Physics

At A Level we offer the advanced physics course which was developed by the Institute of Physics. This course was designed to attract students and give them a good basis for future decisions,and the AS course offers a broad vision of physics as it is today. Providing an introduction to physics and its uses, it prepares the way for further study and focuses on the wide range of future careers for which physics is valuable. Teaching and assessment are designed to give students opportunities to pursue and develop their own interests and examines their understanding of the subject.

Advanced Subsidiary (AS) course

The course provides a graduated path from GCSE to AS Level
Focuses on using physics
Progresses towards new ways of thinking
Focuses on curiosity-driven physics

Communication

1. Imaging including optics and ideas about information
2. Sensing including simple circuit theory up to the potential divider
3. Signalling including spectra, polarisation and digital signals

Designer materials

4. Testing materials including mechanical, optical and electrical properties, giving attention to a wide range of materials in use
5. Looking inside materials including explanation of properties of materials in terms of structure at various scales; designing new materials

Waves and quantum behaviour

6. Wave behaviour including double slit and gratings; also colour and thin films
7. Quantum behaviour including photons and evidence of electron diffraction

Space and time

8. Mapping space and time including vectors, displacement and velocity
9. Computing the next move including uniform acceleration and uniform gravitational force

Advanced Level (A2) course

The A2 course carefully balances technological and applied approaches to physics in use and deepens understanding of crucial ideas. It will give you a wide-ranging and fundamental view of the nature of matter and the Universe. Mathematics in physics is further developed using modelling software.
The teaching and assessment at BGS provides you with opportunities for personal student involvement and individual initiative.
Physics at A Level equips you for a large number of university courses including the obvious ones such as physics itself and engineering. However, the mental training that the subject provides means that the A Level qualification is welcomed by admissions tutors well outside the sciences: law, accountancy, and architecture and many others.

For details of the A Level curriculum please visit www.ocr.org.uk