The Chemistry Department
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AS and A2 level Course >
The Chemistry Department at Stowe is a lively, friendly and very successful one which is at the forefront in the use of modern technology in its teaching. An exciting development over the last four years has been involvement with a company developing CD-ROM materials for teaching Chemistry at GCSE and A Level. Some of the prototype materials under development are being trialled in the Department and thus students have access to the very latest software.
The Department occupies the top floor of the Science Building and comprises of a set of four identical teaching laboratories, each with its own lecture room equipped with a large demonstration bench and fume cupboard. The Department is extremely well served with technical help from Technicians and Laboratory Assistants. Each teaching area is now linked to the central Science IT Lab via a computer network, so that students can gather data in the laboratory and process it further in the IT Lab downstairs. CD-ROM, video and internet resources are used routinely in teaching at all levels.
Chemistry is about the stuff around us - how atoms and molecules interact and react in our brains, in car engines, in the kitchen and in the skies - and as such it occupies a central position between the physical sciences on the one hand and the biological sciences on the other.
Head of Department, D S Jeffreys



GCSE Course
Aims
Increasingly modern chemistry is focusing on a detailed understanding of the processes at a molecular level, in living systems on the one hand, and the structure and properties of exciting new materials on the other. Both Biology and Chemistry have moved together towards a greater common involvement in Biochemistry. Fuels and energy storage systems for the 21st century are a priority in research and development across the world.
Environmental Chemistry is now a subject in its own right at degree level as chemists seek to find solutions to the problems of pollution that modern industrial societies are experiencing. More and more attention is being paid to the chemistry of the atmosphere.
Knowledge of a wide range of everyday chemicals and materials used in the home, in agriculture and in industry is still required and plenty of practical experience is provided during the course. Calculations based on chemical formulae and equations form an important part of the Higher tier syllabus, for which most Stoics will be entered.

Content

The Separate Chemistry GCSE
Taking Chemistry as a separate GCSE extends the knowledge of many vital chemical concepts and processes. The following is a brief list of the extra topics that are studied.

Those with aspirations to go on to AS / A2 level Chemistry would certainly benefit from taking the full GCSE-Triple Award.

Future studies and Careers
Chemistry occupies a central position between the physical and biological sciences, and is an essential requirement at A-Level for many courses such as Medicine, Veterinary Science, Chemical Engineering and some life sciences. It is strongly recommended for anyone contemplating taking biological sciences at university.

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AS and A2 level Course
An A Level Chemistry qualification is attractive to many university admissions' tutors as it tells them you can analyse and present data, absorb factual material, handle numerical problems, understand and explain complicated concepts, and that you have practical skills gained from laboratory work - a good all-rounder in fact!
Combined most frequently with one or more of Biology, Physics or Mathematics at A Level, Chemistry provides access to a very wide range of options in Higher Education. Other subjects successfully combined with Chemistry and one of the above in the Stowe A Level curriculum are Design, Geography, English, or Economics - occasionally even Greek or Latin! Many Stoics have found such combinations a suitable basis for entry into courses such as Law, Banking and Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics in the past, as well as the traditional science or engineering courses.
Chemistry remains an important pre-requisite for direct entry into courses such as Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry, as well as most courses in Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering and Food Science. Many universities now offer courses combining Chemistry with a wide variety of non-science options, such as Management or Business Studies, Law, or Economics, as well as a year abroad or a year in industry.

Choosing Chemistry
Whether Chemistry is taken as part of specific Higher Education plans or as a more general interest subject, you should expect to work hard, have some mathematical skills and enjoy problem solving. A good grade at Chemistry GCSE, as well as in Mathematics, would normally be expected for entry to the course. Students who have studied Additional Science, as opposed to the full Chemistry GCSE, should contact the Head of Department for details of topics relevant to A Level that they may have missed.

The Course
The Department follows the OCR Chemistry AS/A2 course, (full details of which are available on request). The course has its own textbook which defines the course content and this is supported within the Department by a Chemistry library from which students can borrow freely. In addition, the Science ICT Suite acts as a gateway to many ICT resources, including networked CD-ROMs (some of which were developed within the Department) and, of course, the internet.
Practical work is internally assessed and contributes 20% towards both the AS and A2 final grade.

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