What’s NEW

COMING in 2024

 

GCSE Synoptic Revision tasks – a new series of tasks that pull together material from across the whole specification in one place to join the course together.

AS/A level Organic Chemistry – Lots of new resources, significant upgrades / re-writes and new topic booklets

Simpler GCSE exercises – we are looking to create more straightforward exercises for GCSE

KS3 updates – we are overhauling our KS3 materials.

AS/A-level PRACTICALS – rolling programme to update & improve current AS/A-level practicals including new, easy, clear CPAC assessment.

PLUS – we continue to add new resources we create them in everyday teaching.

    March 2024

    • The first 4 of a series of brand new SYNOPTIC GCSE Revision sheets – these are designed for use late in the course and draw together ideas from across the whole GCSE course.
    • A brand new substantial A-level pH Calculations Summary – this goes through all the equations and lots of example calculations (with flow diagram methods) needed for A level pH calculations 
    • Totally revised and updated resources for AS Organic analysis, looking at test-tube reactions, IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.  There is an AS Organic Analysis booklet covering all of this or resources that separate it all out.  All the powerpoints have also been significantly updated to match.`

    January 2024

    • A brand new AS Practical – a third tried and tested acid-base titration (finding the concentration of sodium hydroxide using the primary standard sulfamic acid)
    • A new GCSE Practical on cracking – using safer microscale methods
    • A couple of more straightforward introductory GCSE excercises – one on writing half equations and one on the potential difference in cells
    • Also an extra GCSE Revision sheet on rates and equilibria (revision sheet 34) 

    October 2023

    • A series of brand new resources for teaching the A level topic of Equilibrium constant Kp
    • New GCSE resources – Avogadro constant 2 and Reacting gas volumes 3

      August 2023

      • A series of new resources on A-level period 3 elements and oxides – these take a more fundamental approach that focus on understanding key ideas from which the chemistry can be deduced (rather than trying to learn facts). The old resources are still there – but try the new ones instead!
      • New KS3 Investigation on rate of diffusion that gives quantitative results.
      • More KS3 Quick-checks on gases in air, energy changes in reactions, conservation of mass and oxidation & reduction.

       

      June 2023

      • New KS3 Investigation on temperature changes when calcium chloride dissolves in water
      • Lots more KS3 Quick-checks on acids & alkalis, reactions of acids, reactions of metals and corrosion

       

      April 2023

      • Two new A-level Quick-checks on NMR
      • Lots more KS3 Quick-checks on chemical & physical changes, gases in air, reaction with oxygen, burning fuels and greenhouse gases

       

      January 2023

      • Lots more KS3 Quick-checks on particle theory and solutions

       

      October 2022

      • Some more KS3 Quick-checks on separating mixtures.
      • Two more KS3 investigations that are tried and trusted

       

      August 2022

          • BRAND NEW Section: KS3 Investigations – the first two of a series of tried and trusted investigations for KS3

          • BRAND NEW Section: KS3 Quick-checks – the first few of many KS3 Quick Checks coming this year

          • A new KS3 resource (KS3 117 Reaction with oxygen) to help visualise the issues over teaching about reaction of compounds with oxygen (trying to prevent any methane oxide being formed!!)

          • A new quantitative GCSE practical for energy changes to complement the existing one – this one is for a neutralisation reaction.

        April 2022

          • A comprhensive brand new resource on curly arrow diagrams has been added (in AS Mechanisms) – this will help to teach students how curly diagrams work and give them lots and lots of practice.

          • Two more AS Quick Checks – one on ozone and one on mechanisms.

          • A new AS resource on the basics of reaction rates as a starting point for AS/A level kinetics/rates.

        February 2022

          • The next 3 A level EXTRAS have been added – they are on Amines, Polymers and Kinetics.

          • Two more A level Quick-Checks on acids and bases – these are to tackle the key issue of students knowing what happens when substances are mixed and so what species are present to determine the pH from.

        January 2022

          • The next 5 A level EXTRAS have been added – they are on Acids & bases, Kp and Transition Metals

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        October 2021

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The next 5 have been added – they are all focused on U6th organic chemistry topics (NMR, aromatics and carbonyl chemistry)

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        2) More new-style AS/A-level practical resources

          • The next three have been added (instructions, technician notes, CPAC assessment grid and model answers where applicable)

        August 2021

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The next 8 have been added – some are designed to be used to review core AS work at the start of the U6th while some are on new topics (A2 cells, thermodynamics and isomerism)

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        2) GCSE Atmosphere – greenhouse gas emissions

          • Two new data analysis exercises on UK and global greenhouse gas emissions.

