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A-level Chemistry Required Practicals

We are able to host A-level Chemistry classes (and sometimes BTEC Applied Science groups too) from local schools in a Laboratory on campus to carry out some of the Required Practicals which schools may struggle to do in school due to specialist equipment and/or time (or even just because of lack of sinks with taps for reflux condensers!).

The two most common practicals which are requested by schools are:
– Making an Organic Liquid – students make an ester (pear drops, 3-methylbutyl ethanoate);
– Making an Organic Solid – students can make either aspirin, methyl 3-nitrobenzoate (the best one IMO) or N-phenyl ethanamide (“antifebrin“). This practical can be coupled with Measuring the Melting Point of an Organic Compound too – using our Stuart SMP10 digital melting point apparatus!

Each practical takes half a day (max. 3 hours) and you are welcome to book half a day for one practical or a whole day to do both. Overall start and finish times for a visit will be negotiated with each school to take account of travel time, school timetabling, etc. Schools are expected to make their own travel arrangements to/from the University and we regret that we cannot offer parking for school minibuses on campus – the nearest suitable parking for minibuses is The Stadium Car Park behind the Leazes Stand at St James Park (less than 10 mins walk from campus – currently £0.80/hr to park). If travelling by coach, or being dropped off, there is a bus drop-off bay on Claremont Road just outside the GNM Hancock.

For groups of no more than 15 students, we can potentially host on any weekday in most weeks in the school year. For larger cohorts, there is more restricted availability as we would need to use an Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory if available (or host the visit over more than one day).

Other practicals may be available by prior arrangement – or check out our Secondary Science Kit Loans page – we may be able to lend you the kit to carry out the experiment in school.

To make a booking, please contact Peter (details below).

For further details, or to request something more bespoke, please contact Dr Peter Hoare directly (peter.hoare@ncl.ac.uk or mobile 07599 101089)

We also offer something similar for A-level Physics Required Practicals – for further details please check out this page.