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Key Stage 5

A Level Biology

Qualification: A-level Biology (OCR A)

A Level Biology at Saltash Community College follows the OCR A specification.  This is a topic-based approach to teaching, encompassing a range of modules and practical skills which will prepare students for further study in Biology. 

It is split into 6 modules that are spread over the 2-year course.  Each module is split into a series of units.  These modules are:

Year 12:
  • Module 1 – Development of Practical Skills – This module consists of a series of practical tasks carried out within lessons and is teacher assessed and reported separately to the performance at the A Level
  • Module 2 – Foundations in Biology
  • Module 3 – Exchange and Transport
  • Module 4 – Biodiversity, evolution and Disease
Year 13:
  • Module 5 – Communication, homeostasis and energy
  • Module 6 – Genetic, evolution and ecosystems

Teaching is split between two teachers and split into different units.  A test will occur after the completion of each unit.


Autumn Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Module 4

  • Unit 10 – Classification and Evolution
  • Unit 11 – Biodiversity

Teacher 2 – Module 2

  • Unit 2 – Basic Components of living things
Autumn Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Module 4

  • Unit 11 – Biodiversity (continued)
  • Unit 12 – Communicable Disease

Teacher 2 – Module 2

  • Unit 3 – Biological Molecules
Spring Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Module 3

  • Unit 7 – Exchange Surfaces and Breathing

Teacher 2 – Module 2

  • Unit 4 – Enzymes
Spring Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Module 3

  • Unit 8 – Transport in animals

Teacher 2 – Module 2

  • Unit 5 – Biological Molecules
Summer Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Module 3

  • Unit 9 – Transport in Plants

Teacher 2 – Module 2

  • Unit 6 – Cell Division
Summer Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Revision and Mocks

Teacher 2 – Revision and Mocks

 

Autumn Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Module 6

  • Unit 19 – Genetics of living systems
  • Unit 20 – Patterns of inheritance and variation

Teacher 2 – Module 5

  • Unit 17 – Energy for biological processes
  • Unit 18 - Respiration
Autumn Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Module 6

  • Unit 21 – Manipulating genomes

Teacher 2 – Module 5

  • Unit 13 – Neuronal Communication
Spring Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Module 6

  • Unit 22 – Cloning and Biotechnology

Teacher 2 – Module 5

  • Unit 14 – Hormonal Communication
Spring Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Module 6

  • Unit 23 - Ecosystems
  • Unit 24 – Populations and sustainability

Teacher 2 – Module 5

  • Unit 15 - Homeostasis
  • Unit 16 – Plant Responses
Summer Term 1:

Teacher 1 – Revision of previous units

Teacher 2 – Revision of previous units

Summer Term 2:

Teacher 1 – Revision of previous units

Teacher 2 – Revision of previous units

Assessment:

OCR A Level Biology is assessed by four components (3 exams and 1 practical component).  These are:

Exams:
  • Paper 1 – Biological Processes (H420/01) – 2 hours 15 minutes

    This paper is worth 100 marks and split into two sections.

    Section A – multiple choice (15 marks) and Section B – short answer questions and extended response questions (85 marks).  This paper covers Module 1, 2, 3 and 5
     
  • Paper 2 – Biological Diversity (H420/02) – 2 hours 15 minutes

    This paper is worth 100 marks and split into two sections.

    Section A – multiple choice (15 marks) and Section B – short answer questions and extended response questions (85 marks). This paper covers Module 1, 2, 4 and 6
     
  • Paper 3 – Unified Biology (H420/03) – 1 hour 30 minutes

    This paper is worth 70 marks. This is in one section and includes short answers and extended response questions. This paper covers Modules 1-6.
     
  • Practical Endorsement

    This non-exam assessment component rewards the development of practical competency in biology and is teacher assessed. Learners demonstrate competence in the range of skills and techniques carried out in lessons.

Homework:

Students will be given a range of homework, including exam-style questions, revision activities and self-study.  Students will be expected to work at least 1 hour outside of lessons for each hour spent in lessons.

 

A  Level Chemistry

Qualification: Chemistry B (Salters) A Level (Code: H433)

Exam Board: OCR
Papers to be sat in year 13: 
  • Fundamentals of Chemistry (01) (110 marks) 2hr15, 41% weighting
  • Scientific literacy in Chemistry (02) (100 marks) 2hr 15, 37% weight
  • Practical skills in Chemistry (03) (60 marks) 1hr 30, 22% weighting

Further to this, students will participate in a range of practical skills over twelve core practicals, which will contribute to them achieving a pass or fail in their Practical Endorsement.  This is assessed and reported completely separately to the A-level grade.

