Aiming for grades A/A* in the 2023 exams

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Achievement in AQA A Level Chemistry requires students to overcome some key challenges in order to secure a top A/A* grades in the upcoming AQA A Level Chemistry 2023 exam. Students need to be able to recall a wealth of knowledge across the varied disciplines of chemistry study and apply this knowledge in familiar and unfamiliar situations. Chemistry students have a variety of strengths and weaknesses so a range of techniques are needed to ensure they can achieve the best possible mark over the 3 main subject areas: physical, organic and inorganic chemistry; as well as the practical component.

This intensive new course will demonstrate how to guide your students to achieve their maximise possible grades in future AQA A Level Chemistry examinations. The course is designed for teachers of AQA A Level Chemistry, but would be of benefit to teachers of other exam boards as well.

Please note the topics for the sessions will be adapted as required according to the announcement to change post 07 February 2022.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Explore the key concepts in chemistry that underpin topic content to develop an integrated approach to chemistry study
• Develop the use of retrieval practice to promote student recall, supporting the teaching of the most challenging A Level topics.
• Increase awareness of what we should aim to achieve with the most able Chemists
• Take away fresh ideas, approaches and methods that challenge A/A* students and support their further development
• Develop greater understanding of the precision and detail that examiners are looking for in A/A* students
• Find out more about the barriers to progress and ways to support highly able students to overcome them

PROGRAMME

The ingredients for success in AQA A Level Chemistry

• Identifying and highlighting the core concepts to build an integrated approach to teaching chemistry. What are the ‘first principles’ in chemistry that give students a solid foundation for A Level study?

Structuring an excellent two-year linear teaching course

• Planning the course with the end in mind
• How to plan to present material in small steps across the two years of study to support students in developing their skills and knowledge required
• Identifying foundational knowledge that supports teaching of the most challenging areas of the course
• Sequencing topic content appropriately allowing opportunities to embed retrieval practice

Every Mark Matters: a look at some of the topics students find most challenging

• Dealing with the maths – a look at some of the challenging areas of physical chemistry including: challenging titration questions, graphs and related questions, pH and buffers
• Mechanisms – A look at the more challenging areas of organic chemistry and how to get students to identify the correct mechanism and then draw it accurately.
• Memory and explanations – A look at some of the more challenging areas for inorganic chemistry
• Avoiding potential hazards – what can cost a top student their A/A* grade?

Every Mark Matters: using the required practicals to promote understanding of the theory

• How to integrate the practicals with the theoretical aspects of the course.
• Explaining the practicals. Strategies to get the students to think about the methods rather than just blindly carrying them out.
• Making the practicals real. Linking the practicals to the real world to promote engagement and understanding.
• Where are marks lost? – what does an A Level Chemistry student need to do to obtain maximum marks on practical questions.
• Integrating practical skills and theoretical content – evaluating conclusions made by other scientists – why students don’t seem to get it?

Preparing for challenging exam questions

• Providing scaffolds to develop examination technique and build student confidence in answering trickier question types.
• Strategies to help students excel when answering questions involving maths and graphs.
• Modelling approaches to unfamiliar context questions
• Example responses

Stretching and challenging A/A* Chemistry students

• RSC Olympiad resources and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge – using questions over and above recommended reading, preparing for Oxbridge – signposting, pushing and probing
• Embedding RSC Olympiad resources and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge resources into schemes of work and lessons to stretch the most able students in Chemistry.
• Strategies for stretching A/A* students in a mixed-ability classroom and challenging complacent high-achievers. Embedding example Oxbridge interview questions in lessons to increase depth and breadth of student understanding.