Chemistry

Pupils will be entered for the GCSE Chemistry specification offered by CCEA at the Higher Tier Level. A course based on this specification will help prepare pupils for the study of Chemistry and related subjects at a more advanced level. A GCSE in Chemistry is relevant not only to the field of science but also to areas of commerce and public service that value problem-solving and practical skills.

As well as being an interesting and enjoyable subject, it is also an important and often essential subject choice for many career paths including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and the biomedical sciences.

The Practical Skills Unit makes up 25% of the qualification. The acquisition and development of the skills needed for this unit will form part of the normal classroom teaching and learning. A series of prescribed practical tasks will be carried out as part of the course. Students will be assessed in practical skills in the second term in Year 12 and will also answer structured questions set in a practical context in a written practical exam.

• Unit 1: Structures, Trends, Chemical Reactions, Quantitative Chemistry and Analysis (35%)

• Unit 2: Further Chemical Reactions, Rates and Equilibrium, Calculations and Organic Chemistry (40%)

• Unit 3: Practical Skills.

• Booklet A – 2 externally marked practicals carried out in school (7 ½ %)

• Booklet B – externally marked practical exam (17 ½ %)

Pupils will sit the Unit 1 in June of Year 11

The Unit 3 Booklet A will be completed in March of Year 12

The Unit 2 and Unit 3 Booklet B will be sat in June of Year 12