AS & A Level Physics

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics (9702) takes the ideas from IGCSE and develops them into a rigorous, university facing course. It runs from mechanics, waves and electricity through to gravitational and electric fields, thermodynamics, particle and nuclear physics and options such as medical physics and astronomy. Just as important as the content is the practical side: a large part of the course is about designing experiments, handling data and understanding uncertainty.

The full A Level is assessed across five papers, including a multiple choice paper, structured theory papers at AS and A Level, an advanced practical skills paper and a planning, analysis and evaluation paper. Because practical work is examined directly, you cannot treat it as an afterthought. Marks throughout the course are won on correct units, sound reasoning and calculations set out step by step, the same discipline that Physics rewards at every level.

Keep on top of the mathematics, because Physics at this level leans heavily on it. Rearranging equations, working in standard form and handling units and uncertainties need to be automatic so you can concentrate on the physics itself. Learn the definitions precisely, since a lot of marks come from stating laws and quantities exactly as the syllabus defines them.

Give the practical papers the same attention as the theory. Practise planning experiments, identifying variables, plotting and analysing data and estimating uncertainty, because these skills are examined and they follow predictable patterns. Work through past papers by topic and then to time, mark against the official mark scheme, and pay close attention to the longer explanation questions where careful reasoning earns the marks.

A Level Physics rewards clear explanation, and clear explanation is easier to learn from a good teacher, which is where Stande Prep comes in. With over thirteen years of teaching experience, our teachers know how to make fields, thermodynamics and particle physics make sense, lessons are live so difficult ideas can be unpicked together, and the tools we have built keep the calculation and practical practice going between classes.