Chemistry A-Level (AQA) Chemistry at Queen Mary’s High School is a thriving department with approximately 60% of students choosing to study Chemistry at A-level. It is a great subject for combining theory with practical work, and our course extends beyond the requirements of the AQA specification to fully prepare students for further study. Last year, 23% of the cohort achieved A*/A grades and 60% attained A*-B grades. Eleven students have continued to study a Chemistry-related degree such as Pharmacy or Chemical Engineering, and 23 attained a place to read Medicine or Dentistry related degrees. University destinations included many Russell Group universities such as University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and King’s College, London. Chemistry is a very demanding course, but students are well supported with outstanding and enthusiastic teaching staff, a weekly Chemistry clinic and the opportunity to be a subject ambassador for KS3 and GCSE students. We invite students to enter the Royal Society of Chemistry’s annual Olympiad (last year, students attained two silver and two bronze awards). Staff have over seventy years teaching experience between them and bring experience from industry such as scientific publishing and forensic science to their teaching. The course has strong links to the Biology course and is well supported by A-level mathematics. Course Overview • Physical Chemistry, atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria, thermodynamics, rate equations, equilibrium constants, electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. • Inorganic chemistry: periodicity, group 2, and group 7, period 3 elements and their oxides, transition metals, reactions of ions in solution. • Organic chemistry: alkanes, halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis, optical isomers carbonyls and carboxylic acids, aromatics, amines, polymers, amino acids and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR and chromatography. • Practical content: 12 required activities completed during the course in specified fortnightly practical lessons which focus on the skills and techniques universities are seeking Assessment Model Six hours written examination spread over three exam papers: • Papers 1 and 2: 35% each of total grade; questions include long and short answers. • Paper 3: 30% of total grade, including practical techniques (data analysis), multiple choice questions and questions on any area of specification • Additional endorsement of practical skill on certificate. Career Opportunities Chemistry is often a requirement for degree level courses in Chemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology, chemical engineering, medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. Chemistry also provides a solid platform for a wide range of other careers including law, accountancy, forensics, food science, materials science, IT, banking, journalism, toxicology, geology and of course, teaching.
About Education Provider
| Region | West Midlands |
| Local Authority | Walsall |
| Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Gender Type | Girls |
| Address | Upper Forster Street, Walsall, WS4 2AE |
Chemistry A-Level (AQA) Chemistry at Queen Mary’s High School is a thriving department with approximately 60% of students choosing to study Chemistry at A-level. It is a great subject for combining theory with practical work, and our course extends beyond the requirements of the AQA specification to fully prepare students for further study. Last year, 23% of the cohort achieved A*/A grades and 60% attained A*-B grades. Eleven students have continued to study a Chemistry-related degree such as Pharmacy or Chemical Engineering, and 23 attained a place to read Medicine or Dentistry related degrees. University destinations included many Russell Group universities such as University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and King’s College, London. Chemistry is a very demanding course, but students are well supported with outstanding and enthusiastic teaching staff, a weekly Chemistry clinic and the opportunity to be a subject ambassador for KS3 and GCSE students. We invite students to enter the Royal Society of Chemistry’s annual Olympiad (last year, students attained two silver and two bronze awards). Staff have over seventy years teaching experience between them and bring experience from industry such as scientific publishing and forensic science to their teaching. The course has strong links to the Biology course and is well supported by A-level mathematics. Course Overview • Physical Chemistry, atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria, thermodynamics, rate equations, equilibrium constants, electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. • Inorganic chemistry: periodicity, group 2, and group 7, period 3 elements and their oxides, transition metals, reactions of ions in solution. • Organic chemistry: alkanes, halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis, optical isomers carbonyls and carboxylic acids, aromatics, amines, polymers, amino acids and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR and chromatography. • Practical content: 12 required activities completed during the course in specified fortnightly practical lessons which focus on the skills and techniques universities are seeking Assessment Model Six hours written examination spread over three exam papers: • Papers 1 and 2: 35% each of total grade; questions include long and short answers. • Paper 3: 30% of total grade, including practical techniques (data analysis), multiple choice questions and questions on any area of specification • Additional endorsement of practical skill on certificate. Career Opportunities Chemistry is often a requirement for degree level courses in Chemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology, chemical engineering, medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. Chemistry also provides a solid platform for a wide range of other careers including law, accountancy, forensics, food science, materials science, IT, banking, journalism, toxicology, geology and of course, teaching.