this at age 15 through application.. and it's still as clear to mud to me! I'm trying to make sure that he has a 'plan B' built into his A level choices, in case the maths brain fails to materialise!

dd did AS level physics , got A* in gcse maths and sciences
found A lvele hard
didn't enjoy it
dropped it

she is doing maths A level and had to do mechanics becasue she was doing physics-she really regrets it as she would have found statistics much easier.

I don't think any A-levels are that hard these days are they?

I did A level physics 14 years ago () and got an A, so it certainly can't be that bad. And I remember the exam was much easier than the past papers we did, a trend which has only continued if all we read is to be believed.

Give me a science/maths-based subject over millions of useless essays any day.

IIRC though, there's a fair amount of catching up needed from double award science, but that too might have changed.