Year 12

Basic Course Information

The course that Post-16 Chemistry students will study is:

Edexcel Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Chemistry (8CH01)

first examination 2009

Edexcel Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Chemistry (9CH01)

first examination 2010

Introductory Overview

This is a new A-level course, which will be taught for the first time from September 2008. This course will be just as demanding as the ‘old’ A-level Chemistry course, but the course has been updated to reflect some of the advances in the Chemical Sciences as well as developing student’s skills in ‘How Science Works’. This will involve students using theories and ideas, presenting scientific arguments, evaluating experimental evidence and models and appreciating the ways in which society uses Science to inform   decision making (e.g. ethical issues, government policy, consumer affairs etc). As Chemistry teachers at Jumeirah College we are very excited about delivering this new Chemistry AS level. We have developed our own ‘in house’ scheme of work which we believe will enable us to get the very best from our students.

Curriculum Organisation

Students will study Chemistry for six lessons per week, split between 2 Chemistry teachers. Chemistry is a very demanding A-level and students will need to spend approximately six hours per week undertaking private study, completing homework tasks, doing some background reading (such as ‘Chemistry Review’ –a monthly magazine housed in the Jumeirah College library).

Assessment and Reporting

There will be essentially 2 methods of ‘formal’ assessment throughout the duration of the course.

(1) In School Assessment:
(a) End of Topic Tests – Students will receive a number of end of topic tests throughout both Unit 1 and Unit 2. The actual scores on these tests do not contribute to the final grade but they are an essential measure of student progress, a tool for identifying strengths and weaknesses in subject knowledge and understanding and they provide very important practice of AS level standard examination questions under examination conditions. Students will receive prompt feedback on their performance in these tests and will set ‘SMART’ targets as a means to improvement (to be recorded in the Student’s ‘Learning Log’). It is expected that students will always know what grade they are performing at and how to improve.
(b) Internal Assessment (Unit 3) - This will take the form of a series of experimental activities, testing student’s laboratory skills in 4 different ways. These skills will be assessed throughout Units 1 & 2 and students will be taught the skills in class before any assessment takes place. It must be remembered that Chemistry is essentially an experimental Science and, as such, 20% of the AS grade will come from Unit 3 assessments.

(2) External Assessment:
 Students will sit 2 written examinations (length:1 hour 15 minutes) in the summer of Year 12. These will assess the content of Unit 1 and Unit 2 and each examination is worth 40% of the overall AS grade.

Areas of Study

Autumn Term/Spring Term

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Term/Summer Term

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the Academic Year
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

As of September 2008 we will have a Jumeirah College Chemistry club. It is envisaged that Post-16 Chemistry students will assist in the running of this club for lower school students.

Useful websites for AS Chemistry

www.docbrown.info – a fantastic study and revision website for Chemistry.

http://www.buzanworld.com/mindmaps/ -information and examples of how to learn using mind maps.

www.webelements.com – an interactive Periodic Table with element data and many other relevant pieces of information. Very useful.

http://www.edexcel.com/gce2008/chemistry/Pages/Overview.aspx - The Edexcel examination board new A-level chemistry pages.

www.chemguide.co.uk – A useful and in depth study and revision website for Chemistry.