Chemistry B (Salters) is ‘context-led’. Chemical concepts are introduced within a relevant context, based on contemporary issues in chemistry. Students study chemistry in a spiral way so that chemical ideas, introduced in an early topic, are reinforced later. The ‘drip-feed’ approach to teaching and learning chemical principles allows candidates to revisit a particular topic several times during the course, each time taking their knowledge and understanding a step further. Each assessment unit contains a variety of chemical ideas.  As the candidates have been accustomed to learning their chemistry in context, the examination questions are also set in context.

Homework:

Past exam paper questions booklets are set every fortnight. Core practical planning and writing-up form part of the extra homework.

End-of-unit assessments are to be revised with plenty of advanced notice.


Autumn term:

  • Elements of Life: Amounts of substance (moles), electron configuration, bonding, equilibria, emission and mass spectra.
  • Developing fuels: thermochemistry • simple organic chemistry • electrophilic addition • gas volume calculations • shapes of organic molecules, σ- and π-bonds • structural and E/Z isomers • heterogeneous catalysis  and dealing with polluting gases.
Spring term:

Elements from the sea:

  • Halogen chemistry
  • Redox chemistry & electrolysis
  • Equilibrium
  • Atom economy

Ozone story:

  • Composition by volume of gases
  • The electromagnetic spectrum and the interaction of radiation with matter
  • Rates of reaction
  • Radical reactions
  • Intermolecular bonding
  • Haloalkanes
  • Nucleophilic substitution reactions
  • The sustainability of the ozone layer
Summer term:

What’s in a medicine:

  • Further organic chemistry
  • Mass spectrometry and IR spectroscopy
  • Organic synthesis, preparative techniques and thin layer chromatography
  • Green chemistry

Chemical Industry: 

  • Aspects of nitrogen chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Equilibrium constant calculations
  • Effects of factors on the rate and equilibrium yields of reactions; consideration of the best conditions for an industrial process
  • Analysis of costs, benefits and risks of industrial processes.


Autumn term:

Polmers and Life:

  • More organic chemistry
  • Acid–base equilibria
  • Amino acid and protein chemistry
  • Optical isomerism
  • Enzyme catalysis and molecular recognition
  • The structure and function of DNA and RNA
  • Structural analysis.

Oceans:

  • Dissolving and associated enthalpy changes
  • The greenhouse effect
  • Acid–base equilibria and pH
  • Solubility products
  • Entropy

Spring term:

Developing metals:

  • Redox titrations
  • Cells & electrode potentials
  • D-block chemistry
  • Colorimetry

Colour by design:

  • The chemical origins of colour in organic compounds
  • Aromatic compounds and their reactions
  • Dyes and dyeing
  • Diazonium compounds
  • Fats and oils
  • Gas–liquid chromatography
  • Carbonyl compounds & reactions
  • Organic synthes & polyfunctional compounds.

Introduction to the Advanced Notice Article: The article changes each year and will be assessed both directly and also the associated chemistry in the second exam paper.

 

A Level Physics

Qualification: A-level Physics (9PHO)

Exam Board: Edexcel
Papers to be sat in year 13:
  • Paper 1: Advanced Physics I (01) (90 marks) 1h45, 30% weighting
  • Paper 2: Advanced Physics II (02) (90 marks) 1hr45, 30% weighting
  • Paper 3: General & Practical Principles (120 marks) 2hr 30, 40% weighting

Further to this, students will participate in a range of practical skills over sixteen core practicals, which will contribute to them achieving a pass or fail in their Practical Endorsement.  This is assessed and reported completely separately to the A-level grade.

The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Physics consists of three externally examined papers and the Science Practical Endorsement.   A concept-led approach. This approach begins with a study of the laws, theories and models of physics and finishes with an exploration of their practical applications.

Homework:

Past exam paper questions are set every fortnight. Core practical planning and writing-up form part of the extra homework.

End of unit assessments are to be revised for with plenty of advanced notice.


Autumn term:

  • Working as a Physicist: quantities and units; supporting practical skills
  • Electric circuits: Current & charge; Potential difference, electromotive force & power; current-potential difference relationships; resistance and resistivity; Internal resistance, series & parallel circuits & the potential divider
  • Mechanics: Rectilinear motion; Momentum; Forces; Work, energy & power.
  • Waves and the particle behaviour of light: nature of waves; transmission & reflection of waves; superposition of waves; particle nature of light

Spring term:

  • Gravitational fields: Universal Gravitation
  • Materials : Fluids; solid materials

Summer term:

  • Thermodynamics: Specific Heat capacity; Internal energy, absolute zero & change of state; gas laws & kinetic theory
  • Nuclear & Particle Physics:  Electrons & Nuclei; Particle Physics


Autumn term:

  • Electric & Magnetic Fields: Electric fields; capacitance;
  • Nuclear radiation: Nuclear decay
  • Further Mechanics: Momentum & energy; Motion in a circle

Spring term:

  • Electric & Magnetic Fields: magnetic fields
  • Space: Astrophysics; Cosmology
  • Oscillations: Oscillations;

 

 

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