Welcome to the Chemistry department

Francis Holland has a dynamic and thriving Chemistry department. Staffed by three passionate teachers each with a further degree in their own area, every student is taught by a subject specialist.

Curriculum

Outstanding lessons in Chemistry are delivered from the outset with all students studying the subject at IGCSE level. Experimentation is a crucial aspect of the study of Chemistry and all girls carry out practical work regularly as part of their experience of the subject. These experiments are used to reinforce and extend knowledge and understanding as well as to ensure the development of the skills needed to carry out research and investigate problems in Chemistry.

We are proud of our uptake at A Level and the number of students going on to study Chemistry and related disciplines at top universities.

As public examinations approach, all members of staff in the department provide revision clinics outside of the usual timetable, and are always available to arrange smaller study sessions should a student wish to discuss their work in more detail.

Key Stage 3

In the Thirds (Year 7), pupils follow the Junior Science curriculum.

In the Lower Fourth, pupils follow a four unit course which provides a firm foundation in the fundamental principles of Chemistry allowing for the development of more demanding concepts in the future. The first unit looks at pure substances and mixtures; the second covers physical and chemical changes; the third is a more detailed study of acids/neutralisation, whilst in the fourth, students consider the reactivity of metals and how this determines the method of extraction. After the Summer examination, students take part in the Lower Fourth Science Fair.

GCSE

The Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry course is taught over three years, beginning in the Upper Fourth. The course is assessed via two papers at the end of the Upper Fifth, with questions on both theory and experimental techniques. At Francis Holland, the Chemistry department ensures that each student is prepared for these examinations in terms of depth of knowledge and experience of practical work.

The following topics are covered across the three years:

UIV – states of matter; elements, compounds and mixtures; atomic structure; The Periodic Table; chemical formulae and equations; rates of reaction; ionic bonding; covalent bonding; types of structure; gases in the atmosphere.

LV – recap of bonding and structure; metallic bonding; acids, alkalis and titrations; acids, bases and salt preparations; calculations; elements in Groups 1 and 7; redox reactions; electrolysis; extraction and uses of aluminium; chemical analysis.

UV – further calculations; energetics; crude oil; Organic Chemistry including polymerisation; equilibria.

A Level

We follow the AQA A Level in the Lower and Upper Sixth. The course is assessed via three papers at the end of the two years which test students on their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical concepts taught as well as the practical techniques required for the experimental aspect of the programme. This consists of twelve experiments which must be carried out and understood in detail. Students formally write up and record their results in laboratory books as they would if they were following a science course at undergraduate level. The Practical Endorsement is recorded separately to the A level grade on the final certificate.

The course is broken down into three areas: Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry.

The following topics are covered across the two years:

• Organic – Alkanes; Halogenoalkanes; Alkenes; Alcohols; Aldehydes and Ketones; Aromatic Chemistry; Amines; Carboxylic Acids and derivatives; Polymers; Isomerism; Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA; Organic Analysis; Organic Synthesis.
• Inorganic – Periodicity; Group II – The Alkaline Earth Metals; Group VII – The Halogens; Properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides; Transition Metals; Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solution.
• Physical – Atomic Structure; Amount of Substance (The Mole); Bonding; Energetics and Thermodynamics; Kinetics and Rate Equations; Equilibria; Redox; Electrode Potentials; Acids and Bases.

Why study Chemistry?

Chemistry is a well-respected and intellectually demanding A Level. Studying Chemistry makes life a little less mysterious – it means you get to know and understand why and how things react and change. Pharmaceuticals, food production, materials, climate change, energy supplies, forensics, cosmetics, technology, clothing; Chemistry is everywhere!

Chemistry A Level is an essential requirement for anyone who wants to study Medicine, Veterinary Science/Medicine or Dentistry. Chemistry is also useful for those wanting to study anything science-related at university – Biochemistry, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Natural Sciences.

The skills of analysis, logic, reasoning and evaluation gained from studying Chemistry are also very transferable to almost any career including accountancy, IT, teaching, law, management consultancy and marketing, etc. It is a highly regarded academic discipline which leads to a myriad of exciting and varied opportunities.

Beyond the Curriculum

As well as delivering lessons with excitement, an element of challenge and a wealth of hands-on opportunities, we offer a diverse range of co-curricular activities, events and clubs to complement learning.

Messy Chemistry Club meets every week. Primarily run by enthusiastic Sixth Form chemists, this club allows for demonstration and experimentation, building confidence in pupils’ practical skills.

The Salters’ Chemistry Festival provides an opportunity for Lower Fourth students to take part in an investigative competition against other schools using the laboratories at one of the London universities.

The Lower Fourth Science Fair requires all students to work in pairs to investigate a new and innovative area of Science. Taking place after the Summer examinations, the students spend their time carrying out independent research into an area of their choice, and then present their findings to the rest of the school. After the heats, the main evening event invites parents, staff and students to see the best presentations judged by a highly regarded scientist, often from a local university.

Girls in the Upper Fourth, Lower Fifth and Upper Fifth are given the opportunity to take part as a team in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top of the Bench Competition. Their general knowledge of Chemistry is tested on a series of challenging rounds of questions against other schools in the London area with the winner going forward to the national competition. Once Top of the Bench has taken place the students involved form Chemistry Research Club which meets to discuss and investigate up-to-date areas of Chemistry of personal interest. These have included the effectiveness of different antacids, the pros and cons of waste disposal in space and the possibility of using cryogenics to preserve and extend life. All girls from these years are welcome to attend this club.

We regularly attend the GCSE and A Level Science Live! events hosted in London, giving students in the Upper Fifth and the Lower Sixth the chance to hear lectures from world leaders in science, such as Professor Andrea Sella and Dr Ben Goldacre.

Girls in the upper years are encouraged to take part in University College London’s Lecture Series. These lectures, which take place on a weekly basis and are just a short walk from the school site, are diverse and varied, with recent topics including the Chemistry of the Periodic Table and the Hidden World of the Atom.

Sixth Form chemists are given the option to take part in the Chemistry Olympiad, run by the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the University of Cambridge Lower Sixth Chemistry Challenge. Both of these written papers pose demanding questions, giving students a flavour of Chemistry at a more advanced level and extending their thinking beyond the confines of the A Level course. A team is also entered in the Cambridge Chemistry Race.