Welcome to the Chemistry Department
Chemistry General Aims
- In the Chemistry department we aim to provide a creative, stimulating and challenging curriculum that inspires and equips all to become independent life-long learners in a local, national and global community.
- Chemistry is relevant to our everyday lives; it broadens our appreciation of important issues such as climate change.
- Chemistry lessons start in year 7 and continue for everyone until the end of year 11.
- To support students we offer an after-school Chemistry club that runs from 3pm to 4.30pm two evenings per week. Students can work with their peers and get help from teachers with homework or classwork. It is a very important part of the Chemistry Department as it encourages students to learn from each other and sort out any difficulties as they arise. This is mainly for Yr 12 and 13 but students from other years may attend.
- We offer visits to various Universities, Societies and Museums that provide stimulating lectures and excite interest in Chemistry and the Chemical Industry.
- Each year there is an opportunity for 4 Yr 10 students to attend a Salters Chemistry Camp held at various Universities.
- Yr 8 students can attend the Salters Day Camp and take part in competitions and quizzes.
Curriculum Content
Key Stage Three
At KS3 each pupil has one lesson per week, increasing to 2 at KS4.
AQA Core Science GCSE is started in year 9, followed by the Additional Science in year 10 and 11. There is also opportunity for pupils to obtain a Separate GCSE in Chemistry as part of the Triple Science programme.
Year 7 Scheme of Work
Following a general introduction to chemistry, students will study mixing, dissolving and separating, and become familiar with the use of key words and carrying out experiments. They will then focus on elements, compounds and reactions. Assessments include tasks, worksheets and end of topic tests
Year 8 Scheme of Work
Assessments follow the same format as in Year 7. Students study topics covering physical and chemical changes, including reactions of acids and alkalis.
The Year 8 Science and Engineering Club has been running since 2007, and proves very popular every year. It is run twice a week for an hour after school, allowing two groups of twenty girls to attend. Activities enjoyed include making bath bombs and other beauty products, hot air balloons, solar-powered buggies, wind turbines, periscopes, paper and zeotropes. Students also dissect owl pellets and use their soldering skills to make speakers for their phones or MP3 players.
Key Stage Four - GCSE Chemistry
GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy - AQA Code: 8464 - Specifications
Course Content - What Will I Study
- This course leads to two GCSE's.
- Subject Content is organised into a component called ‘How Science Works’ and is comprised of two Biology Sections, two Chemistry sections and two Physics sections.
How will my progress be tested and examined?
- There are six written examination papers, two in each of the three sciences.
- There are at least two controlled assessment units.
- Each controlled assessment unit comprises an Investigative Skills Assignment (ISA) involving planning, practical work and a written assessment test.
- School tests and examinations will be set throughout the two year course to monitor progress. Each girl will be prepared for the level of examinations most suited to her individual aptitude.
GCSE Chemistry - AQA Code: 8462 - Specifications
Course Content - What Will I Study
Subject content is organised into sections which include ‘Atomic Structure’ and topics such as ‘Chemical Changes’, ‘Quantitative Chemistry’, ‘Rates of Reactions’ and ‘Organic Chemistry’.
How will my progress be tested and examined?
School tests and examinations will be set throughout the GCSE course to monitor progress. Each girl will be prepared for the level of examination most suited to her individual aptitude at the end of Year 11.
The above course content currently applies to Years 10 and 11.
Year 9 in 2016 are starting the new specifications, but these are still in draft form:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/chemistry-8462
(For GCSE EXAMS IN 2018 ONWARDS)
Progression - How will the study of Chemistry benefit students’ future education and career?
- GCSE Science courses aim to provide students with the skills to become scientifically literate young people and to understand ‘how science works’.
- Training in analysis, understanding, evaluation, application of knowledge and data handling provide foundations for many AS/A Level subjects as well as sciences.
- Increasingly a minimum grade C in sciences is required for a variety of courses and training, not necessarily those related to pure sciences, at university, in further education or in the workplace.
