Chemistry
Chemistry is one of the most popular A level subjects in the school with over half of the VI Form studying the subject. These students will go on to university to study mostly science related subjects including engineering, medicine, veterinary science and of course Chemistry itself.
At GCSE all students have the option of studying Chemistry as a separate subject or as part of the Double Science course and the subject can be studied at AS/A2 from either of these routes. At present the OCR Gateway GCSE courses are being followed.
The London Edexcel AS/A2 is followed by students in the VI Form and from September 2008 it is planned to offer the IB course.
But it is not only academic courses that occupy this dynamic department. Chemistry Club for the UIII and LIV is extremely popular when fun experiments are carried out under careful supervision. For the UIV Crest Awards are on offer and the girls enjoy experimenting in making cosmetics, paper, dyes and even investigating suntan creams. Trips have included a visit to the laboratories at Reading University in order to take part in the Salter Chemistry competition, Castoral Oil Research laboratories for the School Chemist of the Year awards, @Bristol for a science fun day out, lectures in London as well as taking part in national competitions organised by the RSC. The aim of the department is to develop the student to her maximum ability so that she has the confidence and the knowledge to enjoy all aspects of this challenging subject.
The photograph shows one of the Chemistry teachers demonstrating a metal oxide being reduced to a group of LV pupils. The topic being covered was Transition Metals and the pupils were to deduce the position of metals in the Reactivity Series.
