I'm in year 11 and am about to tackle my gcse's. I'm in an accelerated group for science, and I'd appreciate some advice about the Double Science and Triple Science awards!
Does anybody else feel pushed to achieve an unrealistic target?
Do we as the students have any rights to choosing our owns courses?
Is anybody else in a similar position?
I'd really appreciate you to read this whole post. I understand its long, but i really think it will apply to so many people!
A little background history to help you understand my situation:
I'm considered a 'bright' student, for my gcse's I am targetted A*'s across the board with a couple of A's
I was placed in top set science in year 8 (2006-07) and told we were the only set to be doing our SATS a year early, as a test group. We all agreed because let's be honest, SATS are pretty useless anyway (so annoyed we were the last year to do them before they were abolished!)
We were told that by doing them a year early, we'd have an extra year to concentrate on gcse's because they actually matter. We all agreed.
I got a grade lower than the majourity of my classmates in my science SATS, i got a 6 and most people got 7's.
At the start of Year 9, we were told that we were going to do a module of our science GCSE at the end of year 9. I was thoroughly confused at this, as we had been told we'd have an extra year to do our gcse's...not that we'd do part of it 3 years early! Our whole class had been set A* target's for the Triple Science award we had been entered for...even the ones like me who had acieved a 6 at SATS. After a term of GCSE science when i was just 13, i was struggling and asked to be moved down a set, or to change my target. I was told this was not possible, as the rest of our year were studying for SATS and i'd already done them. I argued they had been the one to enter me early in the first place, but they refused to move me down or change my target.
We did our module at the end of year 9, and i along with a number of others in my set achieved a B grade in biology, chemistry and physics, although the majourity of my class scored A*'s across the board. The school blamed my grade on that i can't of revised hard enough (which i argued is untrue, as infact i had worked really hard and would've completely failed otherwise. In fact i was very proud of having achieved B's, as that is what i had worked hard for).
We took another module of the triple science at the end of year 10, and i again achieved B's across all three of the sciences. I was flagged up by my school as an underachiever (despite being right on target for all of my other subjects) and told that it was revision techniques that was my problem (again untrue, as i worked hard again). I argued that my targets were too high, and i was simply capable of achieveing a B and that i had been set too early. What is the compulsion for school's to accellerate student's at such young ages, for my case i had just turned 13 when i sat a gcse module intended for a 16 year old!
So here's the stage i'm at now
-I have less than a week until my final biology module, and just over a week for my physics and chemistry.
-I have comepltely lost motivation for all of the science's. I have never had any intention of furthering my education in science to A Level and now i have even less intention.
-Despite this, i am on track for A*'s in all my other subjects and i intend to get them by working my arse off, and i have discovered i have a passion for the humanities, which is what i will be studying for A Level.
I'm aiming high, i'd love to get to Oxford but im realistic enough to realise that my triple sciene has really let me down. The set's below us are doing the double science award, and are ALL achieveing A's-A*'s. I feel that i was set far too early - and just because i'm good at humities doesn't mean i'm good at science - right? The subjects are completely different but it was assumed that I am just as good at science.
A few weeks ago, a boy in my class who is struggling like me was offered a chance to drop the course, and get a double science qualification. He said he wanted to continue witht the course as he intends to do it A Level. A few days ago, i realised - hang on? Isn't this what i've been asking for the past 4 years? Why haven't i been offered this choice? I've written countless letters to the school asking to drop the subject to concentrate other subjects, but its always come to a dead end where they assume i'm just lazy at science.
I approached the teacher a few days ago, and explained that i'd like to take up the offer of dropping the triple science. Sheepishly, she explained that it had meerly been a 'threat to make him work harder'. I countered that if he had taken up her offer, surely the school would've had to make it possible for him? She was lost for words. She said she understood why i was angry but she wasn't sure how possible it would be.
Is anybody else in a similar position? I feel like i've been in a constand battle with my school, and that I've been completely mis-regarded and ignored. Do we as the students have any rights to choosing our owns courses? I was told there was no other option to doing Triple Science, but now it sounds like there was the option of DOuble Science all along. It makes no difference to me either way, as doing science's early has left me completely unmotivated - for me, science is a compulsury subject that i just want to get over with, i have other priorities.
If i'm aiming for Oxford, then GCSE's really matter. I'm worried this may jepodise my chances, but has the school made a mistake in mis-representing what my course entail's and now i wonder if they've been concealing this other 'Double Science' option from me this whole time.
I'd really appreciate everybodies opinions on this. I'm sure there are many more like me who feel pushed and pushed and pushed to achieve something so out of reach. Thankyou.