GCSE Chemistry

Why Study Chemistry? 

This specification aims to encourage you to: 

• develop your knowledge and understanding of the material world; 

• develop your understanding of the effects of chemistry on society; 

• develop your understanding of the importance of scale in chemistry; 

• develop and apply your knowledge and understanding of the nature of science and of the scientific process; 

• develop your understanding of the relationships between hypotheses, evidence, theories and explanations; 

• develop your awareness of risk and the ability to assess potential risk and potential benefits; 

• develop and apply your observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problem-solving skills and understanding in laboratory, field and other learning environments; 

• develop your ability to evaluate claims based on chemistry through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions both qualitatively and quantitatively; and 

• develop your skills in communication, mathematics and the use of technology in scientific contexts.

This specification is designed to promote continuity, coherence and progression within the study of Science.

It builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills developed within the KS3 programme.

Students who take this course should find that it helps to facilitate the study of Science and Chemistry to AS and Advanced level.

For entry into the Triple Award Science course, students must have an excellent record in both Science and Maths by the end of

Year 10. You must study all three strands of Science and so GCSE Biology and Physics must also be taken alongside this course.

Students may occasionally be selected to study Triple Award Science which follows a similar but more in depth specification to Double Award and is aimed at students that would be committed to continuing with A-Level Sciences.

Triple Award Science will lead to three separate GCSE grades.

Unit 1: External written examination Students answer compulsory structured questions that require short responses, extended writing and calculations. 

Foundation Tier: 1 hour 

Higher Tier: 1 hour 15 mins

Unit 2: External written examination Students answer compulsory structured questions that require short responses, extended writing and calculations. 

Foundation Tier: 1 hour 15 mins Higher Tier: 1 hour 30 mins

Unit 3: Booklet A Externally marked Students carry out two pre-release practical tasks in the final year of study.

Foundation and Higher Tiers: 2 hours 

Booklet B: External written examination. Students answer compulsory structured questions that require short responses, extended writing and calculations, all set in a practical context. 

Foundation and Higher Tiers: 1 hour

The specification provides a thorough preparation for the study of chemistry and related courses at GCE Advanced Subsidiary level and Advanced level. It allows you to develop transferable skills that will benefit you in vocational training and employment, for example in the following areas: 

Energy and the environment: 

Chemistry is helping us to cope with increasing pressures on energy, food, water and other natural resources. 

Human health:

Chemistry is helping to improve and maintain human health through the development of new and improved pharmaceutical drugs and drug delivery systems. 

Lifestyle and recreation: 

In lots of different ways, chemistry is all around us. 

To read more about the above areas and other possible career options, see the Royal Society of Chemistry website at www.rsc.org/careers/future/your-future-chemistry

If you choose Chemistry, you may have the opportunity to take part in the following activities;

• NI Science Festival activities

• Chemistry at Work workshop at Queen's University Belfast

• Tyndall Physics Lecture at Queens

• STEM bus - Forensic Science

• STEM bus - Biology workshop

• CREST awards

• Experiments

• Field Trips