KS5 COURSE OVERVIEW - CHEMISTRY

TEACHER IN CHARGE: MR P POPE

Candidates follow the OCR Salters Chemistry Syllabus.

Course Content and Assessment

This subject has 6 Units of Assessment:

To get a certificate for Advanced Subsidiary (AS), you will need to have studied and been assessed on three AS units.

To get a certificate for Advanced GCE, you will need to have studied and been assessed on the three AS Units, together with three further units, known as A2 units.

The Advanced Subsidiary forms 50% of the assessment weighting of the full Advanced GCE. Advanced Subsidiary is assessed at a standard between GCSE and Advanced GCE and can be taken as a stand-alone specification or as the first part of the full Advanced GCE course. Assessment is by means of three Units of Assessment for Advanced Subsidiary and six Units of Assessment for Advanced GCE.

The course offers an innovative approach to teaching and learning Chemistry in which chemical principles are developed through modern applications of chemistry. Activities provide practical work as well as many other types of activities, including research exercises, group discussions, applications of ICT, etc.

The content is chosen to provide a balanced and coherent study of Chemistry, in which chemical principles are developed, revisited and reinforced throughout the course. Examples of the use of basic chemical principles are drawn from modern applications of chemistry, in industry, in everyday life and in the environment.

Higher Education and Careers

With a qualification in Chemistry you could go on to Further or Higher Education, studying Chemistry or one of the other sciences or related subjects, such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science or Chemical Engineering, or work in science-based industry, the medical field or agriculture.

Entry Requirements

You should have studied Science to GCSE Higher Level and will normally have attained Grade B or better.

Other subjects that would go well with Chemistry at AS or GCE Advanced level are Biology, Mathematics and Physics. However, other combinations of subjects including Geography and History are also suitable.