Biology

About the Course

Biology is the study of the living world. Over the past two centuries, rapid and profound progress has been made in this field, from establishing the basic laws of inheritance in the 1850s to the discovery of the iconic DNA double helix in the 1950s and the completion of the human genome project in the early 2000s. Beyond these high profile successes, scientists have continued to make gains in understanding how diseases emerge and transmit, how organisms interact with their environment, and how life itself began. This course provides excellent preparation for studying the sciences at university and access to a wide range of careers. Throughout the course you will develop a range of laboratory skills that include microscopy, dissection, microbiology and aseptic techniques. You will learn the intricate workings of the cell and the chemical building blocks required for their functioning. The molecular pathways that underpin all life, especially photosynthesis and respiration, will also be studied in great depth, as will the functioning of individual human body systems. Environmental biology will also be studied in this broad and challenging curriculum that is designed to engage and enthuse.

Examination Board

OCR A (H420)

Course Structure

• Unit 1 Development of Practical Skills in Biology
• Unit 2 Foundations in Biology
• Unit 3 Exchange and Transport
• Unit 4 Biodiversity, Evolution and Disease
• Unit 5 Communication, Homeostasis and Energy
• Unit 6 Genetics, Evolution and Ecosystems