What Is Combined Science?

Science is a core subject at GCSE in England and Wales, but you can either take the three sciences, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as three individual GCSEs. This is known as Triple, Separate or Single Science. Alternatively, you can study all three sciences and be awarded two GCSEs. This is typically known as Combined Science but you may see it referred to as Double Award Science. AQA offers two Combined Science courses, Trilogy and Synergy. In the Trilogy course, the three sciences are taught separately, whereas, in the Synergy course, content is arranged in topics that cover all sciences.

Caroline Carroll

Physics Subject Lead

Published

9 months ago

Read time

4 minutes

Contents

What is the difference between Triple Science and Combined Science?

If you choose Triple Science, you will end up with three GCSEs, one in Biology, one in Chemistry and one in Physics. With Combined Science, you will still study all three sciences but end up with two GCSEs. Combined Science covers two-thirds of the content that is covered in Triple Science. The extra third of content in Triple Science explores the content in more depth and includes extra topics.

Should I take Triple Science or Combined Science?

You may find choosing between the two options relatively straightforward or your school may determine which option you will take. If you are struggling to make a decision, think carefully about how much you enjoy the subject. If you take nine GCSEs, then taking Triple Science would mean that a third of your time will be spent studying Science, so it is important that you enjoy it. The Triple content is harder, so if you struggle with science, this may not be the best option for you. Triple Science can be beneficial if you have a particular career in mind that is science related, e.g. medicine, engineering, or pharmacist. Taking Triple Science will take up one of your GCSE options, which will mean that you have fewer choices for other subjects, so if you know that you will not pursue science beyond GCSE, Combined Science may be the better option. If you are still struggling to decide, speak with your teachers, and they will be able to guide and advise you as they will know whether you are capable of managing the higher demand of Triple Science.

How many exams will I have?

With both Combined and Triple Sciences, you will sit two exams per science, therefore a total of 6 exams (4 exams in Synergy). With Triple Science, the length of each paper is longer, the questions can be more demanding and require a more developed exam technique.

Can I take Foundation or Higher Tier Papers for Triple and Combined Science?

You can take foundation and higher tier papers in both Triple Science and Combined Science. Foundation papers are suitable for students who are aiming for grades 1 to 5 (or 1-1 to 5-5 for Combined Science) whilst the higher tier papers are suitable for students aiming for grades 4 to 9 (4-4 to 9-9 for Combined Science).

With Triple Science, as each science is an individual GCSE, you could take a foundation tier paper for one science but a higher tier paper for another science. With Combined Science, you must choose either a foundation or a higher tier for all six papers, you cannot mix the tiers of the papers.

Foundation tier and higher tier typically overlap at grades 4 and 5 and some questions will be common to both papers. The foundation tier papers contain questions which are more straightforward to answer, for example, multiple choice questions, sentence completion, and labelling diagrams. Questions are more structured and focus more on your ability to recall information. Higher tier papers include calculations, short answers, and extended response answers and require you to be able to apply your knowledge, so are more demanding. It is worth speaking with your teachers who will help decide which paper is most suitable for you.

How is Combined Science graded?

The grade you are given for Combined Science is based on your performance across all the science papers that you sat; you do not get a separate grade for each science. As Combined Science is worth two GCSEs, your grade is given as two numbers. The highest is 9-9 and the lowest is 1-1 with 17 different grade combinations e.g. 9-8, 8-8, 8-7 etc.

Can I take A Level Sciences with Combined Science?

Yes! You do not have to have taken Triple Sciences to study science beyond GCSE, the grade that you achieve is more important. If you decide to continue studying science at A Level, Triple students may find the first year a little easier as some of the content will be familiar to them. If you know you want to study science at A Level it is worth taking Triple Science if you are able to, however, you can still continue with science after GCSEs with Combined Science. It is worth checking the entry requirements of the school or college you apply to for the subjects you are interested in taking.

Sign up for articles sent directly to your inbox

Receive news, articles and guides directly from our team of experts.

Written by Caroline Carroll

Physics Subject Lead10 articles

Caroline graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Chemistry and Molecular Physics. She spent several years working as an Industrial Chemist in the automotive industry before retraining to teach. Caroline has over 12 years of experience teaching GCSE and A-level chemistry and physics. She is passionate about creating high-quality resources to help students achieve their full potential.