Overview
The Kings Advanced Level Foundation is based on A-level syllabuses, taught by A-level teachers, assessed against A-levels and moderated by an independent Advisory Board of external examiners. As such, it is one of the most highly academic and successful pathways to leading UK universities.
Physics is an elective module within the Foundation, and is ideal for students who are interested in studying the subject at university in the UK.
Key Facts
- 8 April 2024 (Extended programme only)
- 1 July 2024 (Extended programme only)
- 9 September 2024
- 6 January 2025
- Bournemouth
- Brighton
- London
- Oxford
- Academic: Completed 11-12 years of schooling
- English: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent
- 1 Academic Year (3 terms)
- Extended programme: 1-2 Academic Years (4-7 terms)
- Average 21 hours per week (plus homework and private study)
Learning outcomes
- An appreciation of the physical laws which govern the universe.
- An understanding of principles of Physics ready for further studies of physics in Higher Education.
- Experience of practical physics in a laboratory environment and conducted their own experiments
- The ability to apply their knowledge and skills at a standard equivalent to Physics A-level.
Course content and structure
The Advanced Level Foundation programme is highly flexible, and able to adapt to the needs and academic aspirations of each student. It does this through a combination of core modules and a series of elective modules which can be combined in different ways to create main subject streams.
Physics is one of the many elective modules offered, and an overview of the syllabus content is shown below.
Term 1
- Fair tests
- Order of magnitudes, accuracy, precision
- Units and symbols
- Current and charge
- DC currents
- Ohm’s law
- Kirchhoff’s Laws
- Resistivity
- Series and parallel
- Power and energy
- EMF and internal resistance
- Potentiometers
- LDR, filament lamps, diodes
- (V-I graphs)
- AC currents and CRO
- EM radiation
- Atomic structure
- Photoelectric effect
- The electron volt
- Ionisation and excitation
- Vectors and scalars
- Motion in a straight line
- Newton’s three laws
- Projectiles
- Work,energy and power
- Conservation of energy
- Moments
- Principle of moments
Term 2
Bulk Properties of Materials
- Density (use of vernier, balance etc)
- Hooke’s Law
- Stress, strain
- Young’s Modulus and energy
- Materials vocabulary
- Media and vocabulary
- Transverse and longitudinal
- Polarisation
- Reflection and refraction
- “Snell’s Law”
- Total internal reflection
- Superposition
- Stationary waves
- Interference
- Path difference
- Coherence
- Double slit
- Diffraction grating
- Momentum and force
- Conservation of momentum
- Elastic and inelastic collisions
- Circular motion
- Simple harmonic motion
- Relation to circular motion
- Resonance
- Free and forced vibration
- Gravitational fields
- Newton’s Law
- Field strength
- Orbits of planets and satellites
Term 3
- Coulomb’s law
- Field strength
- Analogy with gravitational fields
- Capacitors
- Q = CV
- Energy stored
- Parallel plate capacitors
- Charging and discharging
- Time constant
- Flux density, tesla
- Force on wire F = BIL
- Left hand rule
- Force on charged particle F = Bqv
- Electromagnetic induction (qualitative)
- Transformers, motors and dynamos
- Particles and radiation
- Radioactivity, α β γ
- Inverse square law
- Radioactive decay
- Carbon dating
- EM radiation
- Atomic structure
- The electron volt
- Ionisation and excitation
Sample subject combinations with Physics
- Physics, Maths and Chemistry
- Physics, Chemistry and Biology
- Physics, Maths and Biology
Sample enrichment activities
- The Big Bang fair, NEC Birmingham
- Science Club
- Oxford University Science lab visit
- Bletchley Park visit
- The Royal Society, London
- Astronomy Club
- Science in the News Club
- Google Science Fair
Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)
Year 1
- 6th: term starts
- Student induction
- 18 – 22nd: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs and talks
- 10th: term ends
- End of term exams
- 10th – 11th: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs
- End of term exams
- 18th: term ends
Recommended reading
Below is a list of text books normally used on this course, as well as books which may help you prepare for your studies prior to arrival. In many cases the textbooks will be supplied by the school, and you may borrow them for the duration of your time at school. However, if you already know what three subjects you want to choose you may prefer to purchase one before you arrive.
- AQA Physics A Level Student Book, Jim Breithaupt, Oxford University Press (including Nelson Thornes)
- AQA GCSE 9-1 Physics Revision Guide (Collins GCSE 9-1 Revision), CGP Books
- New Grade 9-1 Edexcel International GCSE Physics: Revision Guide
Progression
Below are some of the recent students who took the Physics module, including information about the university they progressed to and the degree course they are doing.
Recent alumni
Adenike Olufunmiayo Abimbola
- Physics/Mathematics/Geography/CSS/Data
- University of Leeds
- Geological Science
- Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- University of Nottingham
- Pharmacy
- Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- University of Bath
- Civil Engineering
- Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- University of Bristol
- Aerospace Engineering
Akina Arteans Allegre Lukoki
- Physics/Business/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- University of Exeter
- Mining Engineering
- Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- University of Birmingham
- Mechnical Engineering
- Physics/Art & Design/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- Oxford Brookes University
- Architecture
- Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/CSS/Data
- Queen Mary University of London
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
