Edexcel A Level Chemistry Tutors Online

Edexcel A Level Chemistry is code 9CH0, and its full title is the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Chemistry. First teaching was September 2015 and first certification was 2017. This page works from Issue 3, dated February 2024.

The qualification consists of three externally examined papers and the Science Practical Endorsement, and students must complete all assessment in May and June in any single year. Students are also expected to carry out the sixteen core practical experiments that are identified in the topics.

Paper 1 is Advanced Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, code 9CH0/01. It is externally assessed, available in May and June, first assessed in 2017, and worth 30% of the total qualification. Assessment is 1 hour 45 minutes and the paper consists of 90 marks. It examines Topic 1 Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table, Topic 2 Bonding and Structure, Topic 3 Redox I, Topic 4 Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table, Topic 5 Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance, Topic 8 Energetics I, Topic 10 Equilibrium I, Topic 11 Equilibrium II, Topic 12 Acid-base Equilibria, Topic 13 Energetics II, Topic 14 Redox II and Topic 15 Transition Metals.

Paper 2 is Advanced Organic and Physical Chemistry, code 9CH0/02. It is worth 30% on the same terms, assessment is 1 hour 45 minutes, and the paper consists of 90 marks. It examines Topic 2 Bonding and Structure, Topic 3 Redox I, Topic 5 Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance, Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I, Topic 7 Modern Analytical Techniques I, Topic 9 Kinetics I, Topic 16 Kinetics II, Topic 17 Organic Chemistry II, Topic 18 Organic Chemistry III and Topic 19 Modern Analytical Techniques II.

Three topics appear on both papers: Topic 2 Bonding and Structure, Topic 3 Redox I and Topic 5 Formulae, Equations and Amounts of Substance. Every other topic is examined on one of the two papers only, so those three are the only content a student meets twice.

Paper 3 is General and Practical Principles in Chemistry, code 9CH0/03. It is worth 40% of the total qualification, which makes it the largest paper. Assessment is 2 hours 30 minutes and the paper consists of 120 marks. Questions in this paper may draw on any of the topics in the specification, and it includes synoptic questions that may draw on two or more different topics. It also includes questions that assess conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods, known as indirect practical skills, drawing on students' experiences of the core practicals.

The question types are not identical across the three papers, and the difference is easy to miss. Papers 1 and 2 may include multiple choice, short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions. Paper 3 may include short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions, with no multiple choice listed.

A Data Booklet is provided, and it comes with a condition. Appendix 8 shows the data included in a Data Booklet that is available on Pearson's website, and centres are sent copies for the first examination series. Candidates must use an unmarked copy of the Data Booklet in examinations. The data in it comes from the Nuffield Advanced Science Revised Book of Data.

The Science Practical Endorsement is code 9CH0/04. It is internally assessed and externally monitored by Pearson, available in May and June, and first assessed in 2017. It does not contribute to the overall grade for the qualification, but the result is recorded on the student's certificate as a separately reported result.

The endorsement carries its own requirement, which is not the sixteen core experiments. Students must carry out a minimum of 12 practical activities which, together, meet the requirements of Appendices 5b and 5c, covering the practical skills identified for direct assessment and the use of apparatus and techniques. The core practicals are the main opportunity to demonstrate those competencies, but additional practical work can also count if it covers the Appendix 5c requirements.

Mathematics has a floor rather than a target. Each paper includes questions that target mathematics at Level 2 or above, and overall a minimum of 20% of the marks across the three papers is awarded for mathematics at Level 2 or above. That floor applies across the qualification as a whole rather than to each paper separately.

The assessment objectives are three, stated as ranges. AO1, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures, is 31 to 33 per cent. AO2, apply knowledge and understanding in a theoretical context, in a practical context, and when handling qualitative and quantitative data, is 41 to 43 per cent. AO3, analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence to make judgements and reach conclusions and to develop and refine practical design and procedures, is 25 to 27 per cent.

Applying knowledge is the largest objective, and it is worth more than knowledge and analysis combined. A student who can recall the content but cannot move it into an unfamiliar context or handle data with it will not reach the higher grades.

The breakdown shows Paper 3 is where the evaluation marks sit. Paper 1 is 11 to 13 per cent AO1, 12 to 14 per cent AO2 and 5 to 7 per cent AO3. Paper 2 is identical. Paper 3 is 8 to 10 per cent AO1, 16 to 18 per cent AO2 and 13 to 15 per cent AO3. Of the 25 to 27 per cent of AO3 in the whole qualification, 13 to 15 per cent sits on Paper 3, so more than half of the analysis and evaluation marks come from one paper.

The qualification is graded and certificated on a six grade scale from A* to E using the total subject mark, and individual papers are not graded. The first certification opportunity was 2017, and students whose level of achievement is below the minimum judged by Pearson to be of sufficient standard receive an unclassified U result.

On codes: the qualification number is 601/5646/6 and the subject code is 9CH0. The paper codes are 9CH0/01, 9CH0/02 and 9CH0/03, with the Science Practical Endorsement at 9CH0/04. No discount code number is printed in this specification. Appendix 3 states only that discount codes are published by DfE and points to the GOV.UK website.