A Level Science
A Level Biology
Biology is the branch of science concerned with the study of living organisms. You will need a qualification in this subject if you want to study Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science etc. For many other university courses, although not essential it will be highly regarded especially in conjunction with Arts-based subjects.
There is no particular field of interest where living organisms are concerned, and you will come to realise how much of a broad subject biology is as you progress further through the course. When studying biology, it is best to read around each of the topics you cover, how much extra reading you do is up to you, but it is advised that to achieve a high 'A' grade extra reading is a must.
This course has several main aims:
1. To develop essential knowledge and understanding of biological facts, concepts and principles together with an appreciation of their significance, and the skills needed for their use in new and changing situations
2. To promote an appreciation of the importance of experimental and investigatory work in the study of biology and develop an understanding of the link between theory and practical experiment
3. To develop an understanding of the connections between facts, principles and concepts from different areas of biology and to sustain and develop an enjoyment of, and interest in, the study of living organisms.
Although designed to be studied over a two year period, it is possible to complete the required study in one year although this will require dedication and commitment and will result in taking up much of your spare time. Three units make up the AS exam and a further three are studied to complete the A2 requirements
For further information please visit Edexcel
A Level Chemistry
Chemistry Specification Overview
This specification incorporates the Subject Criteria for Chemistry published by QCA in 1999 and is mandatory for all awarding bodies.
The Edexcel AS and Advanced GCE in Chemistry builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills set out in the National Curriculum Key Stage 4 programme of study for Double Science. The knowledge, understanding and skills set out in the Subject Criteria comprise 60% of the Edexcel AS specification. For the AS and A2 combined, the knowledge, understanding and skills set out in the Subject Criteria comprise 60% of the Edexcel Advanced GCE in Chemistry. The remainder of both the AS and the Advanced GCE specifications allows for further study and amplification, which makes the Edexcel AS and Advanced GCE in Chemistry a unique course of study.
The specification requires that all students demonstrate the following assessment objectives (AO) in the context of the content and skills prescribed. Knowledge, understanding and skills are closely linked. The assessment objectives 1, 2 and 3 are the same for both the AS and Advanced GCE. Assessment objective 4 applies only to the A2 part of the Advanced GCE. AO1 Knowledge with understanding
Students should be able to:
1. Recognise, recall and show understanding of specific chemical facts, terminology, principles, concepts and practical techniques
2. Draw on existing knowledge to show understanding of the responsible use of chemistry in society
3. Select, organise and present relevant information clearly and logically, using specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
AO2 Application of knowledge and understanding, analysis and evaluation
Students should be able to:
1. Describe, explain and interpret phenomena and effects in terms of chemical principles and concepts, presenting arguments and ideas clearly and logically, using specialist vocabulary where appropriate
2. Interpret and translate, from one form into another, data presented as continuous prose or in tables, diagrams and graphs
3. Carry out relevant calculations
4. Apply chemical principles and concepts to unfamiliar situations, including those related to the responsible use of chemistry in society
5. Assess the validity of chemical information, experiments, inferences and statements
AO3 Experiment and investigation
Students should be able to:
1. Devise and plan experimental and investigative activities, selecting appropriate techniques
2. Demonstrate safe and skilful practical techniques
3. Make observations and measurements with appropriate precision and record these methodically
4. Interpret, explain, evaluate and communicate the results of their experimental and investigative activities clearly and logically using chemical knowledge and understanding, and using appropriate specialist vocabulary
AO4 Synthesis of knowledge, understanding and skills
Students should be able to:
1. Bring together knowledge, principles and concepts from different areas of chemistry, including experiment and investigation, and apply them in a particular context, expressing ideas clearly and logically and using appropriate specialist vocabulary
2. Use chemical skills in contexts which bring together different areas of the subject
Synoptic assessment:
1. Requires students to make connections between different areas of chemistry, for example by applying knowledge and understanding of principles and concepts of chemistry in planning experimental work and in the analysis and evaluation of data
2. Includes opportunities for students to use, in a context which may be new to them, skills and ideas that permeate chemistry; for example: writing chemical equations, quantitative work, relating empirical data to knowledge and understanding
For further information please go to Edexcel
A Level Physics
Physics A-level outline
Unit 1: Mechanics and radioactivity
Unit 2: Electricity and thermal physics
Unit 3: Topics
Unit 4: Waves and our Universe
Unit 5: Fields and forces
Unit 6: Synthesis
Units 1-3 are A/S level
Units 4-6 are A2 level
Aims of the specification
The aims of the Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced GCE Physics specifications are toencourage students to:
1. Develop essential knowledge and understanding in physics and, where appropriate, theapplications of physics, and the skills needed for the use of this in new and changingsituations
2. Develop an understanding of the link between theory and experiment appreciate how physics has developed and is used in present day society
3. Show the importance of physics as a human endeavour which interacts with social,philosophical, economic and industrial matters
4. Sustain and develop their enjoyment of, and interest in, physics
5. Recognise the quantitative nature of physics and understand how mathematical expressionsrelate to physical principles
6. Bring together knowledge of ways in which different areas of physics relate to each other
7. Study how scientific models develop
Summary of the specification content
Unit 1: Mechanics and radioactivity
This unit leads on from GCSE and covers rectilinear motion, forces and moments, Newton's first and third laws, dynamics, momentum, Newton's second law, mechanical energy, radioactive decay and the nuclear atom.
