Chemistry

Course summary

Chemistry at A Level relies on a sound knowledge of the subject at GCSE and it is suitable for those who have studied the subject either as a separate subject or as part of Dual Award Science. We would normally recommend a grade 6 (a good B) as the minimum requirement from (I)GCSE with which to tackle the course. An aptitude for, and facility with, numbers and mathematical concepts is certainly an advantage, although for those less confident pupils, the department runs a ‘Maths for Chemists’ class for the first few weeks. Chemistry fits particularly well with Physics, Biology and Mathematics, being the A Levels with which the subject shares some common material. University courses in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Forensic Science and Chemical Engineering have Chemistry as a pre-requisite. From the general employment perspective, those who have studied Chemistry to A Level are seen to possess a wide range of analytical, evaluative and organisational skills.