Introduction

The course now
Nuffield Advanced Chemistry is a two-year course leading to AS and A-level Chemistry. In this course students are encouraged to speculate about likely patterns of behaviour from their previous experience and from general chemical principles. They then investigate these experimentally, and the outcomes of practical work are discussed and used to consolidate theoretical understanding.

The course is tightly structured, with the topics and sections in the Students' book and Teachers' guide published by Longman (Pearson) matching those in the specification produced by the Awarding Body Edexcel.

Looking to the future
The course is examined by Edexcel. This Awarding Body has decided that it will only offer one advanced chemistry specification for courses starting in September 2008.

Change is necessary at that point because QCA has introduced new criteria for all advanced level courses from that date.

This means that the 40-year history of Nuffield Advanced Chemistry will end with the last examinations in 2009 (or maybe 2010 if retakes are allowed).

Here is a review of the different 2008 specifications from Nuffield chemistry teachers from Brenda Mustoe of Purbeck School Dorset.
2008 Chemistry