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Chemistry
Moulsham High School will be offering the Edexcel A-Level syllabus for Chemistry.
The A level in Chemistry will be linear qualification. All assessments for A level will take place at the end of the course.
The subject criteria for A level Chemistry, which all awarding organisations must use to develop their specifications, have been revised. The key changes are summarised below:
• Questions involving the use of mathematical skills in Chemistry will contribute to 20% of the assessment. • Coursework to be removed in all science subjects. • Practical work to be assessed through questions in written examination papers at and A level. • A separate assessment of ‘practical competency’ will assess the ability of learners in practical skills at A level only. • The practical competency assessment will be made by teachers and will be reported separately to the A level grade (it will not contribute to the overall A level grade).
Edexcel’s World Class Qualification principles ensure that the qualifications are:
• demanding, through internationally benchmarked standards, encouraging deep learning and measuring higher-order skills. • rigorous, through setting and maintaining standards over time, developing reliable and valid assessment tasks and processes, and generating confidence in end users of the knowledge, skills and competencies of certified students. • inclusive, through conceptualising learning as continuous, recognising that students develop at different rates and have different learning needs, and focusing on progression. • empowering, through promoting the development of transferable and skills.
Summary of topics to be covered
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table, Bonding and Structure, Redox, Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance. Organic Chemistry, Modern Analytical Techniques. Physical Chemistry, Kinetics, Energetics, Equilibrium, Acid-base Equilibria, Transition Metals.
The full A-Level Study Specification – Assessment Summary
The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Chemistry consists of three externally examined papers and the Science Practical Endorsement. Students must complete both assessments in May/June in the second year for the full A level.
Assessment summary AS Only
Students must complete assessments in May/June in any single year for AS
Paper 1: Core Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (Paper code 8CH0/01)
• Questions draw on content from topics 1–5. • Questions are broken down into a number of parts. • Availability: May/June • The assessment is 1 hour 30 minutes. • The assessment consists of 80 marks. • 50% of the AS total qualification
Paper 2: Core Organic and Physical Chemistry (Paper code 8CH0/02)
• Questions draw on content from topic 2 and topics 5–10. • Questions are broken down into a number of parts. • Availability: May/June • The assessment is 1 hour 30 minutes. • The assessment consists of 80 marks. • 50% of the AS total qualification
Paper 1: Advanced Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (Paper code 9CH0/01)
Paper 2: Advanced Organic and Physical Chemistry (Paper code: 9CH0/02)
• Externally assessed • Availability: May/June • 60% of the total A level
Overview of both assessments
Two Papers of 1 hour 45 minutes. The papers consist of 90 marks each.
The papers may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing questions. Each paper will include questions that target mathematics at Level 2 or above overall. A minimum of 20% of the marks across the three papers will be awarded for mathematics at Level 2 or above.
Paper 3: General and Practical Principles in Chemistry (Paper code: 9CH0/03)
Overview of content
Questions in this paper may draw on any of the topics in this specification. The paper will include synoptic questions that may draw on two or more different topics listed. The paper will include questions that assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods (indirect practical skills) that will draw on students’ experiences of the core practicals.
Overview of assessment
Assessment is 2 hours 30 minutes. The paper consists of 120 marks. The paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations, and extended writing questions. The paper will include questions that target mathematics at Level 2 or above. Overall, a minimum of 20% of the marks across the three papers will be awarded for mathematics at Level 2 or above. Some questions will assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods.
Exam Board – EDEXCEL
