Course Content
Year 1
- Biological molecules
- Cells
- Organisms exchange substances with their environment
- Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms
Plus relevant practical skills
Year 2
- Energy transfers in and between organisms
- Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments
- Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
- The control of gene expression
Plus relevant practical skills
Lesson Structure
Formal teaching, small group work, practical work, problem solving tasks, research.
Assessment Pattern
A level Examinations
June of second academic year, three exams, each 2 hours in length.
Paper 1
Content: Section 1 – 4 plus practical skills, 91 marks, 35% of A level
Paper 2
Content: Section 5 – 8 plus practical skills, 91 marks, 35% of A level
Paper 3
Content: Section 1 – 8 plus practical skills, 78 marks, 30% of A level
AS Examinations
If students choose this pathway examinations are sat in June of the first academic year. This include two 1hour 30 minute exams.
Paper 1
Content: Section 1 – 4 plus practical skills, 75 marks, 50% of AS Level
65 marks: short answer questions plus 10 marks: comprehension question
Paper 2
Content: Section 1 – 4 plus practical skills, 75 marks, 50 % of AS Level
65 marks: short answer questions plus 10 marks: extended response questions
Extra Information
Candidates should come from a Double Science background, preferably with a minimum grade 6 in Core Science and Additional Science, or in Biology. An inquisitive mind, a good understanding of Mathematics at GCSE and a keen interest in Biology are also useful prerequisites. The Biology Course is an excellent complement to Physics and/or chemistry. It may also prove useful to those studying Geography with an interest in Ecology or PE and Physiology. It offers a gateway to many careers in Science and Medicine.
Course Content
Physical Chemistry
Atomic structure, Amount of substance, Bonding, Energetics, Kinetics, Chemical equilibria, Le Chatelier’s principle and Kc, Oxidation, reduction and redox equations, Thermodynamics (A level only), Rate equations (A level only), Equilibrium constant Kp for homogeneous systems (A level only), Electrode potentials and electrochemical cells (A level only), Acids and bases (A level only).
Inorganic Chemistry
Periodicity, Group 2 – the alkaline earth metals, Group 7(17) – the halogens, Properties of Period 3, (A level only), Transition metals (A level only), Reactions of ions in aqueous solution (A level only).
Organic Chemistry
Introduction to organic chemistry, Alkanes, Halogenoalkanes, Alkenes, Alcohols, Organic analysis, Optical isomerism (A level only), Aldehydes and ketones (A level only), Carboxylic acids and derivatives (A level only), Aromatic chemistry (A level only), Amines (A level only), Polymers (A level only), Amino acids, proteins and DNA (A level only), Organic synthesis (A level only), Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (A level only), Chromatography (A level only).
Lesson Structure
Formal teaching, small group work, practical work, problem solving tasks, research.
Assessment Pattern
Year 1
Paper 1 (50% of the AS): Relevant physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry topic.
Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes (65 marks of short and long answer questions/15 marks of multiple choice questions)
Paper 2 (50% of the AS): Relevant physical chemistry and organic chemistry topics.
Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes (65 marks of short and long answer questions/15 marks of multiple choice questions)
Year 2
Paper 1 (35% of A level): Relevant physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry topics.
Written exam: 2 hours (105 marks of short and long answer questions)
Paper 2 (35% of A level): Relevant physical chemistry and organic chemistry topics.
Written exam: 2 hours (105 marks of short and long answer questions)
Paper 3 (30% of A level): Any content
Written exam: 2 hours (40 marks of questions on practical techniques and data analysis, 20 marks of questions testing across the specification and 30 marks of multiple choice questions)
Extra Information
Candidates should come from a Double or Triple Science background, preferably with a minimum grades of 6 in Core and Additional Science, or Chemistry. An inquisitive mind, a good understanding of Mathematics at GCSE and a keen interest in Chemistry are also useful prerequisites. The Chemistry Course is an excellent complement to Physics and/or Biology and is an essential component for those students intent on a medical career.
Course Content
- Measurements and their Errors
- Particles and Radiation
- Waves
- Mechanics and Materials
- Electricity
- Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics
- Fields and their Consequences
- Nuclear Physics
- Engineering Physics
Assessment Pattern
Year 1
Paper 1 (50% of the AS): Topics 1 to 5
Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes (70 marks of short and long answer questions)
Paper 2 (50% of the AS): Topics 1 to 5
Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
Section A: 20 marks of short and long answer questions on practical skills and data analysis
Section B: 20 marks of short and long answer questions from across all areas of AS content
Section C: 30 multiple choice questions)
Year 2
Paper 1 (34% of A level): Sections 1 to 5 and 6.1 (Periodic motion)
Written exam: 2 hours, 85 marks: 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content.
Paper 2 (34% of A level): Sections 6.2 (Thermal Physics), 7 and 8, Assumed knowledge from sections 1 to 6.1)
Written exam: 2 hours, 85 marks: 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content.
Paper 3 (32% of A level): Section A Compulsory section: Practical skills and data analysis
Section B: 9. Engineering Physics
Written exam: 2 hours, 80 marks: 45 marks of short and long answer questions on practical experiments and data analysis (Section A). 35 marks of short and long answer questions on Astrophysics (Section B).