Science | CMC

Science Department

Biology is one of the most popular A Level subjects in the country, attracting students that study a variety of other subjects. Students will try and understand how animals and organisms (including humans) work, how we have evolved over the years and the things that can make us unwell as well as the things that can improve our health.

As with the other sciences, biology helps you to build up research, problem solving, organisation and analytical skills. If you study biology, you will likely find yourself working on group projects, which will help you build your teamwork and communication skills too.

An A Level in Chemistry is highly regarded by Higher Education and can lead to many rewarding career paths. Chemistry is sometimes known as the “central science” because it helps connect the physical sciences, maths and physics, with applied sciences, biology, medicine and engineering.

By studying A Level chemistry you will develop your research, problem solving and analytical skills. It helps you challenge ideas and show how you worked things out through logic and step-by-step reasoning. Practical work is an important and essential aspect of the course.

Physics is crucial to understanding the world around us and the world beyond us. Physics challenges our imaginations with concepts like relativity, and it leads to great discoveries, like computers and lasers, that lead to technologies which change our lives – from curing cancer, to developing sustainable energy solutions. It is the most basic and fundamental science. In this course you will discover the basic principles or laws which govern the natural world.

The course develops quickly upon previous studies and builds students’ interest and enthusiasm for physics. Ideas from GCSE will be expanded upon using more rigorous mathematical methods.

Departments

Course Content

Content is split into six teaching modules:

Module 1 – Development of practical skills in chemistry

Module 2 – Foundations in chemistry

Module 3 – Periodic table and energy

Module 4 – Core organic chemistry

Module 5 – Physical chemistry and transition elements

Module 6 – Organic chemistry

What You Can Progress To?

Most A Level chemistry students go on to university followed by a related career, whereas some students choose to go directly into industry or enter university later. With the right combination of subjects, this course will lead you to a career in science or medicine.

How Will You Learn?

You will experience a variety of teaching methods and styles and laboratory work. Croydon Metropolitan College has a well-equipped laboratory for the study of Chemistry. There are textbooks and website access specifically for this specification and classes employ a wide range of practical teaching and learning techniques.

How Will You Be Assessed?

We follow the OCR exam board.

The A Level qualification is a full time course achieved over a two year period. It is

assessed by 3 written exams at the end of the second year:

Two written papers, both 2 hours and 15 minutes worth 37%
One written paper 1 hour 30 minutes worth 26%

The practical skills and techniques are assessed directly in the practical endorsement, using the common practical assessment criteria (CPAC). Students carry out 12 practicals throughout the two years of the A Level course and maintain their own records. Quality assurance of the practical endorsement is carried out by visiting monitors.