CHEMISTRY

Subject Department: CHEMISTRY

Examination Board: OCR

AS Code: 3882 A2 Code: 7882

Large numbers of students choose to study Chemistry for AS and A2 Level in this school. Many join from other schools; all students achieve passes and most achieve very good grades.

Like the other sciences, chemistry courses have moved on from the simple learning of chemical facts to reflect more accurately the thinking skills needed by professional scientists. The majority of people do not become professional scientists but the logical approach and types of thinking which science courses require will be very important life skills in a very large number of careers.

Students who enjoy success in chemistry at AS and A2 Level have the following characteristics:

	they are very hard-working and are good at researching information;
	they are motivated to do background reading and take an interest in science generally;
	they have a natural fascination for the whole business of substances changing into different ones and have a "need to know why";
	they have no problem with imagining unimaginably large numbers of unimaginably tiny things;
	they are unafraid of mathematics but not necessarily brilliant at it;
	they enjoy using apparatus and doing experiments;
	they are able to write reasonably detailed (or better) reports of experiments

Entry Requirements

GCSE Dual award Science, or separate Chemistry: minimum B grade.

If you have all or a majority of those characteristics listed above then Chemistry could be a sensible choice for further study beyond GCSE. Over the years it has been found that students really do need a B grade or better at GCSE Chemistry or Dual Award Science if they are going to have a chance of enjoying Chemistry at the higher level. Advanced level courses attract students who have followed Double Award Science as well as the Separate Sciences, and teaching is geared to pick up from the point reached by students who have followed the Double Award course.

From September 2006, a new, modernised GCSE Chemistry course will start. This will provide more useful and relevant information for those not continuing with Science beyond GCSE, while at the same time ensuring a firm foundation for those continuing to the AS and A2 courses.

Teaching

Recognising that many students coming up to GCSE may be moving away from science, Chemistry is taught in as sympathetic a way as possible with the emphasis on support for those finding it challenging. Students are encouraged to attend Science Surgeries either for extra tuition or for more advanced discussion if their interest goes beyond the course requirements.

If you fancy your chances at becoming the next Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin or Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, then go for it!

Assessment Pattern

AS

	January	Foundation Chemistry
	May/June	Chains and Rings
		How Far, How Fast? (half module)
		Coursework (half module) Coursework starts in the Autumn Term.

A2

	January	Chains, Rings and Spectroscopy
	May/June	*Trends and Patterns (half module)
		Methods of Analysis and Detection (half module)
		*Unifying Themes (half module)
		Coursework (half module) We complete most of the A2 coursework during the post AS period in Year 12.

* these modules are synoptic in that some of the general principles and fundamental material from AS may be tested in the examinations

top of page