A Level Biology
Choose this course if you enjoy learning about life and living organisms and want to delve deeper into concepts that you have been introduced to at GCSE, from biochemistry and cell biology through to behaviour and ecology.
TOP COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
- Excellent facilities
- Challenging and stimulating
- Great links to STEM careers
- Small class sizes
EXCELLENT LECTURER SUPPORT
Friendly and supportive specialist staff – the biology team is friendly, supportive, hardworking and committed to helping you s쳮d. Reaching your potential in this subject relies heavily on your attendance, punctuality and commitment to learning and revision, and acting on advice given by your lecturer.
HIGHLY STRUCTURED DELIVERY
Our course delivery is highly structured to ensure you have a holistic understanding of the course and its assessment from the start of your time with us. You will have a clear understanding of your progress in the subject, and regular assessments and detailed lecturer feedback to support you to further improve.
FANTASTIC ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Our students have access to a wide range of enrichment activities, including competitions. Students interested in careers in human health including medicine, dentistry, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, radiography etc. or in animal health including veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing also have the opportunity to take part in our very popular Medics’ and Allied Health Professions Academies.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
A Level Biology will offer you an exciting, challenging and stimulating area of study. Biology encompasses the cellular basis of living things, the transformation of energy that underlies the activities of life, and the genetic basis for inheritance in organisms. You will study the evolutionary relationships between organisms and the diversity of life on earth, to include microorganisms, plants, and animals. The structural and functional relationships studied in biology draw on the sciences of chemistry and physics for its foundations and applies the laws of these disciplines to living things. You will learn about advanced biology concepts and put these into practice through a wide variety of practical experiments.
This will enable you to gain and develop the skills necessary to study biology or other sciences further as well as equipping you with a range of transferrable skills applicable to a number of subjects and careers.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
The Biology A Level course will build your knowledge from the smallest molecules to the structure and function of cells, then organs and systems in whole organisms, and interactions in complete ecosystems. The course uses knowledge from the first year and extends to understand Topics in the second year:
First year Topics 1-4
- Biological molecules
- Cells
- Organisms exchange substances with their environment
- Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms
Second year Topics 5-8
Energy transfers in and between organismsr
- Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments
- Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
- The control of gene expressio
WHERE WILL IT TAKE ME?
A Level Biology is a highly respected qualification that is valued for most degree subjects and widely respected by employers worldwide. If you aspire to study Biology at university, or a biology-related subject, it is recommended that you also study A Level Chemistry, as together these provide a great combination which broadens your options.
Biology opens up a wide range of opportunities for university level study, including but not limited to medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, veterinary science, zoology, radiography, agriculture and horticulture, marine biology, biochemistry, genetics, dietetics, nutrition, applied biology, botany, forensic science, and many other possibilities.
Your achievement in this subject is dependent upon excellent attendance, punctuality and effort. You will learn in a friendly atmosphere, using a variety of assessment methods:
You will be assessed through end of topic tests under timed conditions in class, regular homework questions and through completion of class activities. You will then be given detailed feedback on your progress.
Investigative skills and understanding are a vital part of the scientific process and you will be expected to develop your practical proficiency throughout the course.
You will review your own performance in 1:1 sessions with your lecturer.
You will undertake mock examinations in advance of your final exams.
You will sit formal A Level exams at the end of your two years of study, which will include questions on the practical skills that you have developed, comprehension questions, data analysis questions and an essay question.
A minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 or above, including at least GCSE Biology Grade 6 or GCSE Combined Science Grades 66, GCSE English Grade 6 or a Humanities subject Grade 6, and GCSE Maths Grade 5.
You will be expected to undertake at least 4-6 hours of independent study time per week. Throughout the year you will be able to access additional support through drop-in sessions and tailored 1:1 provision, as well as a variety of additional opportunities to stretch and challenge the most able students. We encourage you to proactively engage with the support available in order to reach your full potential.
