Single science/Double science/Triple science. Please explain!

[erebus]

Following on from an earlier thread, some assumptions I'm making, and some questions:

-Am I right in thinking one or other of the course is chosen and embarked upon at the start of Y9?

-Is it then followed thru to GCSE or can a DC swap up from single to double or double to triple during it?

Are all 3 'trad.' science subjects studied in all 3 cases but to a greater degree in the double and triple courses?

Can a DC be on the triple course, do badly but then get awarded a double or single instead? Or is it all or nothing?

Can a DC take a GCSE in either pure Chemistry, Physics or Biology any more?

Thanks.

[abgirl]

• Depends on the school. Lots do some teaching in Y9, but all do in Y10 and 11
  

• Depends on the exam board but with AQA yes, as longas the school picks the right units to enter
  

• Yes, but to greater depth and more areas covered in double and triple
  

-Yes, most likely your DC will do unit 1s in Bio, Chem and Physics first and will then either be streamed on to double or triple depending on their performance

• Yes, candidates can take biol and/or chem etc, no need to do all three. Must have 2 to count towards e-bac.
  

HTH, happy to give more details if needed...

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Well what it means in my dcs school is:

Triple science means separate science (bio, chem, physics) and you get GCSE's in sep sciences. You have to be in a high science set to do this.

Double science means the 3 disciplines in 2 GCSE's - so covered in slightly less depth. The majority of students do double or triple depending on ability AND interest (some v academic pupils doing double - if science isn't their thing and they prefer humanities and langs)

Single science is for those who are in bottom set - all 3 sciences but at basic level

You can't do, say, biology only, or physics and chemistry only, as you could 'in my day'. At every level it's all 3 to give broad overview.

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

This split triple/double/single only happens at GCSE, start Y10 but chosen in Y9. Up to that point all pupils follow same curriculum but in different ability sets.

[Ormirian]

Oh I had this last night! WTF? The teacher explained it kindly to me as if to small child but I was still confused as to what DS would be doing in the end.

[abgirl]

Grunge you can just do biology, chemistry or physics', it's just that most schools won't let you now.

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Ah I did wonder Abgirl. Here it's sort of 'all or nothing' and I wasn't sure it that was a general rule now or not

[LondonMother]

I'm sure schools vary in when they decide which GCSEs pupils should take but I think this is the way it works:

Triple Science:
Biology GCSE - module 1 + module 2 + module 3
Chemistry GCSE - ditto
Physics GCSE - ditto

Single Science = Integrated Science GCSE. You take module 1 from each science.

Double Science = Integrated Science GCSE, as above, + Additional Science GCSE, which means doing module 2 from each science.

Given that everybody does module 1 in each science, and most pupils take them at the end of year 10, there is scope for a bit of chopping and changing up to that point, I suppose.