Unit 2: Electricity and thermal physics
This unit includes electric current and potential difference, electrical circuits, heating matter,specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, temperature, kinetic model of matter, conservation of energy, the first law of thermodynamics and efficiency.
Unit 3: Topic: Astrophysics
Observing stars; the lives of stars.
Unit 4: Waves and our Universe
This unit includes circular motion and oscillations, simple harmonic motion, waves, superposition of waves, quantum phenomena and the expanding Universe.
Unit 5: Fields and forces
The first part of this unit covers gravitational fields, electric fields, capacitance, magnetic fields and electromagnetic induction.
Unit 6: Synthesis
This is a synoptic unit. Synoptic assessment involves the explicit drawing together of knowledge, understanding and skills learned in different parts of the Advanced GCE course.
The emphasis of synoptic assessment is on understanding and application of the principles included in the specification.
The first section of this unit compares springs and capacitors; electric and gravitational fields; capacitor discharge and radioactive decay, The second part, Accelerators, is intended to show how an area of modern physics unites different areas of physics, such as electric fields, circular motion and momentum. It should be regarded as illustrating applications of these areas. Both of these sections will be assessed synoptically as part of the synoptic test.
The question papers
Units 1 and 2
These will consist of about eight compulsory structured questions each allocated from four to 12 marks, presented in a question-answer booklet. The shorter questions will be designed to testmainly knowledge and understanding of the specification content of the particular unit. The longer questions will also test skills of interpretation and evaluation of data or information related to the content of the particular unit. Each test will include a similar range of question styles.
Unit 3: Practical test
This test will be based on the content of Units 1 and 2 and will be designed to examine practical laboratory skills: planning; implementing; analysing evidence and drawing conclusions; evaluating evidence and procedures. The test will consist of two questions, each 40 minutes in duration: apparatus may be used for the first 35 minutes of each question. There will be a further 10 minutes writing up time at the end of the test. The first question will consist of short practical exercises of 4 - 15 marks each. The main focus of these will be on setting up and using apparatus and recording observations. However, they will also involve some planning and analysis. One of these exercises may involve drawing a graph. The second question will focus on planning and evaluation of methods, although the students will be required to use apparatus to make simple measurements.
Unit 3: Topic test : (Astrophysics)
This question will be designed mainly to test knowledge and understanding of the material in the topic, and how this may be applied to other situations. The questions may contain data or information for interpretation and will usually require part of the answer to be given in free prose.
Unit 4
The test for Unit 4 will assume that Units 1 and 2 have been studied but will not examine the content again in detail. These will consist of about eight compulsory structured questions each allocated from four to 12 marks presented in a question-answer booklet, similar in style and format to the structured questions in Units 1 and 2.
Unit 5: Practical test
This test will be based on material from any part of the basic specification and will be designed to build on the practical laboratory skills tested at AS: planning; implementing; analysing evidence and drawing conclusions; evaluating evidence and procedures. The test will consist of three questions, each of duration 25 minutes: apparatus may be used for the first 20 minutes of each question. There will be a further 15 minutes writing up time at the end of the test. The first question will usually contain two exercises of approximately equal length. These will focus on setting up and using apparatus and recording observations. The second question will assess using apparatus and evaluating results, with some planning being required. In the third question the emphasis will be on planning, with aspects of analysis and evaluation. At least one of the questions will involve drawing a graph, which may involve use of logarithms. In all questions, students will have the freedom to modify their plan as they proceed. Students will be expected to demonstrate more advanced skills of analysis and evaluation than in AS.
Unit 5: Unit test
The test for Unit 5 will assume that Units 1, 2 and 4 have been studied. Much of the content of Unit 5 builds on these units and this will be reflected in the questions, although these will all be set in the context of Unit 5.
Unit 6: Synoptic test
The timings and mark allocations suggested for the different types of question within the tests are for guidance only and are not prescriptive. This unit is intended to test accumulated understanding of the whole Advanced GCE specification, with an emphasis on skills and principles rather than detailed knowledge and content.
Passage analysis
The passage will be taken or adapted from a book or an article of a scientific or technological nature, and will not necessarily be derived directly from the content of the specification. The questions might ask students to explain the meaning of terms used in the passage, to perform calculations and deductions, and may include additional material which has to be related to the content of the passage itself.
Long structured questions
Three questions will be set. The first will be based on Unit 6 (Synthesis) and will require candidates to show understanding and application of the principles from across the specification that are drawn together in Unit 6 (Synthesis).
Each of the other two questions will draw on other areas of the specification. They will be designed to examine knowledge and skills acquired during the Advanced GCE course and will require the understanding of principles from more than one unit
For further information please go to Edexcel
