"Science" GCSE

[Amber]

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6062989" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Times Ed ran a story yesterday about this - link above. Main points:

• Almost half of secondary schools don't offer the 3 separate sciences;
  Secondaries in deprived areas are the least likely to offer them, despite the fact their pupils would benefit most;
  Pupils opting for separate sciences are more likely to do science A levels and get better grades.(What a surprise)

I know many schools which don't do the sciences separately: one is a rather exclusive and selective independent girls' school in the midlands; another is a comprehensive which is seeking science specialism status. Interesting.

[Tree]

Pupils opting for separate sciences are more likely to do science A levels and get better grades.(What a surprise)

of course this doesn't prove a causal link it may not be that the better grades are due to studying triple science but that the kids doing triple science are inherently more likely to get better grades.

[Looking for help]

of course this doesn't prove a causal link it may not be that the better grades are due to studying triple science but that the kids doing triple science are inherently more likely to get better grades.

...only if they are given that option

[Amber]

of course this doesn't prove a causal link it may not be that the better grades are due to studying triple science but that the kids doing triple science are inherently more likely to get better grades.

...only if they are given that option

Quite. It is unlikely that all children likely to get better grades will by good fortune find themselves in a school which permits them to do 3 separate sciences. If they are in a school allowing only higher sets to choose separate study, this might indeed be the case, but all you can say from that is that less able children probably do less well at A level Science, which I suppose one might expect.

What it might show is that those doing the subjects separately are likely to be either better prepared for study at A level, or more enthusiastic about pursuing the subject/s to a higher level. Only likely to be, of course, and there will be lots of exceptions.

[guest43]

At my DD school pupils can do combined science but only if they are in the bottom half of the bottom set! In fact they then have to.

Results achieved (A/A*)

Biology 67%
Chemistry 79%
Physics 67%
Combined Science 12%

Nuff said