Chemistry
The aim of the Chemistry department is to make the study of Chemistry accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding. We achieve this by providing all students with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills that will enable them to fully appreciate the role that Chemistry plays in society today and in the future.
Chemistry is taught in two dedicated laboratories that are fully resourced to deliver enriching practical experiences in a safe environment. Our highly qualified and experienced specialist Chemistry teachers and technicians utilise these resources to plan and deliver exciting lessons that nurture pupils’ interest in Chemistry, as well as developing their conceptual understanding, and their experimental and logical thinking skills.
We deliver a curriculum designed to developing pupils’ practical and problem-solving skills. This is extended outside the classroom through the STEM Enrichment activity where students are encouraged to put their questions and ideas to the test by designing, planning and conducting an enquiry-based project. These experiences are designed to prepare them for the start of their GCSE studies in Third Form (Year 9).
The GCSE course starts in Third Form where pupils explore the structure of the atom, learn about the history of the development of the Periodic Table and experiment with and observe the reactions and properties of alkali metals, halogens and noble gases.
In Fourth Form pupils choose either to study AQA Chemistry as a Separate Science or as part of the Combined Science qualification. Both pathways allow them to develop their scientific thinking, analysis and evaluation skills, as well as their experimental skills and strategies. This is a two-year course which culminates in pupils sitting their GCSE exams at the end of Fifth Form.
The AQA A-Level Chemistry course is significantly more challenging, in terms of theoretical content and experimental skills, than GCSE. Pupils planning to study Chemistry at this level must demonstrate confidence with the fundamental chemical principles such as balancing equations, the mole concept, writing chemical formulae, as well as chemical bonding and structures. The course also requires pupils to have good mathematical skills such as manipulating equations, graphing and analysing data. To that end, prospective pupils are expected to have achieved a minimum of Grade 7 in GCSE Chemistry or in the Chemistry component of their Combined Science qualification. A strong Grade 7 in GCSE Maths is highly recommended.
In Lower Sixth (Year 1) pupils learn in more depth about bonding and intermolecular forces, the shapes of molecules and how this affects their properties, Hess’s Law, Redox reactions and Electrochemistry, Inorganic chemistry, Amount of substance calculations and are introduced to reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. In Upper Sixth (Year 2), pupils study Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Equilibria, Acid-base Equilibria, Energetics, Transition metals chemistry and organic synthesis.
In addition, pupils develop their practical skills through a series of twelve required practical experiments which form the Practical Endorsement component of the A-Level course. Pupils are expected to perform each practical with minimal assistance and to produce detailed reports within which they analyse their results and evaluate their work. These are key skills that they will require to master should they choose to read Chemistry at university.
