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Physics

Head of Department: Mrs A Clark

Syllabus Title: Physics

Examination Board: Edexcel

Length of course: 2 years

Entry requirements:  GCSE grade 6 (or above) in Science and Maths plus GCSE grade 5 in English.

Description :

The course begins with a study of the laws, theories and models of Physics and finishes with an exploration of their practical applications. Taking you on a journey from Newton’s Laws to the beginnings of space and dark matter; A-Level Physics will build on communication and calculation skills throughout the two years of investigative approaches. Students will notice a step up from GCSE, however the course has been planned to allow support and confidence in the content to develop. This is a content-led course that allows for a challenging and engaging atmosphere in lessons. Students will complete core practicals and are likely to be familiar with the resources that are used from their GCSE studies.

Topics studied in this course:

Working as a Physicist

Mechanics

Electric Circuits

Materials 

Waves and Particle Nature of Light

Further Mechanics

Electric and Magnetic Fields

Nuclear and Particle Physics

Thermodynamics

Space

Nuclear Radiation

Gravitational Fields

Oscillations

Coursework and assessment of the course:

Paper 1: Advanced Physics 1 - 1.75hrs, 90 marks (30%)

Paper 2: Advanced Physics 2 - 1.75hrs, 90 marks (30%)

Paper 3: General and Practical Principles in Physics - 2.5hrs, 120 marks (40%)

Core Practicals - 12 practical experiments, completed across two years of study

Post A Level:

Students who opt to study Physics at A-Level open themselves up to many opportunities in higher education and employment. There are a huge range of University courses available, which can lead to careers in astronomy and space, climate science, meteorology, engineering, photonics, renewable energy, robotics and much more. As Physics is an area in which we are constantly discovering more and improving our understanding, future students may find themselves applying for jobs which don’t even exist yet!

What the students say about this course:

“Physics allows me to understand down to the atomic level, and out to the size of the universe”

“I’ve learnt a lot about how the world around me works”

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