Chemistry

Why Choose this course?

A-level chemistry is considered an academic and rigorous course. It is an A-level that is respected and highly thought of by all universities and colleges and therefore a good grade in A-level chemistry will allow you to access many different courses. Having successfully studied Chemistry to A-level shows your intelligence, application and ability to learn. The course will develop your practical skills as well as application of knowledge, organisational skills and critical thinking skills.

Prospects

It is an A level that opens up many opportunities for a wide range of careers. You may wish to go into a career in the field of pure chemistry itself or you may go into a totally unrelated discipline. It is an essential A-level for courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy, biochemistry and microbiology.

Course Content

A Level Chemistry Year 1 Topic Areas studied:
Physical chemistry - including atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria and Le Chatelier's principle.

Inorganic chemistry - including Periodicity, Group 2 the alkaline earth metals and Group 7 the Halogens.

Organic chemistry - including introduction to organic chemistry, alkanes, haloalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis.

A Level Chemistry Year 2 Topic Areas studied: Physical chemistry - including thermodynamics, rate equations, equilibria and electrochemical cells.

Inorganic chemistry - including properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides, transition metals.

Organic chemistry - including optical isomerism, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, aromatic chemistry, amines, polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy, chromatography.

There are three written exam papers of 120 minutes each which are done at the end of year 13. Subject content taught in year 12 is also re-assessed at the end of year 13. There are twelve required practicals to carry out in lesson time over the duration of the two year A-level course.

Course Opportunities/ Activities

Opportunity to enter the RSC Young Analyst Competition
Research Projects with the Nuffield Foundation
Work experience opportunities with partners such as Unilever
Access to further reading materials and online resources.

Support and Challenge

All chemistry students are well supported with topic booklets, past papers and relevant textbooks. We usually have relatively small class sizes of between 10-15 students which means plenty of opportunities for 1:1 support and attention. The course involves as much meaningful practical work as possible which helps to bring concepts to life and means that by the end of the course students have improved their organisational, planning and manual dexterity skills. Previous students have been supported with successful applications to Oxbridge and for courses such as medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and midwifery.

Student Comment

I really enjoy A level chemistry because we do lots of practical work and are continually improving our confidence and skills.

I am studying chemistry A level because I think that all the best jobs in the future will be in science and technology.

I enjoy the challenge of A level chemistry because it improves my resilience and critical thinking skills.