GCSE 21st Century Science

[thelibster]

My DD2 (year 11) is currently at a specialist music school but has made the decision to leave at the end of this year and come home to a local state school for sixth form, as she wants to do medicine at university. I was surprised and very disappointed to learn from the head of biology at a local secondary school that the 21st Century Science course she is following at her current school is not adequate preparation for A levels. She thought that she was a good science student (she is predicted A/A* in all three and has scored 100% in two of the six modules already taken) but now self-doubt is creeping in. Any Science teachers out there with any advice please?

[thelibster]

Bump.

[mummytime]

Most schools will take pupils on to A'level with good grades in double science, which I believe is what your daughter will get from 21st Century Science. However, there is a considerable gap between double Science and A'level, and it can be a struggle to bridge it. If your daughter is highly motivated, she should resign herself to working on this over the summer. CGP produce a book on this gap, eg. Headstart to AS Chemistry. She could also ask her new school for guidance on what she should be looking at. Some self study will also help her prepare for the change in studying needed for A'levels.

[thelibster]

Thanks mummytime. She has been told that she can get 3 seperate sciences by taking an extra module in each subject, which she is on course to do. Her older brother did the same course but only took two modules in each subject so has a duel award. DD2 has already taken two in each subject and is taking a third in each in the summer. I did ask the teacher who "poo-pooed" the course what she should be looking at before she came and she replied that it would be up to DD to find out to prove how motivated she is! Thanks for the tip on the CGP guidance books. I will certainly get the one you mentioned and look out for any more!

[Talkinpeace]

sounds like a bilge course to DH (who knows such things shall we say)

[thelibster]

Oh dear, Talkinpeace, what is a bilge course? (Hangs head in shame at total ignorance)

[Talkinpeace]

www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subject?assdef_id=1001
The first paragraph proves that it is NOT a true science qualification
www.21stcenturyscience.org/

its the kind of thing found in the bilges of a ship....

[Relaxmum]

Hi thelibster

We are currently going through this problem with DD, as your daughter she did 21st Century science last summer. she got to independent college in scholarship to study Biology, Chemistry, and two other A level. Like your DD she wants to study Medicine. She had the most stressful 1st term, espcially with chemistry. the gap is unbelievable, it reduced her to tears most of the time. The positive thing is go back and learn the basic and this term she just got to the level of her peers with chemistry but still need work with biology. All I can say is 21st century is a waste of time and not fair on kids want to study science A Level. Try Livescience.co.uk was life saver for chemistry for my DD.

Good Luck

[thelibster]

Am really confused now! Your first link is to the IGCSE course and your second to the GCSE course that DD is on, she is doing the triple science option which is listed here www.21stcenturyscience.org/the-courses/triple-science,1423,NA.html. I have confused the issue by referring to modules rather than papers. She has done papers 1 and 2 (modules 1,2 & 3 and modules 4,5 and 6 respectively) already and is taking paper 3 (module 7) in each in the summer. Please, Talkinpeace, could you ask your DH to look at this and let me know what I should be getting for her to study over the summer? Does he think it will be impossible for her to achieve good grades at A level? I would be so grateful.

[webwiz]

I think the problem will be if everyone else has done triple science and your DD hasn't then the starting point for the A level will be wrong for her.

DD2(year 13) has done A level chemistry following on from the 21st century science and hasn't had any problems (is on course for an A) but she has stayed on at her own schools sixth form and so the teaching assumed the double GCSE and followed on from there.

I do think the triple science is a better preparation though and if she can do the extra modules it will help the step up. In DD2's school year 12 and below will have the triple now and they have made it a requirement for science A levels.

Not very helpful of the new teacher though

[thelibster]

Sorry, cross-posted with Relaxmum, thank you so much for the heads up on Livescience. Will investigate now!

[Talkinpeace]

thelibster
DH was on the Politics Show on TV when this syllabus was introduced, trying to explain that inventing a 'cuddly' science syllabus would just confuse students as their less scientifically minded teachers would not realise that learning "about" science is NOT the same thing as "learning" science.
How it impacts on society and how it is perceived is diddly squat use when you have a person or animal bleeding out in front of you.
Its an intersting course for the Arts minded so that they are not as scientifically illiterate as Chris Monckton, but for anybody who wants to "do" science its about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Relaxmum has clearly been through this - their link is as good as any I can find.

[thelibster]

Webwiz DD2 is doing the triple science option but, from what others are saying, even that isn't adequate preparation for A level! Am bloody cross now, duped by a school again!!

[webwiz]

thelibster DD2's friend got AAAA for AS levels (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths)and has offers from medical schools after taking the 21st century science double award GCSEs. I don't think it is a good preparation for A levels but it doesn't mean all is lost and your DD can't do very well.

