Hear from Ben Arrowsmith
Ever wondered what was in that sandwich you ate for lunch? Or what is in your bottle of water as well as the water? Or what is in anything come to that? Chemistry will give you the opportunity to find out. By understanding about the properties of substances and how atoms can be joined together to make different things.
GCSE
Exam Board: AQA, Chemistry (1-9). The examination consists of two papers, both of 1 hour and 45 minutes in duration.
The GCSE course gives a comprehensive introduction to Chemistry. It covers core Chemistry concepts; mathematical calculations in Chemistry; and the application of Chemistry to real world problems and issues. There is a substantial amount of practical work throughout the course and pupils acquire knowledge and understanding of chemical patterns and principles which they learn to apply to familiar and unfamiliar situations. The course follows on naturally from Year 9 and the secret of success is keeping up-to-date, making the ideas easier to understand and remember. Pupils develop an appreciation of the scientific, social, economic, environmental and technological contributions of Chemistry and the range of topics covered is wide.
Loughborough Grammar School boasts outstanding Chemistry facilities with spacious well-equipped laboratories, and the resources that allow us to perform plenty of practical work. The Chemistry teachers are all specialist Chemists with decades of experience, and two of them are GCSE examiners so we know the course inside and out. You will be provided with all the support and resources that you need to be successful at this subject. Including support sessions in Year 11 if you are struggling, and Firefly pages full of past papers, practice questions, video clips etc. to help with your revision.
A Level
Exam Board: Edexcel, Chemistry. The examination consists of two papers, both of 1 hour and 45 minutes in duration and one paper that is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
A Level Chemistry takes the knowledge and skills gained at GCSE and extends them in both breadth and depth. As with GCSE there is a substantial amount of mathematical content and plenty of practical work; you may well find yourself burning magnesium in steam, constructing electrochemical cells and making your very own aspirin. Working out how and why substances behave and interact in the ways that they do can be quite demanding, but at the same time it is interesting and stimulating. You will have the chance to discuss and ask more questions about ideas covered only fairly superficially at GCSE and you will be expected to think and contribute during lessons.
Loughborough Grammar School has a team of highly qualified and very experienced A Level teachers. We have outstanding laboratories that are equipped and supported to allow our students to develop their practical skills to a high level. We provide both support for students that are struggling with the subject, and opportunities for students applying for elite courses to achieve the very best grades and add to their UCAS application through competitions and extra-curricular activities.