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WelcomeA Level Biology

A Level Biology

• Introduction to OCR

• Introduction to Biology

• Why change to our specification?

• Support and training

• Next steps

Contents

About OCR

• Part of Europe’s largest assessment agency, Cambridge Assessment

• UK’s leading awarding body

• Over 13,000 centres choose our qualifications

• Qualifications are developed in consultation with teachers

Our Mission

Our commitment is to provide qualifications which engagelearners of all ages whether at school, college, in work and part time training

programmes so they achieve their full potential

make a difference

Practical Accessible Innovative and exciting

Our Credentials

• Leading the way with new ideas

• Dedicated to offering respected qualifications

• Engaging and relevant qualifications

• Comprehensive support framework

A Level Biology

Biology Credentials

• Popularity of specification continues to grow

• Designed for teachers by teachers

Key points of the specifications

• Evolutionary rather than revolutionary changes

• Contemporary topics retained• New content added• Modern, interesting and relevant

topics• Revised core content• Task based assessment• Flexible approach to teaching

Biology | AS Structure

F213 Practical Skills in Biology•Controlled internal assessment of

practical skills

Teaching units and Assessment

method and weighting

F211 Cells, Exchanges and Transport•Cells

•Exchange and transport

F212 Molecules, Biodiversity, Food and Health

•Biology Molecules•Food and health

•Biodiversity and Evolution

Biology | A2 Structure

F216 Practical Skills in Biology 2•Controlled internal assessment of

practical skills

Teaching units and Assessment

method and weighting

F214 Communications, Homeostasis and Energy

•Communications and Homeostasis•Excretion

•Photosynthesis•Respiration

F215 Control, Genomes and Environment•Cellular Control•Biotechnology

•Ecosystems and sustainability•Responding to the Environment

Stretch and Challenge

• Stretch and Challenge is a new QCA initiative for A Levels:• Included in A2 assessment• Reflected in the style of question asked which invite a greater variety of thinking• Questions are structured to show more connections between different sections of

the specification• Extended writing is encouraged in all subjects (except Maths0• A wider range of question types – like case studies and open ended questions• More synoptic assessments – exploring connections between different areas and

levels of a subject

A Level Human Biology

Human Biology Credentials

• Distinct from A Level Biology

• It offers an interesting and relevant path for students who want to focus on biological science, more specifically on the human animal

• Route into higher and further education for those specialising in caring professions

• Developed by teachers for teachers

Key points of the specifications

• Extended investigation has been retained in A2

• All content refers direct to the human body

Human Biology | AS Structure

F223 Practical Skills in Human Biology

•Internal assessment of practical skills

Teaching units and Assessment

method and weighting

F221 Molecules, Blood and Gas Exchange

•Molecules and blood•Circulatory and Gas Exchange systems

F222 Growth, Development and Disease

•The Developing cell•The Developing Individual

•Infectious Disease•Non-infectious Disease

Human Biology | A2 Structure

F226 Extended Investigation in Human Biology

•Internal assessment of practical skills

Teaching units and Assessment

method and weighting

F224 Energy, Reproduction and Populations

•Energy and Respiration•Human Reproduction and Populations

F225 Genetics, Control and Ageing•The genome

•The Nervous System•Homeostasis

•‘The Third Age’

What’s in it for you?

• Easy to administer

• Rewarding to deliver

• Flexibility in teaching topics to meet your needs

• Appeals to less experienced teachers as well as those looking into broadening their repertoire

What’s in it for your learners?

• Enjoyable and motivational

• Improving performance through skill based subject

• Stretch and challenge opportunities

• Clear, explicit and accessible question papers

• Build on GCSE knowledge

What’s in it for your school?

• The most popular A Level science course

• Flexibility in curriculum planning

• Good progression routes into HE/FE and from GCSE

Support

• Overarching scheme of work and sample lesson plans

• E-community• Exemplar candidate work• Coursework guidance documents• Past papers on line for you to

download• Exam quest• INSET

Publishers

• We are working with publisher partner Heinemann to provide further resources to support these specifications. The student books and teacher resources are specifically tailored to the new specification.

Next steps

• Book training/events - www.ocr.org.uk/training

• Bookmark website for further information/future updates – www.ocr.org.uk

Other qualifications•A Level Chemistry A

•A Level Chemistry B (Salters)•A Level Physics A

•A Level Physics B (Advancing Physics)•A Level Geology

•AS Science•A Level Applied Science