Chemistry is often known as the ‘central science’, since it involves principles and practices that connect with other scientific subjects, including Physics, Mathematics, Biology, medicine and earth and environmental sciences.
It touches almost every aspect of our existence, from food and farming to the air we breathe, while chemical technologies are at the forefront of advances in fields such as health, materials and energy usage. In short, Chemistry is fundamental to our world and to our progress as a society.
The study of Chemistry is, therefore, both fascinating and intellectually demanding. At QE, it involves learning through collaborative discovery: pupils are encouraged to engage in discussion and to ask questions pertinent to the objectives of the lesson. Our aim is that all boys should acquire a good understanding of the fundamentals of Chemistry and of why material processes occur.
We aim to teach boys how to think for themselves and work logically through a problem so that, in time, they will be able to apply knowledge of one situation in order to evaluate and predict the outcomes of another.
Practical work naturally underpins learning in this subject, and extensive resources are available to the department to support teaching.
Chemistry is a very popular subject in the Sixth Form and many boys pursue Science-based courses at university. Since the chemical and allied industries – fuels, pharmaceuticals, fragrances – are the UK economy’s most important manufacturing industries, career prospects are excellent.
