Biology at KS5
The AQA Biology specification is taught. http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/biology-7401-7402. Students are supplied with a Year 1 and a Year 2 textbook which cover all the content and structure of the A Level course.
Year 12 – Autumn term: Biological molecules and cell structure. Spring and Summer Term: How organisms exchange substances with their environment and genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms. The year also includes practical work including six compulsory practicals. There is optional field work in the Summer term.
Year 13 – Autumn term: Energy transfers in and between organisms and how organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments. Spring and Summer term: Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems and the control of gene expression. The year also includes practical work including six compulsory practicals.
Exam Information
Paper 1 assesses any content from topic one to four, including relevant practical skills. The written exam is two hours long and is 35% of the A level. Questions are a mixture of short, long answers questions and extended response questions.
Paper 2 assesses any content from topic five to eight, including relevant practical skills. The written exam is two hours long and is 35% of the A level. Questions are a mixture of short, long answers questions and a comprehension.
Paper 3 assesses any content from topic one to eight, including relevant practical skills. The written exam is two hours long and is 30% of the A level. Questions are a mixture of structured questions, including practical techniques, critical analysis of given experimental data and one essay from a choice of two titles.
External exams are taken in May and June of Year 13. Practice and preparation takes place throughout the two years of the course in the form of independent tasks, in class practice and internal tests. In January of Year 12 and Year 13 students take a mock exam in class and in July of Year 12 students take a formal mock under exam conditions.
