Chemistry

Course summary

Chemistry is extremely experimental and exciting right from the very start, pupils undertake practical work which supports and reinforces the theory learnt in lessons. Knowledge of chemicals and chemical processes provides insight into a variety of physical and biological phenomena and provides an excellent basis for understanding the physical universe we live in. Chemistry is a fascinating field of study, playing a role in everyone’s lives and touching almost every aspect of our existence in some way. Often referred to as the central science, Chemistry joins together Physics and Mathematics, Biology and Medicine, and the Earth and Environmental sciences. Pupils also benefit from a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities including Chemical Societies for those wanting to extend their skills and knowledge of practical chemistry and competitions such as the Chemistry Olympiad and C3L6. Pupil exam results are consistently excellent, thanks to quality teaching and excellent preparation. Both the GCSE and A-level courses are rigorous and genuinely academic, providing real and useful qualifications for the future. Apart from being a subject worthy of study in its own right, Chemistry at sixth form is a prerequisite for many higher education courses, including Medicine, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy and Biochemistry. The Chemistry course is good preparation for further study in science as well as being an excellent way of stimulating logical thinking useful in many arts courses. A minimum of grade 7 at GCSE is required to study either A level or IB Chemistry. The specification followed at A-Level is AQA Chemistry. The main aim of an Advanced Chemistry course is for students to gain sufficient knowledge and understanding of chemical facts and theories to enable them to apply this knowledge to both familiar and novel situations. Topics such as Structure, Energy and Rates of Reaction reappear in an expanded form together with a much larger Organic section and a study of the properties of elements and their compounds according to the Periodic classification. All classes take place in superbly equipped laboratories.