Physics
Provisional Exam Board: AQA
The proposed course content and exam board are provisional and may be subject to change before the start of the course.
Question the universe. Understand how it works.
Physics is the study of the fundamental principles that shape our world and the universe beyond it. From the behaviour of subatomic particles to the motion of planets, A Level Physics explores the ideas that underpin modern science, engineering and technology.
The course takes you significantly beyond GCSE, challenging you to apply mathematical thinking, analyse evidence and use scientific models to explain complex physical phenomena. You develop an understanding not only of what happens, but why it happens and how we can prove it.
At BOA Digital, Physics sits naturally alongside our specialist focus on technology and innovation. The principles you encounter underpin areas including computing, electronics, engineering, telecommunications, renewable technologies, robotics and emerging digital systems.
What will I study?
The proposed course combines theoretical understanding, mathematical problem-solving and practical investigation.
Core areas of study include measurements and errors, particles and radiation, waves, mechanics and materials, electricity, further mechanics and thermal physics, fields and nuclear physics.
You begin to explore some of the most important questions in physics: How do forces determine motion? What is matter made from? How do waves transfer information and energy? How do electric and magnetic fields behave? What happens inside an atomic nucleus?
In the second year, these ideas become increasingly sophisticated as you encounter areas such as simple harmonic motion, thermal physics, gravitational and electric fields, capacitance, electromagnetic induction and nuclear physics.
The AQA specification also includes one optional topic. Current options are Astrophysics, Medical Physics, Engineering Physics, Turning Points in Physics or Electronics. The option offered at BOA Digital will be confirmed as our curriculum develops.
How will I study?
Physics is a subject you learn through questioning, calculating, experimenting and problem-solving.
Lessons combine theoretical study with mathematical application and practical investigation. You learn to take scientific principles and apply them to both familiar and unfamiliar situations, developing the confidence to tackle increasingly complex problems.
Practical work is an important part of the course. You plan and conduct investigations, use specialist equipment, collect and analyse data, consider uncertainties and evaluate the quality of experimental evidence. This course requires students to complete a minimum of 12 practical activities as part of the practical endorsement.
Independent study is equally important. You are expected to practise mathematical problems, consolidate difficult concepts and make connections between different areas of physics. Over time, you become more confident at taking an unfamiliar problem and deciding which principles, equations and evidence you need to solve it.
How is the course assessed?
A Level Physics is assessed through three written examinations, each lasting two hours.
Paper 1 – 34%
Assesses the first five core areas of the course alongside periodic motion. The paper includes short and long-answer questions as well as multiple-choice questions.
Paper 2 – 34%
Assesses thermal physics, fields and nuclear physics, while also drawing upon knowledge from earlier parts of the course. It also includes short and long-answer questions and multiple-choice questions.
Paper 3 – 32%
Focuses on practical skills and data analysis, alongside the chosen optional topic.
Students also complete a separate Practical Endorsement, assessed by teachers through practical work undertaken during the course. This is reported separately from the A Level grade.
Mathematics plays a significant role in Physics: 40% of the overall assessment contains mathematical skills at Level 2 or above, while at least 15% assesses knowledge and understanding relating to practical work.
Develop skills that take you further.
Physics develops much more than scientific knowledge. You learn to analyse complex problems, work confidently with data, apply mathematical models, evaluate evidence and reach logical conclusions.
You also learn persistence. Some problems require several stages of reasoning before a solution becomes clear, and experimental results do not always behave exactly as expected. Learning to question results, identify errors and refine your approach is an important part of becoming an effective physicist.
These skills provide an excellent foundation for progression into areas such as Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Electronics, Robotics, Data Science, Astrophysics and other science and technology disciplines, alongside higher and degree apprenticeships and careers across STEM industries.
Physics in a digital world.
At BOA Digital, Physics connects naturally with our wider specialist digital environment. Modern physics increasingly relies upon computer modelling, simulation, data analysis, sensors and digital technologies to investigate systems that cannot always be explored through traditional experiments alone.
This creates opportunities to see connections between what you learn in Physics and the technologies shaping the modern world – from semiconductors and communications to satellites, advanced computing and engineering.
Explore. Question. Discover.
A Level Physics is for students who are fascinated by how things work and enjoy combining scientific understanding with mathematical problem-solving. It rewards curiosity, precision and the determination to keep working when the answer isn't immediately obvious.
Because Physics isn't simply about learning equations. It's about using them to understand the universe around you.