Physics
at St Aidan'S Church of England High School, Harrogate · school or sixth form
What the college says
Students will study the following: • Measurements and their errors • Particles and Radiation • Waves and Optics • Mechanics • Materials • Electricity • Further Mechanics • Thermal Physics • Fields • Nuclear Physics • An optional topic (usually Turning Points in Physics or Astrophysics) Through Particles and Radiation many new ideas will be introduced including quarks, antiparticles and quantum concepts such as the photoelectric effect and wave-particle duality. We will also cover many of the fundamental aspects of Physics. Although many topics covered will be familiar from GCSE they are developed further for greater appreciation of the ideas. Concepts encountered will be Equations of Motion, Newton’s Laws, Work, Power, Momentum, Hooke’s Law, Longitudinal and Transverse Waves, Refraction, Diffraction and Interference, Current, Voltage, Resistance, Resistivity and much more besides. The second year allows students to deepen their understanding of Physics and to establish links between the previously separate, yet fundamental topics. Some of the concepts to be studied are Circular Motion, Simple Harmonic Motion, Gravitational, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Capacitance and Electromagnetic Induction, Radioactivity, Probing the Nucleus, Nuclear Instability, Nuclear Energy, Heat Capacity, Ideal Gases and Kinetic Theory.
What you need to get on
A minimum of 5 GCSE subjects at grade 5, including Grade 5 in GCSE Mathematics and a Grade 6 in GCSE Physics or Grade 7 in GCSE Combined Science.
How you are assessed
Academic subjects, mostly exams, three or four at once. The traditional route to university.
What this level means
The A-level-equivalent step, and what universities and employers ask for.
Is it open to 16 to 18 year olds?
Approved for 16 to 18 study on the government's Section 96 list.
Where it runs
St Aidan's and St John Fisher's Associated Sixth Form
ST. AIDANS C OF E HIGH SCHOOL OATLANDS DRIVE, HARROGATE, HG2 8JR
DaytimeClassroom basedCheck the journey
Start dates
- 2 September 2026 · HARROGATE
Who else teaches this exact qualification
Same qualification, different college. Entry requirements and how it is taught can differ a lot between them, which is the whole reason to compare.
- Their version
Baldock · East of England · 18 months
- Their version
King James I Academy Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland · North East · 2 years
- Their version
Durham · North East · 2 years
- Their version
Bexhill-On-Sea · South East · 2 years
- Their version
Westcliff High School For Boys Academy
Westcliff-On-Sea · East of England · 2 years
- Their version
The Ellen Wilkinson School For Girls
London · London · 2 years
- Their version
St Benedict'S Catholic High School
Whitehaven · North West · 18 months
- Their version
Slough · South East · 2 years