        June 2021

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The next 6 have been added – on Alcohols, General Organic and General Physical Chemistry

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        2) Some brand new resources

          • A2 Gibbs Free Energy Powerpoint with examples

          • AS Shapes of molecules overview

          • AS Dynamic equilibria worksheet

          • AS Kc practical (updated to new style)

          • GCSE What type of structure 2 workshee

        April 2021

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The next 10 have been added – on Kinetics, Redox, the Periodic Table, Energetics, Kc, Alkanes, Halogenoalkanes and Alkenes

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        2) Some brand new resources

          • A2 More Synthesis problems

          • A2 Thermodynamics G Quick-check

          • GCSE Structure & bonding G Quick-check

        February 2021

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The next 11 have been added – on Amount of Substance (7) and Organic Introduction (4)

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

        2) Some brand new (or significantly changed) resources

          • AS Group 7 properties resource

          • AS Halogenoalkanes C Quick-check

          • AS Alkenes D Quick-check

          • AS Group 7 C Quick-check

          • A2 Activation Energy Practical 1 (update to new style)

          • GCSE Practical 16 on making cells (improved)

        Winter 2020/1

        1) AS/A level EXTRAS

          • The first 11 have been added

          • These are extra questions on most AS/A level topics aimed for use at the end of topic for practice

          • Three of these are designed for the start of the course to hep transition from GCSE to AS/A level (called GCSE Basics)

        2) More new-style AS/A-level practical resources

          • The next 15 have been added (instructions, technician notes, CPAC assessment grid and model answers where applicable)

        Summer 2020

        1) GCSE Revision Sheets.

          • Many more of these have been added (there are now 33)

          • These also now have their own dedicated page which also shows what they cover.

          • These sheets are designed for use throughout the course as regular exercises to keep on top of fundamental basics from earlier in the GCSE course.

        2) Many brand new resources

          • A2 Acids & bases topic:  11 new resources (mainly powerpoints)

          • AS Changes of state (notes)

          • AS Hess’s Law (powerpoint)

          • AS Dynamic equilibria:  2 powerpoints

          • AS Organic Analysis (quick-check)

          • AS Practical 18 – Relative rate of hydrolysis of halogenoalkanes

          • A2 Practical 24 – Identification of an ester

          • GCSE Atomic Structure powerpoint (significant update)

          • GCSE Balancing equations powerpoint

          • GCSE Chemical reactions powerpoint

          • GCSE Cells B Quick-check

          • GCSE Energy changes D Quick-check

          • GCSE Electrolysis of melts powerpoint

          • GCSE Electrolysis of solutions powerpoint

          • GCSE Periodic Table Introduction powerpoint

          • GCSE Electrolysis of solutions card activity

        3) The first new-style improved AS/A-level practical resources

          • These will replace the current ones in a rolling programme during 2020/1

          • There are more model answers with key learning points highlighted in bubbles.

          • NEW and SIMPLER way to assess CPAC

          • The practicals themselves have had some minor updates

          • The first 6 practicals are on the site now (and labelled AMENDED)

        April 2020

        New resources for

          • Understanding limiting reagents powerpoint (GCSE 1360)

          • Worksheet on analysing mass changes in experiments (GCSE 1362)

          • Simpler resource on the electron structure of ions (GCSE 1365)

          • Looking at GCSE redox reactions, ionic equations and half equations (GCSE 1366)

          • Card activity on strong/weak and dilute/concentrated acids (GCSE 1367) with linked worksheet (GCSE 1368)

          • Note making activity on acids & bases (GCSE 1369)

        More brand new GCSE Quick checks.  Topics added here are

          • Atomic structure (some more)

          • Sustainability

          • Water (including potable water)

          • Uses of metals

          • Ceramics, glass & polymers

          • Haber process & fertilisers

        Plus we continue to amend and update existing resources all the time.

        February 2020

        More brand new GCSE Quick checks.  Topics added here are

          • Formulations

          • Chromatography

          • Ion tests

          • Flame emission spectroscopy

          • Earth’s atmosphere

        Plus we continue to amend and update existing resources all the time.

        January 2020

        More brand new GCSE Quick checks.  Topics added here are

          • Rates of reaction

          • Equilibria

          • Organic chemistry

        Plus we continue to amend and update existing resources all the time.

