Chemistry
Head of Department - Mr Charlie Carter
Chemistry is a key science and we aim to give the students the skills needed to understand the material world around them. This starts by studying the basic structure of matter in the Second Year which is designed to stimulate the students' interest in the structure of materials and how they are changed by chemical and physical processes. The students are encouraged to learn through practical work and use current simulation and animation models to explain their observations. The enquiring and practical approach is maintained throughout the years up to GCSE.
About a half of Fourth and Fifth Years follow the Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry course and the other half follow the IGCSE Double Award Science course. There is no coursework in either course but a lot of practical work is performed to reinforce the theory.
There are usually three sets in both the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth; the Edexcel AS/A level course is followed which involves continuous assessment of practical work.
The department is very well resourced with three laboratories which contain excellent equipment and one teaching room; all rooms have interactive whiteboards and computers linked to the school network.
There is a Second Year chemistry club and some selected Second Years attend a Salters Chemistry Competition. Fourth and Fifth Year boys boys can enter the Top of the Bench competition. Sixth formers can enter the Nuffield Analytical Chemistry Competition and regularly have had considerable success in the Chemistry Olympiad. The well-attended Sixth Form Medical Society confirms the popularity of Medicine with Trinity students
Popular subjects studied at university by A-Level Chemists are pure science, medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, all aspects of engineering as well as non science subjects such as law and finance.
