Biology

Course summary

This course is for students who want to continue studying biology after GCSE. You'll already be familiar with some of the topics but the A level will give you the chance to study these and some new ones, in much greater depth. You might be choosing biology because you're headed for a healthcare or scientific career, though it will give you a set of skills that can be used in a wide range of non-scientific careers too. This course links well with most other A-level subjects but particularly with those such as Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Geography, and Psychology. You'll develop your skills as a scientist, learning to use practical apparatus and following experimental techniques. You'll be doing research, analysis, recording and interpreting experimental results, and producing scientific drawings. Your maths and ICT skills will be employed along the way. You'll explore the applications of scientific principles and their relevance to daily life including in health, industry, and sustainability. You'll cover a range of topics including Biological molecules Organisms exchange substances with their environment Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms Energy transfers in and between organisms Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments Genetics, populations, evolution, and ecosystems The control of gene expression.