Chemistry A Level

CHEMISTRY AS Level (Year One)

• Level 3 course
• One year (AS) or two years (A level)
• Progression higher education and employment
• Exam board OCR Specification H034/434
• 5 periods a week
• This course is offered within the Maths, ITC and Science Division

Course outline
3 Units. Units 1 & 2 assessed by written examination. Unit 3 Practical Skills
Unit 1 (F321) Atoms, Bonds and Groups
atoms and reactions
electrons, bonding and structure
the periodic table
Unit 2 (F322) Chains, Energy and Resources
basic concepts and hydrocarbons
alcohols, halogenoalkanes and analysis
energy
resources
Unit 3 (F323) Practical Skills in Chemistry 1
Practical work will be a major feature throughout the course. In addition you will be assessed on your practical skills. This involves tasks that are set by the exam board and marked by your teachers.

Assessment
There are three parts to the practical assessment:
Qualitative Task: this will involve you: performing tasks competently; observing accurately; recording reliably; organising results; and reaching valid conclusions
Quantitative Task: this will involve you: using apparatus competently and safely; recording results to appropriate precision; analysing, interpreting and evaluating results; and reaching a valid conclusion
Evaluative Task: this will involve you: recognising trends in data and identifying anomalies; assessing reliability and accuracy of procedures and measurements; and understanding and selecting suitable improvements to procedures and measurements

Teaching styles
An extensive range of teaching styles is used on the course including: practical work; use of ICT; and group work. Lessons are varied and accommodate all learning styles and abilities. Teachers are well qualified, have good subject knowledge and plan a range of activities to meet the needs of all students (OFSTED 2009).

Subject combinations
Many students will take Chemistry alongside other science subjects but for others it may be their only science subject. It goes particularly well with: Mathematics; Biology; Physics; Business Studies; Law; and Health and Social Care.

Resources and facilities
The course is taught in a laboratory that is equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard, and allows students to use their own laptops. Students can access the Colleges VLE both at College and at home, including Podcasts used for revision. . Teachers make good use of resources to promote learning, which is often extended and reinforced through very effective use of ILT (OFSTED 2009).

Key features
Good group sizes, excellent additional support, experienced and approachable teachers who are available to help students on an individual basis are all key features that help each student achieve their best.

Progression
With its emphasis on developing good analytical skills, Chemistry is an ideal preparation for a wide range of careers inside and outside science. It is particularly useful for careers in: analytical chemistry; biological chemistry; colour chemistry; marketing; medicinal chemistry; process chemistry; patent law; academic chemistry; new technologies; and information science.

CHEMISTRY A2 Level (Year Two)

A Level (Year 2)
Unit 4 (F324) Rings, Polymers and Analysis
rings, acids and amines
polymers and synthesis
analysis
Unit 3 (F325) Equilibria, Energetics and Elements
rates, equilibrium and pH
energy
transition elements
Unit 4 (F326) Practical Skills in Chemistry 2
further practical assessment

Entry requirements
A pass in the AS level (having passed at least 2 modules) and Grade C in GCSE Maths and English Language. If you have a Grade E in AS, you may need to follow the AS course again as
well as A2, in order to try to improve your knowledge and confidence with the AS content, upon which the A2 study is built.

Progression
The A2 Chemistry course can lead on into a variety of scientific and non-scientific careers including Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacy, Drug manufacture, Law, Accountancy and many others.