Biology

Course summary

A Level of Biology will extend and deepen your understanding of the living world and give a fascinating insight into how living organisms grow, develop and function. Particularly relevant are the subject areas of conservation, gene technology, genetics and biochemistry, all of which have numerous applications in current research and technology. In the first year of A Level, students will learn about the fundamental ideas that underpin the rest of the course, such as enzymes, cells and biochemistry. Alongside this, you will be extending your practical and mathematical skills and learning how to use specialist equipment. You will also learn new practical procedures to investigate key ideas such as rate of diffusion, enzyme inhibitors and cell division. Also studied are topics such as transport in animals, covering ideas about blood and oxygen transport, transport in plants, immunity and conservation. In the second year, you will build on your foundations from the first year as you study the biochemistry of respiration and photosynthesis. You will also learn about gene regulation, manipulating genomes, muscles, excretion and the nervous and hormonal systems.