Chemistry is about how matter and energy, in and all around us, behave and interact with each other: from molecular changes in the eye response to light that allows you to see to fabricating and testing compounds to produce lifesaving drugs. Learning about chemistry not only allows you to safely sort through your hazardous chemical cupboard but also offers a powerful lens through which to discover how the world works. It will also enable you to enter a field that is responsible for amazing advances in genetics, pharmacy, forensic science, renewable energy capture and storage, and innovative materials. The A-level Chemistry course we run has a huge breadth of topics from investigating the structure, properties and behaviour of atoms to debating pressing global issues such as bio-fuels, pharmaceuticals, climate change and space research. Practical work is central. Learning how to be a confident and competent chemist is not only vital for passing the final exam and getting a job but also to avoid poisoning anyone, blowing up the lab or setting yourself on fire. Therefore students are offered plenty of opportunities to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. Students will also be asked to talk about how discoveries, theories or methodologies may be validated (or not) by the scientific community and how they may go on to affect decision-making and policy for society. This course covers nineteen topics relating to inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. In very simplistic terms inorganic chemistry examines the characteristics of the elements, except carbon, and their compounds; organic chemistry explores the chemical reactions in living organisms and what can be derived from them, for example, petrochemicals, shampoos, paper, drugs, synthetic fibres; and physical chemistry works at a molecular and atomic level and investigates how chemical reactions occur. Within these three areas – inorganic, organic and physical chemistry – AS-level students cover topics 1–10 and A-level students cover all topics listed in the tables below. A-level students will sit a third exam paper General and Practical Principles in Chemistry, also described in the table below. There will also be a series of internally assessed practicals throughout the course to help students develop and demonstrate their understanding and competence. AS level Chemistry Core Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 4: Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance AS level written exam: 1 hr 30, 80 marks, 30% of overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Organic and Physical Chemistry Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 6: Organic Chemistry I Topic 7: Modern Analytical Techniques I Topic 8: Energetics I Topic 9: Kinetics I Topic 10: Equilibrium I AS level written exam: 1 hr 30, 80 marks, 30% of overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. A level Chemistry Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 4: Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 8: Energetics I Topic 10: Equilibrium I Topic 11: Equilibrium II Topic 12: Acid-base Equilibria Topic 13: Energetics II Topic 14: Redox II Topic 15: Transition Metals A level written exam: 1 hr 45 mins, 90 marks, 30% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 6: Organic Chemistry I Topic 7: Modern Analytical Techniques I Topic 9: Kinetics I Topic 16: Kinetics II Topic 17: Organic Chemistry II Topic 18: Organic Chemistry III Topic 19: Modern Analytical Techniques II A level written exam: 1 hr 45 mins, 90 marks, 30% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Practicals There are a least 16 core practicals that students must plan and conduct to investigate things such as how certain elements react with water, heating nitrates or carbonates; how flame colours of s-block elements such as potassium, magnesium and sodium differ; how to prepare iodine from seaweed; how to extract limonene from orange peel; how to set up electrochemical cells; and how to use chromatography (separating components) to identify metals in a ‘silver’ coin or amino acids in a protein. From these practicals, students will learn to accurately collect data, analyse and interpret their findings, extrapolate ideas and identify areas for further enquiry. During these practicals students will also need to think about ethical issues such as sustainability of resources (deciding how much ‘rare’ material to use in an experiment), safe waste disposal (finding a better place than down the sink to pour toxic compounds) and safety in the lab (avoiding accidental fumigation). Students will be examined on all aspects of the practicals they have conducted, as described above, and also asked to apply what they have learned to other practical scenarios. This includes analysing outcomes, drawing valid conclusions and considering methods and data.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
A-level written exam: 2 hrs 30 mins, 120 marks, 40% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Some questions will assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Kensington and Chelsea |
| Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Unknown |
| Sixth Form Fee | £32,250 - £34,500 |
| Address | 17 Old Court Place, Kensington, London, W8 4PL |
