Chemistry

Course summary

We study OCR Chemistry A level, choosing the “A” syllabus. This has a helpful mix of the fundamental theories behind the subject, balanced with plenty of the practical side. The course is structured around the three sides of Chemistry, being Physical, Organic and Inorganic. The first covers atomic structure in which we take our GCSE knowledge to another level, and also some of the more mathematical sides, including rates of reaction and the idea of dynamic equilibrium. Organic Chemistry looks at the plethora of compounds based on carbon, an incredibly versatile element as you will see. This encompasses many of the molecules upon which life is based, hence the name of the subject. The third section, “Inorganic”, looks at all the other elements and their compounds, concluding with some depth of study of the Transition Metals. The development of practical skills underpins much of the work, both with the undertaking and planning of experiments. This is assessed regularly with formal practical challenges which are recorded and finally recognised with the achievement of practical competency on the exam certificate at the end of the course. In addition the final papers will examine knowledge of practical techniques and the processing of results.