Biology
Biology is taught as a separate subject to all boys from the Upper 4th year onwards. In the Upper 4th year, the emphasis is on stimulating a permanent interest in the living world and the acquisition of the essential
practical skills that will form a solid foundation for the GCSE course.
Biology is presented as the most fundamental science with important applications in social, environmental and technological areas.
There are four specialised wet and dry laboratories in the department offering excellent facilities for developing theoretical and practical skills. There is also a pond, custom-built greenhouse and nature area that provide resources for ecological study.
Technological equipment includes class sets of microscopes, closed-circuit T.V. microscopy and departmental computers with a comprehensive software library. Each laboratory has its own interactive white board and data projector.
A full and frank coverage of Health Education, including Sex and Drug education, is undertaken as part of the course. Human reproduction is covered in the Upper 4th year.
The AQA specification B course begins in the Lower 5th year and the work covered includes all work contained within SC2 of the National Curriculum. Practical work is assessed and will ultimately generate data allowing
students to sit the appropriate coursework I.S.A.’s.
The AS and A2 levels (AQA specification B) are taught on a modular basis, with practical assessments being taken on two occasions during the course. External module tests are able to be taken on three occasions – January of the L6, Summer of the L6 and Summer of the U6, although resits are allowed in the January of the U6. This course allows the department to be relatively flexible over choice of options, so making the course more or less physiologically based. Biologists will be required to attend
a Field Course during the L6 year (for one week at the beginning of the summer holidays) if they intend to continue to study A2 Biology in the U6 year. Biologists may also be required to carry out some dissections.
