The chemistry department aims to foster inquisitiveness and develop thinking skills through an active and inclusive program of study across all years. Practical skills are continually developed and remain a core area of lessons on a daily basis. Pupils are encouraged to utilise all their skills across all three of the science disciplines. In the sixth form, A level Chemistry is studied via the OCR A specification: • Development of practical skills in chemistry • Foundations in chemistry • Periodic table and energy • Core organic chemistry • Physical chemistry and transition elements • Organic chemistry and analysis Chemistry provides an essential pathway into careers such as medicine, dentistry and engineering as well as being a good analytical foundation for financial services. However, many pupils who study chemistry at A level go on to read for a chemistry or related degree at university. Ideas are built upon from GCSE and applications of chemistry in the scientific community are developed throughout the course. The course is split into six modules, all of which are examined via three written papers at the end of the course. Practical skills are examined in the written papers but this also forms the “Practical Endorsement” that is reported separately from the A level and tests a pupil’s practical ability via a series of core experiments. A pupil’s performance in these experiments is reported and verified by the examination board but does not contribute towards the A-level grade.