CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENTAL HANDBOOK
Updated May 2016
Chemistry Department chemistry@kes.hants.sch.uk
Mr. R.J. Cross
Head of Chemistry Hockey D of E rjc@kes.hants.sch.uk
Miss C. L. Costello
Extended Project Very Able Co-ordinator D of E clc@kes.hants.sch.uk
Dr. V. A. Green
D of E vag@kes.hants.sch.uk
Dr. S.D. Gamblin
Co-ordinator of 6th Form General Studies Wargaming Club Amnesty International sdg@kes.hants.sch.uk
Mrs E.L. Sheppard
Registar Rounders els@kes.hants.sch.uk
Dr E.L. Thomas
Head of Upper School D of E elt@kes.hants.sch.uk
Department Aims
To give pupils a sound foundation of chemical knowledge and the skills needed to apply this in new and changing situations in a range of contexts.
To help students understand key scientific ideas, how they develop, factors affecting their development and their power and limitation.
To enable pupils to develop a range of practical skills which will not only assist with their Chemistry, but also contribute to their overall life skills.
To stimulate curiosity and develop skills of enquiry, methodology and evaluation.
To make the study of Chemistry a worthwhile and enjoyable experience, enabling pupils to develop an interest in, and understanding of, its application to the world in which we live.
To evaluate in terms of their scientific knowledge and understanding, the benefits and drawbacks of scientific and technological developments, including those related to the environment, personal health and quality of life.
To equip students to organise and present information clearly and logically, using appropriate Chemical terms and conventions and ICT where appropriate.
Resources and their location The Chemistry Department has an extremely well equipped Preparation Room. The laboratory technician has the Prep Room well organised and, with sufficient notice, will order special chemicals or apparatus. All of the chemistry apparatus is held in the Prep Room apart from Bunsen burners, tripods, gauzes, retort stands, bosses and clamps which can be found in every laboratory. When ordering apparatus, the earlier the better is the rule and 24 hours in advance is the usual minimum warning. It is also helpful if repeat orders can be made before the technician packs apparatus away, as trolley space is at a premium. The apparatus will be put out on a tray for the start of the lesson and it is the teacher’s responsibility to put back as much of the apparatus as possible on to the tray to assist the technician. Any dirty glassware that cannot be easily rinsed clean by the pupils should be placed in plastic bowls and left for the technician to pick up.
Staff Resources Most resource material is stored in the Science Office and the Prep Room. Less frequently used material and spare stock is kept in cupboards in the chemistry laboratories. Filing cabinets in the Prep Room contain worksheets for years 3-5 as well as Practical Assessment sheets for the Sixth Form. The Science Office contains an impressive DVD and CD ROM library equipped with an easyto-use catalogue. This office also houses a large bank of past examination papers. Teaching staff add their own personally produced materials to appropriate sections. These are often circulated around the department and then stored in the Science Office.
Teaching Methods When students start Chemistry in Year 3 they usually find themselves in classes of 20 to 24. In the AS-level and A-level years class sizes reduce to about 12. In-service training enables teachers to become confident in the use of technology to deliver the subject in varied and interesting ways, and to share with colleagues their experiences of different approaches to teaching particular parts of a syllabus. There is an active development group that provides training and resources in computer-based teaching methods, and the school’s intranet provides a rich supply of material as well as links to the world-wide web. It is nonetheless the case, for all the power and sophistication of modern technology, that in some cases nothing suits the delivery of a topic better than a teacher standing in front of a class and encouraging students to discuss something with him or her. Every teacher is provided with a laptop computer and most have a dataprojector for use in the schoolroom. Increasing amounts of resource material are stored electronically on central servers which can be accessed during lessons as required. In the course of a day, each student will experience several different approaches to teaching Chemistry just as every teacher will experience classes of differing ability levels and students whose optimal learningstyles vary.
Special Education Needs The school has a well-established Special Needs department, the Learning Centre, staffed by the Head of the Learning Centre and two part-time teachers, all of whom have specialist experience and qualifications. Students with specific learning difficulties are placed on the school’s SEN register, which is confidential other than on a "need-to-know" basis. Chemistry teachers are kept up-to-date about students on the register and their specific needs, and are given appropriate strategies to apply in the classroom.
