The Grammar School for Girls Wilmington

What is AS/A2 Chemistry?

The salters course is designed to follow naturally from the GCSE Double Science studied in Y10 and Y11 at GSGW.

Experimental work will feature prominently and this will enable you to develop your skills of manipulation, observation and deduction. It will include learning proper control measures for dealing with hazards. Practical ability is assessed internally as course work. An investigative approach is used throughout the course so that recall of factual detail and understanding of theoretical concepts are developed simultaneously.

How long is the course?

The full Advanced Level qualification is a two-year course, which consists of the AS in the first year and A2 in the second.

What qualifications do I need?

Double Science GCSE grade B or above plus a per-formance on the chemistry paper at grade B or above.GCSE Mathematics grade B is desirable.

What will I study?

The course aims to:

• Emphasise the ways chemistry is applied and the work that chemists do
• Broaden the appeal of chemistry by showing how it relates to peoples lives
• Emphasise frontier areas of chemistry
• Include a broad range of teaching and learning activities
• Provide a rigorous and stimulating treatment of chemistry that both lays appropriate foundations for future studies, and satisfies those who will study no further chemistry
  
  

The course is organised into teaching units, each of which is freestanding and tells its own story about modern applications of chemistry.

While working through a storyline, students make excursions to study the chemical principles or to carry out activities that are needed to understand the story. This means that the important ideas in chemistry are introduced gradually and are revisited and further developed in different contexts in later units.

There are in total 13 teaching units, 6 of them constituting the AS course and 7 in the A2 course.

What else is involved?

A level chemistry is demanding and you will need to show evidence of sufficient ability to begin the course. Determination and commitment will be essential throughout, along with a capacity for hard work and an enjoyment in being stretched.

How will I be assessed?
AS ASSESSMENTS

Unit             Content                      % of final grade

1:                Chemistry for life                  15

2:                The Chemistry of

                   Natural resources                 20

3:                Skills for Chemistry             

                   Open Book Paper               7¿

                   Experimental Skills            7¿

A2 LEVEL

Unit             Content                      % of final grade

4:                Polymers, Proteins and

                       Steel                              20

5:                Chemistry by Design            20

6:         The Individual Investigations    15

What other subjects can I study?

Biology, Human Biology, Physics and Mathematics are particularly useful companion subjects for Chemistry. Chemistry itself can be a useful companion subject for Geography, Food Technology and Textiles.

What career and higher education opportunities are open to me?

With appropriate companion subjects, A-level Chemistry opens the way to studies and careers in Chemistry, Medicine, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, vetinary science Metallurgy, Medicine, Food Science, etc.