AQA GCSE Chemistry

About this course

This is the new Chemistry course for first teaching this year – 2011/12. If you are studying the old specification, there’s plenty of information on the AQA website. Make sure you know which course you’re following!

Exam dates

Unit 1 (core science) can be taken for the first time in January, 2012, and then in June and January from then on.

Unit 2 (additional science) can be taken for the first time in the Summer (June) of 2012 and then in June and January each year.

Unit 3 (Extension module) can be taken for the first time in the summer (June) of 2013 and then in June and January each year.

Unit 4 (Controlled Assessment) – can be carried out at any time, but the first certification is June 2013 – along with the extension module.

Exam papers and other resources

From the AQA ScienceLab website:

On the resources page:

Exam papers and marking schemes – one set of specimen papers (it’s a new course, so there are no past papers)
Specification – Details of the course, its content and structure. The contents section can be used as a check-list to make sure you’ve covered all the topics. It’s a large file, so print it at your peril! Apart from the contents section and the course structure summary, the rest is mainly of interest to teachers.
Specimen examples of completed controlled assessment papers with examiners comments and advice.
Schemes of work – my favourite resource! Contains details of all topics along with learning outcomes, suggestions for homework, exam hints and tips and links to relevant websites.
Homework and lesson ideas – another great resource of questions and answers.
Assessing progress – a collection of worksheets testing knowledge of all the topics.

On the controlled assessment page – go here and then scroll to the bottom of the page for the following link:

Guide to quality of written communication – specimen examples of students descriptions of their tasts along with examiners comments and advice.
Glossary of terms – a list of words and phrases used in the controlled assessments. Essential!
Guide to command words – Examples of exam papers showing the use of command words, the mistakes students make, and advice on interpreting them correctly.

Course content

Chemistry GCSE consists of four Units. The first is studied when following Core Science. The second is followed when studying Additional Science. Then an Extension unit is taken to convert ‘double science’ into triple, separate sciences. The fourth unit is the controlled assessment. Each unit accounts for 25% of the total marks.

Unit 1 – Topics from Core Science:

C1.1 The fundamental ideas in chemistry
C1.2 Limestone and building materials
C1.3 Metals and their uses
C1.4 Crude oil and fuels
C1.5 Other useful substances from crude oil
C1.6 Plant oils and their uses
C1.7 Changes in the Earth and its atmosphere

Unit 2 – Topics from Additional Science:

C2.1 Structure and bonding
C2.2 How structure influences the properties and uses of substances
C2.3 Atomic structure, analysis and quantitative chemistry
C2.4 Rates of reaction
C2.5 Exothermic and endothermic reactions
C2.6 Acids, bases and salts
C2.7 Electrolysis

Unit 3 – Topics from the Extension Module:

C3.1 The periodic table
C3.2 Water
C3.3 Calculating and explaining energy changes
C3.4 Further analysis and quantitative chemistry
C3.5 The production of ammonia
C3.6 Alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters

Unit 4 – Controlled Assessment:

In this unit, candidates use a range of practical skills and knowledge in one investigation chosen from those supplied by AQA.

Study resources

…coming soon…

Support from me