Physics

Applications Open - 10th November 2025

Applications Close - 31st January 2026

Entry Requirements - For entry into year 12 to begin A Level and/or vocational courses, students must meet the minimum requirements in English and Mathematics (grade 4), however most courses require significantly higher grades in certain other GCSE subjects to access them.

How to Apply -

• Internal students – apply via Applicaa (school have emailed all students a link)
• External Students – apply using Applicaa from the Trinity School website under Sixth Form - Apply here

Students are required to study a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 subjects.

If you enjoyed the physics units of your GCSE course and want to know more these topics in greater depth and complexity then this may be the course for you.

Skills Acquired
There are a number of skills that are developed such as:

• Problem solving
• Research and analytical skills
• Being able to justify evidence and ideas and debate theories

Students Suited To The Course
There is a large mathematical component to this course, so students that are competent at Mathematics will do well in Physics.

What Other Subjects It Combines Well With
Any of the other science subjects combine well with Physics A Level. Mathematics should also be considered due to the large overlap of skills needed in both subjects.

Co-curricular
Trips and visits, STEM Challenge, Science Week.

The course is split into discrete topic area. Students begin in Year 12 with a study of the laws, theories and models of physics and then students explore the practical applications of this theory in Year 13.

Unit Content
Year 12

• Topic 1: Working as a Physicist
• Topic 2: Mechanics
• Topic 3: Electric Circuits
• Topic 4: Materials
• Topic 5: Waves and Particle Nature of Light

Year 13

• Topic 6: Further Mechanics
• Topic 7: Electric and Magnetic Fields
• Topic 8: Nuclear and Particle Physics
• Topic 9: Thermodynamics
• Topic 10: Space
• Topic 11: Nuclear Radiation
• Topic 12: Gravitational Fields
• Topic 13: Oscillations
  

There are three papers consisting of a range of multiple choice, short answer and longer answer questions:

Paper 1: 1 hour 45 minutes long (90 marks) with 30% weighting
Paper 2: 1 hour 45 minutes long (90 marks) with 30% weighting
Paper 3: 2 hours 30 minutes long (120 marks) with 40% weighting. This paper includes synoptic questions that may draw on two or more o the different topics listed.

There is no coursework but there is a practical component to the course. Students are expected to complete specific core practicals with practical-based questions in the exam. There is also a teacher-assessed practical competency. This is reported alongside the A Level grade but does not count towards the grade. 40% of the assessment will also be assessing mathematical skills.

GCSE grade 7 in Physics (Single Science) or grade 7-7 in the Physics component of Combined Science with grade 6 in Mathematics. Students studying Physics are strongly recommended to take A Level Mathematics.

Physics is a useful subject for the majority of STEM careers but it is also useful for careers such as industry, transport, government, armed forces, secret service, research labs and much more. Physics is particularly useful in careers that involve construction or new technologies, such as engineering, astronomy, robotics, computer science, communications and nanotechnology.