Students must study all three Science subjects and, at the Maiden Erlegh Trust, they will be examined separately in all three subjects.

There are two routes for the Sciences at GCSE, Combined Science (worth 2 GCSEs) or the 3 single GCSE Science courses (Biology, Chemistry and Physics).

Science at GCSE level aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of scientific theories, but also their ability to apply that knowledge, analyse and evaluate information, in practical and everyday scenarios. It gives students good life skills, regardless of the path they follow.

Combined Science

This is a two-GCSE sized (double award) qualification covering the three science disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students are awarded a grade based on their overall performance across these three disciplines.

Single sciences

Students following this route study three separate sciences, which gives three GCSEs: GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics. Students are awarded individual grades for each discipline. Separate science students study all of the content from Biology, Chemistry and Physics disciplines of Combined Science, but with added extra material in each discipline.

Grades

Both routes have higher and foundation papers and give access to all grades from 1 to 9. However, the two grades for Combined Science are awarded in a slightly more complicated fashion. Further information about the grading for Combined Science can be found here.

Examinations

All students sit six examinations at the end of year 11, two papers for each subject. Students following the Combined Science route will sit shorter papers of 70 (MECE) or 75 (MES, MESiR) minutes, while the single Science examinations last 105 minutes.

What can my child do after GCSE?

Regardless of the route followed students will have the opportunity to carry on studying the Sciences and other STEM subjects at both A'Level and in Higher Education (degree level). No university asks for the single Sciences at GCSE as an entry requirement.

Further information can be found here in the "Informed Choices" booklet from the Russell Group of universities.