Year 13

Basic Course Information

The course that A2 Chemistry students will study is:

Edexcel Advanced GCE in Chemistry    9080

Introductory Overview.
Students will need to have achieved at least a pass (E) grade in their AS Chemistry course if they wish to pursue A2 Chemistry study. However, at least a C grade at AS Chemistry is favourable. 
At Jumeirah College, the Chemistry Department have tailor made a scheme of work which we believe will get the very best from our students.
The broad aims of A2 Chemistry at Jumeirah College are as follows:
1 stimulate and sustain students’ interest in and enjoyment of chemistry
2 enable students to gain a knowledge and understanding of chemistry appropriate to these levels and to appreciate the interlinking patterns which are a distinguishing feature of the subject
3 show the interrelationship between the development of the subject and its application (social, economic, environmental and technological) and recognise the value of chemistry to society and how it may be used responsibly
4 develop skills in laboratory procedures and techniques and carry these out with due regard for safety, and assess the uses and limitations of the procedures
5 foster imaginative and critical thinking as well as the acquisition of knowledge, together with an appreciation of the intellectual discipline which the subject provides
6 develop students’ ability to understand the link between theory and experiment
7 provide opportunities for students to bring together knowledge of how different areas of chemistry relate to each other
8 aid awareness of how advances in information technology and instrumentation are used in chemistry
9 provide an appropriate course for:
• those who will end their study of the subject at one of these stages
• laying a secure foundation for those who will continue their studies in this or related subjects.

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 4 and Unit 5. 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 6a) - 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 4 & 5 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, 10% of the A2 grade will come from Unit 6a assessments.

(2) External Assessment:
 Students will sit 3 written examinations during Year 13. These will assess the content of Unit 4 and Unit 5 and each examination is worth 15% of the overall A-level grade (30% each of the A2 qualification). Unit 6b is a ‘synoptic’ examination, where students will need to draw on all of the knowledge, understanding and skills taught throughout AS and A2 Chemistry.

Areas of Study

Autumn Term/Spring Term

Unit 4: Periodicity, quantitative equilibra and functional group chemistry
 4.1  Energetics II
4.2  Periodic Table II (Period 3 and Group 4)
4.3  Chemical Equilibria II
4.4  Acid – Base Equilibria
4.5  Organic Chemistry II (acids, esters, carbonyl compounds, acid chlorides, nitrogen compounds and further halogeno compounds)

Spring Term/Summer Term
Unit 5: Transition metals, quantitative kinetics and applied organic chemistry 5.1  Redox Equilibria (applications)
5.2  Transition Metal Chemistry
5.3  Organic Chemistry III (reaction mechanisms and aromatic compounds)
5.4  Chemical Kinetics II
5.5  Organic Chemistry IV (analysis, synthesis and applications)

Throughout the Academic Year
Unit 6: Laboratory chemistry II 6.1A Assessment of Experimental Skills II
6.1B Synoptic

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.

www.edexcel.org.uk – Edexcel website for general information, past papers for A2 Chemistry, Examiner’s reports etc.

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