Physics A Level at St Edward's Church of England School & Sixth Form College
Course description
You will sustain and develop your enjoyment of, and interest in Physics.
You will:
- develop a greater understanding of physical facts together with an appreciation of their significance in new and changing situations.
- develop greater expertise in the area of practical work and the link between theory and experimental work.
- continue to enjoy and further develop a personal interest in the physical world.
- examine the recognition of the responsible use of Physics in society and the awareness of developments in Physics in an ever-changing world.
Course content
1. Measurements and their errors
2. Particles and radiation
3. Waves
4. Mechanics and materials
5. Electricity
6. Further mechanics and thermal physics
7. Fields and their consequences 8. Nuclear physics
Optional
9. Astrophysics
10.Medical physics
11.Engineering physics
12.Turning points in physics 13.Electronics
Entry requirements
It is expected that students will have achieved a GCSE grade B or above in both Core and Additional Science or grade B in Physics. During the course, students will be expected to handle and interpret data so it is also expected that students will have achieved a GCSE grade 6 in Mathematics.
Assessment
AS Level
Paper 1: Sections 1 – 5 . Written exam of 1 hour 30 minutes. 70 marks of short and long answer questions split by topic. (50% of AS)
Paper 2: Sections 1 – 5. Written exam of 1 hour 30 minutes. 70 marks of short and long answer questions split by topic. (50% of AS)
A-Level
Paper 1: Sections 1 to 5 and 6.1 (Periodic motion). Written exam of 2 hours. 85 marks comprised of 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content. (34% of A-Level)
Paper 2: Sections 6.2 (Thermal Physics), 7 and 8 and assumed knowledge from sections 1 to 6. Written exam of 2 hours. 85 marks comprised of 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content. (34% of A-Level)
Paper 3: Section A Compulsory section: Practical skills and data analysis and Section B: Students enter for one of sections 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. Written exam of 2 hours. 80 marks comprised of 45 marks of short and long answer questions on practical experiments and data analysis and 35 marks of short and long answer questions on optional topic. (32% of A-Level)
Future opportunities
Employers of physics graduates include academic institutions, government research organisations and industry. Industries employing physicists are varied and include:
- Aerospace and defence;
- Education;
- Energy;
- Engineering;
- Instrumentation;
- Manufacturing;
- Oil and gas;
- Science and telecommunications.
How to apply
If you want to apply for this course, you will need to contact St Edward's Church of England School & Sixth Form College directly.