Reporting and assessment The Chemistry Department follows School policy on recording and reporting. Two typed reports are sent to parents each year, one in December and one in the Spring or Summer Term. Parents also have the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher once a year at Parents’ Evening. In addition to the continuous recording of achievement in individual teachers’ mark books, regular topic tests are carried out in each science subject. In Years 3, 4 and 5 there is one allocated homework per week. In the Sixth Form, each teacher normally sets approximately 3 hours’ work per week to be done outside the classroom. Staff are careful to ensure that deadlines for the handing-in of work are realistic in view of pupils’ commitments, and normally a week’s notice is given for a piece of work.
Marking Policy All written homeworks, tests and examinations are marked as soon as is practicable after they are completed. Notes made in class are inspected periodically, but detailed marking is not expected. Marking is viewed as a vital part of the learning process and comments made should be positive, focusing on means of improvement rather than criticism. Pleasing work should be praised. Work below the Sixth Form should be marked out of ten when appropriate, giving credit for accuracy and presentation. At Sixth Form level marks should be awarded as appropriate to the task. Errors should be annotated, including errors in English spelling, punctuation and grammar. Inaccurate spelling of technical terms should be corrected. Corrections concerning the accuracy of the subject content of work are left to the discretion of individual teachers, although high standards of both content and presentation are expected. Coursework is marked according to the criteria of the Advanced Level examination boards. Class teachers keep a record of marks awarded.
Co-curricular provision Salters' Festival of Chemistry The Salters’ Festival of Chemistry is a regional competition in which several schools in and around Hampshire are invited to participate in. Each school enters a team of pupils from Years 7 and 8. The event is usually hosted by the University of Southampton Chemistry Department in May.
International Chemistry Olympiad for UK Upper Sixth Students Each year the Royal Society of Chemistry organises a Chemistry Olympiad aimed at the most able A-level students across the UK. This consists of a written paper, of a much higher standard than AS or A2 examinations, taken in School. This academically challenging paper is a written test of chemical knowledge, and quite an event in itself! Gold, silver, bronze and participation certificates are awarded. The questions posed often stimulate much debate on, and enthusiasm for, chemistry - raising awareness of what the subject is all about. Tackling the paper also provides a good opportunity to develop some of the skills required for study at university and beyond.
Salters' Chemistry Camp Every year students are invited to attend Salters’ Chemistry Camps, residential courses held at universities around the UK for Year 4 Chemistry students. Each school can only forward four applications and there is always a great deal of interest in applying for places from our Year 4.
The Christmas Lecture Every December Southampton University invites about 12 students from our Year 3 to their Christmas ‘lecture’. This is usually less of a dry lecture and more of a series of loud bangs and colourful demonstrations. The students also have a chance to look around the department’s laboratories.
Health and Safety The Chemistry Department has a rigorous policy on safety and teachers are encouraged to maintain good, safe practice in all laboratories. This includes ensuring satisfactory behaviour by pupils during practical sessions and also ensuring that teacher demonstrations are researched and possibly rehearsed beforehand. Literature available for checking both the nature of chemicals used and possible dangers associated with experiments include: RISK ASSESSMENT SHEETS provided by the Technician for each experiment. HAZCARDS available in the Prep Room. HAZARD DATA SHEETS reference book available in Prep Room. Inexperienced staff are strongly advised to consult other members of staff if in any doubt about the possible hazards with an experiment. Any accidents that do occur in a laboratory session, (e.g. cuts, scalds), are recorded in a book that is kept in the Preparation Room. A written report of the accident should then be sent to the School Nurse. Any damage or graffiti caused to furniture in any of the chemistry laboratories should be reported to the technician in charge of that area as soon as possible. Paper waste should be placed in recycling bins in the corner of the laboratory. Broken glass should not be placed in these bins but in the collection boxes by the teacher’s desk. If your class is the last to occupy a room that day stools should be put up on the desks at the end of that lesson.
RECENT CHEMISTRY RESULTS A2 LEVEL Entries
A*
A
B
C
D
E
U
2015
44
4
20
13
4
1
1
0
2014
48
11
21
7
6
3
0
0
2013
44
12
13
10
7
1
1
0
2012
36
6
14
9
3
2
2
0
AS LEVEL Entries
A
B
C
D
E
U
2015
53
22
10
14
5
1
1
2014
60
26
21
4
4
4
1
2013
56
27
8
12
4
4
1
2012
61
25
16
11
8
1
0
IGCSE Entries
A*
A
B
C
D
E
2015
146
71
36
21
12
6
0
F 0
2014
158
71
34
28
17
4
3
1
2013
164
62
37
30
24
7
1
1
2012
144
67
34
23
14
3
2
1