Chemistry is about how matter and energy, in and all around us, behave and interact with each other: from molecular changes in the eye response to light that allows you to see to fabricating and testing compounds to produce lifesaving drugs. Learning about chemistry not only allows you to safely sort through your hazardous chemical cupboard but also offers a powerful lens through which to discover how the world works. It will also enable you to enter a field that is responsible for amazing advances in genetics, pharmacy, forensic science, renewable energy capture and storage, and innovative materials. The A-level Chemistry course we run has a huge breadth of topics from investigating the structure, properties and behaviour of atoms to debating pressing global issues such as bio-fuels, pharmaceuticals, climate change and space research. Practical work is central. Learning how to be a confident and competent chemist is not only vital for passing the final exam and getting a job but also to avoid poisoning anyone, blowing up the lab or setting yourself on fire. Therefore students are offered plenty of opportunities to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. Students will also be asked to talk about how discoveries, theories or methodologies may be validated (or not) by the scientific community and how they may go on to affect decision-making and policy for society. This course covers nineteen topics relating to inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. In very simplistic terms inorganic chemistry examines the characteristics of the elements, except carbon, and their compounds; organic chemistry explores the chemical reactions in living organisms and what can be derived from them, for example, petrochemicals, shampoos, paper, drugs, synthetic fibres; and physical chemistry works at a molecular and atomic level and investigates how chemical reactions occur. Within these three areas – inorganic, organic and physical chemistry – AS-level students cover topics 1–10 and A-level students cover all topics listed in the tables below. A-level students will sit a third exam paper General and Practical Principles in Chemistry, also described in the table below. There will also be a series of internally assessed practicals throughout the course to help students develop and demonstrate their understanding and competence. AS level Chemistry Core Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 4: Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance AS level written exam: 1 hr 30, 80 marks, 30% of overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Organic and Physical Chemistry Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 6: Organic Chemistry I Topic 7: Modern Analytical Techniques I Topic 8: Energetics I Topic 9: Kinetics I Topic 10: Equilibrium I AS level written exam: 1 hr 30, 80 marks, 30% of overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. A level Chemistry Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 4: Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 8: Energetics I Topic 10: Equilibrium I Topic 11: Equilibrium II Topic 12: Acid-base Equilibria Topic 13: Energetics II Topic 14: Redox II Topic 15: Transition Metals A level written exam: 1 hr 45 mins, 90 marks, 30% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Topic 2: Bonding and Structure Topic 3: Redox I Topic 5: Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance Topic 6: Organic Chemistry I Topic 7: Modern Analytical Techniques I Topic 9: Kinetics I Topic 16: Kinetics II Topic 17: Organic Chemistry II Topic 18: Organic Chemistry III Topic 19: Modern Analytical Techniques II A level written exam: 1 hr 45 mins, 90 marks, 30% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Practicals There are a least 16 core practicals that students must plan and conduct to investigate things such as how certain elements react with water, heating nitrates or carbonates; how flame colours of s-block elements such as potassium, magnesium and sodium differ; how to prepare iodine from seaweed; how to extract limonene from orange peel; how to set up electrochemical cells; and how to use chromatography (separating components) to identify metals in a ‘silver’ coin or amino acids in a protein. From these practicals, students will learn to accurately collect data, analyse and interpret their findings, extrapolate ideas and identify areas for further enquiry. During these practicals students will also need to think about ethical issues such as sustainability of resources (deciding how much ‘rare’ material to use in an experiment), safe waste disposal (finding a better place than down the sink to pour toxic compounds) and safety in the lab (avoiding accidental fumigation). Students will be examined on all aspects of the practicals they have conducted, as described above, and also asked to apply what they have learned to other practical scenarios. This includes analysing outcomes, drawing valid conclusions and considering methods and data.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
A-level written exam: 2 hrs 30 mins, 120 marks, 40% of the overall result. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Some questions will assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods.