At High Storrs we take the Edexcel Nuffield Specification. The entire course is based out of the Students book which are provided by the school for each student. The textbook includes experiments and explanations in terms of the theory. Both years of the course break down into three modules, and are worth 300 UMS marks. In both years there is one examination taken in January, and some of the marks are awarded for centre assessed coursework.

At AS the first unit covers the first five chapters of the textbook and is a exam composed of structured questions. It is worth 90 UMS marks, and whilst it is taken in January there is an opportunity to retake the paper in the summer sitting. The second module is worth 120 UMS and consists of both structured questions and an extended comprehension text, the content for this exam is based on chapters 6 to 10. The third and final module at AS is centre assessed coursework consisting of three pieces of practical work which are taken throughout the year. This is worth 90 UMS marks.

The A2 is structured slightly differently. Module four is much the same as the first module at AS, it is based on the next five chapters in the textbook and it is examined by structured questions in January for 90 UMS marks. The fifth module is split into two parts, the first of which is a special study on Food Science which is examined in June and is worth 45 UMS. The second half of the module is a written report done as coursework, it is also worth 45 marks. The final component of the A level is the synoptic exam which is worth 120 UMS are covers work from throughout the two years study in the familiar structured question style.

The course is practical throughout, with the experiments found in the textbook carried out and then explained as a mechanism for learning. Lessons occupy five hours a week of which three are with one teacher and the remaining two with the other.

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