Physics A Level

Curriculum Intent

Physicists will have the knowledge, skills and desire to understand and question the world around them.

Why should I study Physics?

If you want to know answers to questions like how big the universe is, what everything is made of and whether time-travel is possible, then perhaps a career in physics research is for you. Although physicists have made huge progress in answering many questions, there still plenty to find out.

Studying A Level physics doesn’t restrict your options, it expands them. As well as being needed for many careers in science and engineering the skills and knowledge that you can develop by studying physics keeps the door open to doing just about everything else. You’d be surprised how useful physics can be.

What skills will I gain?

You will already be familiar with many of the topics that you will study, including forces, waves, radioactivity, electricity and magnetism. At A Level, you’ll look at these areas in more detail and find out how they are interconnected. You will also learn how to apply maths to real-world problems and explore new areas such as particle physics, cosmology and medical physics. People with a background in physics are needed more than ever to monitor climate change and find sustainable ways of generating electricity.

 We also need more engineers to work out how to save water, improve the world’s food supply, make travel more environmentally friendly and recycle waste on a large scale. Perhaps more importantly, you will develop skills that can be transferred to just about any other area of work, from setting up a business to saving the planet. Even if you don’t go on to become a physicist, learning to think like one will help you get to the root of any problem and draw connections that aren’t obvious to others. Physics won’t give you all the answers, but it will teach you how to ask the right questions.

What career paths is Physics suitable for?

A huge range of careers are available to those qualified in Physics. For a brief overview, click here.

Entry requirements

• Entry requirements are five GCSEs at grade 4 or above; including English and/or maths.
• National data suggests successful students will have achieved an average points score of 6.40 or more.