If she knows what exam board the new school use for science A levels then she look at the relevant bits in the CGP revision guides.

[thelibster]

Thanks for that crumb of comfort webwiz. I was on another thread talking about advice from schools on GCSE options and now am even more of the opinion that they're often just not worth listening to. We were "sold" the idea of 21st century science on the basis that arts minded students could just do one or two sciences and the more scientifically inclined could follow the triple award and be as well prepared for A level as anyone following the more traditional courses. Added to the fact that the Cambridge name carries a lot of weight and that it is endorsed by York University, whose Medical degree is, apparently, well regarded, albeit relatively new and here we are, practically up a gum tree! GRRRRRRR!

[Relaxmum]

again pls don't worry too much, it is true she will find the jump higher than others done triple science. But it will make here to work hard from the start and will catch up in a little time. the experience of hard work and furstration will be good preparation to her medical course in the future. Don't panic or she will think she cann't do it. Now just focus on GCSE. And have a good summer rest. You cann't make her worry for A level now when she hasn't even done GCSE.

[webwiz]

I think the teaching of science at GCSE level has been in turmoil over the last few years. Just from personal experience DD1(19) did Edexcel double award at GCSE, DD2(17) did OCR 21st century science double award and DS1(14) will do the OCR triple - a ridiculous amount of change in such a short time.

I would focus on making sure your DD does as well as possible in her GCSEs and then use the long summer holiday to do a bit of preparation work. DD2 likes the CGP guides and finds them very accessible, science A levels normally involve January module exams that are timetabled very near to each other so if she can find out whats in the first module for each (it will be on the exam board website) and do some preparation she'll actually find herself ahead.

[thelibster]

Thanks Relaxmum, I am just trying to find out which board the institution she will, hopefully, be joining in September does before I "cough up" for the Livescience chemistry course. Not much help when it comes to Biology though, anyone any ideas? She's not doing Physics for A level but Maths and Further Maths instead. She is doing the IGCSE for Maths which, again, we were told would be better preparation for A level than the GCSE! I know that she has studied some areas of Maths that are not covered in the GCSE such as Differentiation, but is this a "watered down" qualification as well? Maths teachers?

[webwiz]

I would have thought the IGCSE was a better preparation for Maths than the GSCE. I think the modular Maths GCSE is poor preparation for A level so DCs school do the linear course.

DD2 does Maths and Further Maths at A level and there was less of a step up for her between GCSE and A level than in Chemistry and History but she is a good mathematician (has places to do Maths at uni).

Are the exam boards not in the prospectus?

[Talkinpeace]

Libster : RELAX : IGCSE Maths is fine.

[thelibster]

Well, that's a relief! I think she is well motivated and bright enough to catch up on the Chemistry and Biology, given the right guidance, but the thought that she might be behind in 4 out of her 5 A level subjects was a bit daunting! webwiz, I can't find the board on the website but have put in a call to the head of science and he will, apparently 'phone me back in his lunch break.

[Relaxmum]

I am not Maths teacher but DS1, has done Maths and further Maths, and currently he is doing Maths degree in Russell group Uni. Maths unlike other subjects the jump is gradual( if A/A* GCSE is achieved), both DCs are/were said C1 is a step up GCSE and as well as C2. the new FP1(further Maths 1) is made a little bit easier so that it can be taken along side AS level.I think the main hurdle in A level Maths( according to DS1) is Differntiation and some other new concepts not covered in GCSE. I think your DD will have advantage again which will give her more time to focus on the sciences!

[Talkinpeace]

Interesting views on the Science syllabus here
community.tes.co.uk/forums/p/26113/3295904.aspx#3295904

[thelibster]

Talkinpeace interesting, yes, but not really much clearer I'm afraid. The world seems to be divided into two camps; "it's ok, she should be able to manage A level with a bit of extra hard work", and, "it's rubbish, she'll struggle to catch up". Problem is, I'm finding people on both sides who seem, to me at any rate though I'm no scientist, to have equal levels of experience and qualifications. 'Tis a minefield!

[webwiz]

If she was in year 9 it would be worth considering the debates but its a bit late at this stage. I'd just go for a bit of extra work at the start to cover any gaps and that really should be enough.

[thelibster]

webwiz I think you're right, she's just going to have to work hard over the holidays and the Livescience site seems excellent for Chemistry but doesn't seem to do Biology so I'll have to get some guidance on that and get the CGP guides too. She has managed to get some voluntary work experience over the holidays at a local children's hospice (she already knows that she wants to go into paediatrics) so she's going to have a busy summer!