Chemistry Department

Courses offered:
Subject    Level  Board
Science (Chemistry)   GCSE  NICCEA
Chemistry    AS-Level NICCEA
Chemistry    A-Level NICCEA
 
The Chemistry Department in Sullivan seeks both to teach the essential principles of Chemistry and to equip pupils with relevant experimental skills. Every year quite a large number of pupils go on to study Chemistry at AS or A level either with a view to pursuing a scientific career, as a necessary step to university courses such as Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, or simply because they enjoy the subject.
Chemistry is taught in 4 specialist laboratories which recently underwent a major refurbishment. These provide excellent facilities and offer wide opportunities for the use of ICT both in teaching and in experimental work
Aims
The Chemistry Department aims to play its part as fully as possible in implementing Sullivan Upper’s fundamental aim as stated in the school’s Curriculum Policy Statement i.e. to ‘provide for all its pupils the opportunities to acquire and develop to the greatest extent possible the knowledge understanding, skills and abilities that will enable them to realise their full potential, do justice to their diverse talents and prepare them to lead rewarding and productive adult lives’.
To this end, the department seeks through both individual and group activities in a study of the chemical elements, reactions and principles, to develop experimental skills together with understanding, logical thinking and communication skills.
 
More specifically Chemistry aims to:
• stimulate an enjoyable interest in the subject
• provide a body of knowledge relevant to both those who intend to continue with the study of Chemistry and to those who do not
• promote an understanding of chemical patterns and principles
• develop an appreciation of both the benefits and potential hazards of chemicals and their use
• encourage the application of knowledge and understanding to unfamiliar situations
• develop abilities of interpretation, organisation and evaluation of data together with its communication
• teach positive cooperation with others through group experimental work
• develop an appreciation of the scientific, social, economic, environmental and technological contribution of chemistry and its applications.
• give some appreciation to the historical significance of chemistry in world development