A Level Course Guide 2024

Chemistry OCR Salters

C H E M I S T R Y

Chemistry is the study of the properties and reactions of substances and their applications in our lives. Chemistry is an essential subject for many scientific courses at university, such as Medicine, Materials Science and Biological Sciences, as well as Chemistry itself, due to its intellectual rigour and the fact it is the ‘central science’. Human existence is reliant upon, and is constantly being transformed by chemistry: medicines, drugs, dyes, pigments, foods, flavours, vitamins, antioxidants, fireworks, explosives, fuels, fertilisers, plastics, diamonds, batteries… the scope of study is boundless. The OCR specification slots the “Chemical Ideas” of the course into “Chemical Storylines” – “Elements of Life”, “Developing Fuels”, “Elements from the Sea”, “The Ozone Story”, “What’s in a Medicine”, “The Chemical Industry”, “Polymers and Life”, “The Oceans”, “Developing Metals”, and “Colour by Design”. All the traditional concepts of chemistry are present in the course with OCR being well known for its rigour and being excellent at preparing pupils for chemistry-based courses at university. Practical skills are taught throughout the course, linked to the relevant concepts, leading to fulfilment of the requirements of the Practical Endorsement. Entry requirements for pupils wishing to study A Level Chemistry are 8-8 in the GCSE Science Double Award or an 8 in GCSE Chemistry. Mathematical questions account for 20% of the total exam marks available; therefore, we require at least a grade 7 in GCSE Maths and recommend that Maths is also studied at A Level.

COMPONENT

ASSESSMENT

110 marks 2¼ hr Multiple-choice, short answer and extended response questions. 100 marks 2¼ hr Short answer and extended response questions, including questions on a pre-release Advance Notice article.

Fundamentals of Chemistry

Scientific Literacy in Chemistry

60 marks 1½ hr written paper Short answer and extended response questions.

Practical Skills in Chemistry

Non exam assessment Performance in this component is reported separately to the performance in the A Level.

Practical Endorsement in Chemistry

12