Assessment for National 4/5
To achieve the Chemistry (National 4/5) Course, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit. National 4 courses will be internally assessed by teachers and graded as pass/fail. In National 5 courses, learners will draw on and extend the skills they have learned during the Course. These will be assessed within a question paper and a Coursework assessment, requiring demonstration of the breadth of knowledge and skills acquired from across the Units in unfamiliar contexts and/or integrated ways. All assessment grades will be subject to external verification.
The Course has four mandatory Units including an added value unit at National 4.
Chemistry: Chemical Changes & Structure (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will build on detailed chemical concepts. The Unit develops skills and raises awareness of ethical and environmental issues in a local and international context, with learners gaining an understanding of how chemistry is involved in the cause, effect and resolution of these issues.
Chemistry: Nature’s Chemistry (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will build on the understanding of a variety of natural resources and associated products to gain knowledge and develop skills. Learners can then apply these skills when considering the ethical and environmental implications of the application of chemical knowledge to fuelling and feeding a modern society.
Chemistry: Chemistry in Society (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will be introduced to fundamental chemical concepts and apply skills in a variety of areas, such as the development and use of novel and new materials, including forms of energy generation.
Chemistry: Added Value Unit (National 4)
Courses from National 4 to Advanced Higher include assessment of added value. At National 4, added value will be assessed in an Added Value Unit. The Added Value Unit will address the key purposes and aims of the Course as defined in the Course Rationale. It will do this by addressing one or more of breadth, challenge or application. In this Course, the Added Value Unit will focus on breadth and application. Learners will draw on and extend the skills they have learned during the Course. This will be assessed through a project and a test. These will offer opportunities to demonstrate the breadth of knowledge and skills acquired from across the other Units, in unfamiliar contexts and/or integrated ways.
Conditions of award
To achieve the Chemistry (National 4/5) Course, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit at National 4 level.
Further details of units and course content can be obtained from
www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence.
Progression
Passing National 5 Chemistry with a grade of B or better may provide progression to:
- Higher Chemistry
- Higher in another Science Subject
- further study, employment or training
