Development of Practical Skills in Chemistry

In A-Level chemistry, you will need practical skills as chemistry is a practical subject. These skills can be demonstrated via:

• Written exam questions

• Your practical endorsement

A practical endorsement is separate from the A-Level exam. Your grade doesn’t depend on whether you pass or fail the practical endorsement. The practical endorsement practicals are called “PAGs” which is short for (Practical Activity Group) in which you will have to do a minimum of 12.

However, in the written exam, a minimum of 15% of marks will be on assessing your practical skills that will develop during the duration of your A-Levels. These skills are:

• Planning - solving a chemistry problem in a practical concept

• Implementing - understanding practical techniques and processes

• Analysing - interpretation of practical results

• Evaluating - ability to develop a plan fit for an intended purpose

Foundations in Chemistry

Chemistry is about all matter and chemical reactions whether it’s the 34 elements making up the human body or discovering nanoparticles that have yet to be found, it’s the building blocks for everything around us and you will require some previous knowledge from Key Stage 4 before starting the course:

• GCSE-level knowledge about atomic structure and the periodic table

• GCSE-level knowledge about bonding, structure, and the properties of matter

• GCSE-level knowledge about quantitative chemistry

• GCSE-level knowledge about chemical changes

• GCSE-level knowledge about energy changes

• GCSE-level knowledge about the rate and extent of chemical change

• GCSE-level knowledge about organic chemistry

• GCSE-level knowledge about chemical analysis

• GCSE-level knowledge about the chemistry of the atmosphere

• GCSE-level knowledge about using resources

• Around a grade 4-6 level of GCSE Maths