How did your school offer GCSE Science?

How did your school offer GCSE Science?

Did they offer Core Science and Additional Science?
Or did they offer separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics?

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Reply 1

mollyxrose

Both, it depended on both preference and ability. They offered "double science" which consisted of core science and additional science and they also offered "triple science" which would leave you with separate GCSE's in biology, chemistry, and physics.
If you performed well in science in the lower years of school you were submitted to do triple science however if you felt uncomfortable with the workload you could choose to do double science. Those who weren't good at science in the lower years of school were submitted to do double science only. Although a few people did swap to triple science if they excelled.

Reply 2

Thinedivine

In my school, the top set does core science, additional science and extension science and the other two sets just do core and additional.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

Cali_lewis

Top sets do biology, chemistry and physics, lower sets do core and additional

Reply 4

Mareghand

Ah the days of gcse triple science. I did mine in 2008, what an old man I here you say!!

Basically we had 2 options....

1) triple science
2) double science

25% did triple, 75% did double.

Most of the people doing triple wanted to go into something medical/engineering etc.

Reply 5

BlueGangsta

Top do all 3
middle do 2
and people just do the core science.

Reply 6

06shawm

In Yr 9 we were split into the higher and lower sets.

If you were in the high set:

Core science in Yr 9. Additional science in Yr 10. Triple science in Yr 11.

If you were in the low set:

Either BTEC or Core and Additional science over three years.

Reply 7

Mareghand

In all honesty, the meaty stuff is all after core science. It doesn't feel like science just doing core, everyone should have to do double by law imo.

Reply 8

Angelo12231

Top set did triple, second set did double and the last 4 sets did BTEC.

Reply 9

Mareghand

Then again gcse science doesn't feel like science. Heck most of its so dumbed down, it's not even true. I would say science really starts at AS Level.

Reply 10

Angelo12231

Original post by Mareghand

In all honesty, the meaty stuff is all after core science. It doesn't feel like science just doing core, everyone should have to do double by law imo.

Agreed, though I'd say additional was the battered skin, further would be the meat. I found that further was more useful and applicable.

Reply 11

BlueGangsta

Original post by Mareghand

In all honesty, the meaty stuff is all after core science. It doesn't feel like science just doing core, everyone should have to do double by law imo.

I know but ALevel science makes gcse feel like elementary school maths. Someone got into ALevel science by just doing core science

Reply 12

Jkizer

Everyone did Core & Double.

Then given the choice of triple or other sciences like environmental science, human biology

Reply 13

Mareghand

Original post by Angelo12231

Agreed, though I'd say additional was the battered skin, further would be the meat. I found that further was more useful and applicable.

When I did triple back in 2008 on AQA, I found core to be absolute garbage. It was all on ethics and "don't do drugs kids". Heck I even remember the cell topics actually started in double, thats such an insult to science. The cell is like the core of biology.

Double was where all the good stuff was, triple I found the most interesting but it was a lot of stuff that was useful to know but you didn't really need for gcse. Triple wasn't that much harder than double. Core to double was a huge jump though. Shame on the exam boards.

Reply 14

Mareghand

Original post by BlueGangsta

I know but ALevel science makes gcse feel like elementary school maths. Someone got into ALevel science by just doing core science

They must have cried.

you need at least double to have a chance to stand at A Level.

Reply 15

Beanos

Top set did triple, anyone else did double, except those who couldn't do double, no idea what they did.

Reply 16

username1445684

Original post by KettleMan

How did your school offer GCSE Science?

Did they offer Core Science and Additional Science?
Or did they offer separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics?

My school offered Triple, Double and Btec. We had a science test in late year 9 which determined which we would do, however some people begged the school and were allowed to change.