Chemistry A Level

Have you ever wondered how many atoms there are in a drop of water? Or thought about what is happening to the dye molecules in your clothing to give them colour? Would you be interested to know what is inside the medicine you take? Our A Level Chemistry course will help you discover answers to questions like these and transform your appreciation of the world around you.

This course will develop your understanding of unimaginably tiny particles like atoms, molecules and ions that you cannot directly experience, and reveal how the structure and arrangement of these particles affects the properties of materials you can actually see. You will also learn how to describe and represent the structures and substances you encounter in a way that will allow effective communication with other chemists.

The course is presented in a series of ten topical storylines in which you will see the relevance of all the chemistry you study. These include reactions in the atmosphere leading to ozone depletion, creating efficient chemical processes for industry and designing drug molecules with the correct shape to interact with a particular enzyme. Practical work is integrated into every topic and you will have plenty of opportunities to develop your experimental skills in our specialised laboratories, using extensive equipment and materials and collaborating with other students. You will also have an opportunity to carry out a chemistry based research project as part of an Extended Project Qualification.

Chemistry is central to science and highly valued by universities and employers because of the range of skills you develop. The course is essential for entry into many medical and veterinary orientated courses and suitable for further study in engineering, biochemical sciences and pharmacy as well as many others.

Year 1 Modules

Elements of Life

Developing Fuels

Elements from the Sea

Ozone Story

What’s in a Medicine?

Year 2 Modules

Polymers of Life

Chemical Industry

Developing Metals

Oceans

Colour by Design

100% Exam

Exam Board: OCR

A Level Chemistry will be excellent preparation for university courses in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacy and Engineering and a significant proportion of our students’ progress onto courses such as these. Chemistry is also an essential course for careers and university courses in Medicine and Veterinary Science. A Level Chemistry is also highly valued for entry onto other courses such as Law and Finance. There are also many non-university progression routes, for example, apprenticeships or degree-apprenticeships in the pharmaceutical industry.