        November 2019

        New resources for

          • Acylation reactions – comparison of the two types (A2 1175)

          • Organic nomenclature at AS/A level – far more comprehensive, step by step guide and now including molecules with two of the same functional group – could be used by a teacher or independently by students (AS 1223)

          • Percentage by mass of an element in a compound (GCSE 1359)

        More brand new GCSE Quick checks.  Topics added here are

          • Metal reactivity

          • Acids, bases, salts

          • Electrolysis

          • Cells

        September 2019

        More brand new GCSE Quick checks.

        Topics added here are

          • Structure & bonding

          • Moles

        June 2019

        Brand new section of GCSE Quick checks. The first few have been added with many more to come during 2019-20.  Quick checks are proving to be very popular indeed and subscribers have asked for GCSE ones.

        Topics added here are

          • Atomic structure

          • Reactions and equations

          • Periodic Table

          • Separating mixtures

        April 2019

        New section added – GCSE Formula Literacy.

        We believe that it is a key (and often overlooked) skill of the GCSE chemist to write chemical formulae, both of common substances but also of ionic substances. These resources are aimed to be used regularly as mini tests (at the start of lessons?) to encourage the learning of common formulae and ion charges.

        March 2019

        We have added a brand new tried and tested A level practical in the challenging area of continuous rates. It is very hard to find any practical that (a) works and (b) is actually continuous rates.  Some of the exam board materials fail one or both of these conditions!  Our new one is A level practical 23 (Continuous rates 2).  It uses Mystrica colorimeters but each student only need to use the colorimeter for less than 5 minutes.

        February 2019

        15 more AS/A level Quick-checks have been added;  topics include

          • Equlibria & Kc

          • Group 2

          • Group 7

          • Alcohols

          • IR spectrsocopy

          • Period 3 oxides

          • Synthesis

          • NMR

        The Quick-checks have also been re-organised into Physical / Inorganic / Organic listings to make topics easier to find.

        January 2019

        New GCSE Revision sheets (9-18) – these are aimed as general resources to use every few weeks throughout the course to keep reviewing key parts of past work.

        18 more AS/A level Quick-checks have been added;  topics include

          • Redox

          • Kinetics

          • Acids & bases

          • Energetics

          • Alkenes

          • Amines

          • Polymers

        New GCSE powerpoint on atomic structure

        November 2018

        New section added – KS3 Formula Literacy (GCSE to follow)

        New AS/A level practical HANDBOOK (this is a very comprehensive set of notes with practice exercises)

        New GCSE Revision sheets (with more to follow) – these are aimed as general resources to sue every few weeks throughout the course to keep reviewing key parts of past work.

        New resources on:

          • Organic nomenclature introduction

          • Ionisation energies – Higher Higher

        23 more AS/A level Quick-checks have been added;  topics include

          • Electrochemistry

          • Transition metals

          • Organic nomenclature

          • Isomerism

          • Halogenoalkanes

          • Aldehydes & ketones

          • Aromatic chemistry

          • Ionisation energies – Higher Higher

        September 2018

        13 more AS/A level Quick-checks have been added:

          • Formulae & equations

          • Calculations

          • Thermodynamics

          • Rates of reaction

        September 2018

        AS level structure & bonding resources have been revised and improved.

          • Structure types

          • The nature of bonds

          • Shapes of molecules

          • Forces between molecules

          • Bond polarity

        July 2018

        Major update to most GCSE resources to include assessment grids to help identify areas of strength or areas for development for students. These can be used by teachers or students when assessing work.

        June 2018

        First 16 of many AS/A level Quick-checks have been added (lots are coming through 2018/19 academic year) – these are designed as quick 5-10 minute exercises to help students and teachers see whether key work is understood.

          • Atomic structure

          • Mass spectrometry

          • Ionisation energies

          • Structure & bonding

          • Acids & derivatives

          • Biochemistry

          • Chromatography

          • Kp

        May 2018

        After many requests, we have added all the legacy resources back onto the site for subscribers. Although they were written for older specifications and newer versions are available for nearly all of these, many subscribers wanted access to them and their answers so we have made them available on the site. They can be found on pages in the SUBSCRIBER PAGES menu.

        May 2018

        Final GDPR compliance built into site (look under the ABOUT menu).

        April 2018

        Completely re-worked new and improved site launched.