School changing goalposts

pinkshoes

I also find that even if the kids are doing both Maths and Further Maths, they often still struggle with the maths in Physics because it is applied maths, and they struggle to get their head round it, even though they have done it before in pure form.

I have now git our maths department using the Physics formula sheet so that they are used to rearranging something other than X and Y.

meer53

How is he half way through his GCSE's in year 10 ?

System

GCSE courses start at the beginning of year 10 and terminate at the 'end' of year 11; two years, so if he's just finished year 10 then he's half-way through, surely.... have I missed the point? Admittedly I find it very odd, if he has already studied GCSEs for a year, that the school have changed the goalposts and at first assumed they couldn't do that - I, certainly, would have contacted the school immediately. I read the first post as stating that he had already followed the triple science course for a year... in which case I would have expected a letter and meetings with staff and parents to have been set up to explain the transition and how they had been forced to make such a swingeing decision mid-course...

By the way, I took 3 sciences at A level, having studied separate sciences (now triple science) prior to that - I was able to add 'maths for 6th form scientists' to my A level studies, which helped no end with the physics (and, at that time, the chemistry calculations etc). Would you consider extra tuition for maths to help (possibly paid for?)? To be honest, at the higher level I enjoyed the maths more than the physics!

onlyroz

You will certainly have no problems getting onto an A Level Physics course with a double GCSE in science. I also agree with others that at least A Level in maths is required if you hope to go to university and study Physics or Engineering. Further Maths will help, but it's not essential.

For the record I did a Physics degree with A Levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. The first year of the degree course was about 1/4 maths, I expect because the maths ability of the intake was quite varied. Probably the ones who had done Further Maths found it easier than the ones who had not.

TBagpuss

it is odd - it may be worth asking whether he can be entered for the full exams and to look into the extra classes.

Even if they are only offering the double for the new intake starting Year 10 in September it is strange that they are changing the course half way through.

JasX

My school used to move the goal posts every year!

...always got taken down at the start of the summer to make way for playing cricket on the games field

(sorry, couldn't resist ;p)

xxJudexx

Wow! Thank you all for your responses, it has been very informative

He wants to do Maths at A Level too, hopefully he will choose to do further Maths too.

My mum and brother went in to the school this morning and the deputy head insinuated that they were doing this because most of the kids would struggle. They only seen to care that all the kids get at least C grade, they aren't bothered at boosting the bright kids grades

This explanation wasn't good enough so my mum handed in a letter of complaint, we'll see what response we get from that!

We will be considering getting a tutor in and putting him in for the three GCSE's anyway - just need to work out if the school will book him in for it.

My brother has also said that his physics teacher has now left the school so he will be taught physics from the chemistry teacher! Such a shambles!

Alchemilla

It sounds from what you said about extra classes that they had chosen not to fit triple science into the timetable, considered teaching it as a twilight, then decided not to, possibly because of staffing issues.

Choose your battles carefully though, there is fanny adams the school can do if a teacher leaves, and recruitment is very hard at the moment.

pinkshoes

We have 3.3 Physics teachers in my science department, one of which has just left. We had a total of ZERO applicants for his job, so that leaves us with 2.3 teachers to cover 9 c Y11 classes and 8 x Y10 classes.

We will be having a chemistry teacher taking one of the Physics classes, but this is actually the NORM in most schools - it is quite unusual to find schools where all teachers teach inside their specialism. Most my teacher training buddies teach all three sciences at GCSE.

I shall be going on maternity in January, so I do feel sorry for my head of department having the battle of recruiting a replacement. they will have 7 GCSE Physics classes to teach!

XxJudexx, we only have two of 8 or 9 classes doing triple science, so just the top students who we think can handle it. It is taught in the same 9 hours a fortnight timetable so we oush through at quite a pace.

Is he in mixed ability classes or sets? Is it AQA science?

Seems very odd to move the goal posts so late. We decide at the end of Y9 whether it is a bright year group or not, then make the decision on one or two triple science classses. we occasionally then bump a kid or two down a set if they have struggled.

onomatopoeia99

xxJudexx wrote: »

My brother has also said that his physics teacher has now left the school so he will be taught physics from the chemistry teacher! Such a shambles!

I was taught my final year of A level maths by someone with a "Physics and Philosophy" degree (think that's right!) from Oxford, in his first year of teaching after his PGCE, so he was only bout 5 or six years older than us.

He was very good, despite not being a maths graduate. In fact I'd go so far as to say the best Maths teacher I had at school. Although once or twice we asked him stuff that he didn't know the answer to and had to go away and research before the next lesson!