Your journey to excellence inBiology

Characteristics of living things

Nutrition, respiration and excretion as life processes

Sensitivity, movement, growth and reproduction

Eukaryotes: plants and animals

Eukaryotes: fungi and protoctists

Prokaryotes: bacteria and their key features

Viruses and why they are not living

Pathogens and examples of disease-causing organisms

Levels of organisation: organelles to organ systems

Cells: structures, functions, and plant vs animal cells

Cell differentiation and stem cells in medicine

Biological molecules in food (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins)

Core Practical: Food tests for glucose, starch, protein and fat

Enzymes: active sites, catalysis and denaturation

Core Practical: Enzyme activity (temperature and pH)

Movement across membranes: diffusion, osmosis and active transport

Photosynthesis and mineral ions for plant growth

Human nutrition, digestion and absorption

Why multicellular organisms need transport systems

Transport in plants: xylem, phloem and translocation

Transpiration: water uptake, evaporation and factors affecting rate

Core Practical: Measuring transpiration rate

Blood: components and what plasma transports

Immunity: phagocytosis, antibodies, vaccination and blood clotting

The heart: structure, function and changing heart rate

Blood vessels and the circulation system

Excretion and osmoregulation: urinary system and kidney function

Coordination and response: nervous system, reflexes, the eye and hormones

Sexual vs asexual reproduction and fertilisation

Pollination: insect vs wind pollination

Fertilisation in plants: pollen tubes, seeds and fruits

Core Practical: Conditions needed for seed germination

Germination and early seedling growth

Asexual reproduction in plants (runners and cuttings)

Human reproductive systems and gametes

The menstrual cycle and hormones

Pregnancy: placenta, amniotic fluid and embryo development

Inheritance and evolution: DNA, genes, variation, mutation and natural selection

Ecosystems: populations, communities, habitats and ecosystems

Core Practical: Estimating population size using quadrats

Biodiversity and why it matters

Core Practical: Measuring distribution and biodiversity with quadrats

Abiotic and biotic factors affecting distribution

Trophic levels: producers, consumers and decomposers

Food chains and food webs

Pyramids of number, biomass and energy

Energy transfer through ecosystems

Cycles and human impacts (carbon cycle, pollution, climate change)

Increasing crop yield: glasshouses, CO₂, temperature and fertilisers

Pest control: pesticides vs biological control

Microorganisms in food production (bread and yoghurt)

Core Practical: Anaerobic respiration in yeast

Industrial fermenters and aseptic technique

Fish farming for food production

Selective breeding in plants and animals

Genetic engineering: tools and processes

Genetic engineering examples (insulin, GM crops)

Cloning: micropropagation and cloning animals