Specification at a glance

These qualifications are linear. Linear means that students will sit all the AS exams at the end of their AS course and all the A-level exams at the end of their A-level course.

Subject content

Core content

AS

Assessments

Paper 1

What's assessed

  • Any content from topics 1–4, including relevant practical skills

Assessed

  • written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 75 marks
  • 50% of AS

Questions

  • 65 marks: short answer questions
  • 10 marks: comprehension question

Paper 2

What's assessed

  • Any content from topics 1–4, including relevant practical skills

Assessed

  • written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 75 marks
  • 50% of AS

Questions

  • 65 marks: short answer questions
  • 10 marks: extended response questions

A-level

Assessments

Paper 1

What's assessed

  • Any content from topics 1–4, including relevant practical skills

Assessed

  • written exam: 2 hours
  • 91 marks
  • 35% of A-level

Questions

  • 76 marks: a mixture of short and long answer questions
  • 15 marks: extended response questions

Paper 2

What's assessed

  • Any content from topics 5–8, including relevant practical skills

Assessed

  • written exam: 2 hours
  • 91 marks
  • 35% of A-level

Questions

  • 76 marks: a mixture of short and long answer questions
  • 15 marks: comprehension question

Paper 3

What's assessed

  • Any content from topics 1–8, including relevant practical skills

Assessed

  • written exam: 2 hours
  • 78 marks
  • 30% of A-level

Questions

  • 38 marks: structured questions, including practical techniques
  • 15 marks: critical analysis of given experimental data
  • 25 marks: one essay from a choice of two titles