It can be difficult to know where to start when writing an academic review. Are you writing a critical review, literature review, critical literature review, peer review – which is it? It’s so confusing! Continue reading “Critical review vs literature review vs something else?”
Category: A-level Biology
How to write a critical review
Critical reviews are an important part of many academic reports, dissertations and theses, as well as evidence-based practice. We write a critical review to examine the value of an article or source – are its points valid? Are its conclusions free from bias? Can we trust it? Continue reading “How to write a critical review”
Tips for the night before the exam
You’re almost there. You’ve worked really hard and the exams are finally here. Revision at this stage is probably just finishing touches. But there are a few tips to keep in mind the night before the exam and to take with you on the big day.
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Remember to read the question
I know, I know – this is a cliché. The easiest piece of advice to follow, and the easiest to forget in the moment. Sometimes we scan a question quickly, spot a few key words and make an assumption about how to answer without reading on. I can’t overstate this – please read the question to the end. Read it twice. There are clues in there. This is particularly important for questions with data and diagrams – make sure you understand what the chart or graph shows before starting on your answer. Continue reading “Tips for the night before the exam”
A-level biology summer school – get a head start on next year
Our online A-level biology summer school sessions are designed to reassure and prepare – whether you’re making the transition from GCSE to A-levels, or looking to recap and test your knowledge as you head towards your exam year and more detailed topics in Year 13.
Your choice of online A-level biology summer sessions
Online one-to-one tutoring
Friendly, one-to-one A-level biology tutoring sessions are available during the summer holidays. Click to find out more about tutoring with John.
Summer masterclasses
In this year’s summer masterclass sessions for small groups (£35 per hour session) we’re covering four important topic areas on four evenings (6:05-7pm) in August. The sessions are designed to be suitable for all students on all A-level biology exam boards. They are friendly, relaxed and supportive 🙂
The sessions feature four “core” topics, combined with exam technique and practice questions. The sessions are recommended for AQA, Oxford AQA International, Edexcel (Salters) and OCR students starting year 12 or year 13.
| Mon 03/08/26 | Biological molecules – the chemicals underpinning life |
| Wed 12/08/26 | Genes and protein synthesis – the genetic code, and how it can change |
| Wed 19/08/26 | Gas exchange – driving evolution in life of all shapes and sizes |
| Wed 26/08/26 | Meiosis and mitosis – the balance between growth, diversity and disease |
Email John@wooltontutors.co.uk for a chat about your needs and to book your place.
We are also taking bookings for the term-time A-level biology masterclass, starting October 2026.
Useful for A-level Biology students about to start Y12 (AS):
- Help getting ready for A-level biology, with a head start on biological molecules, cells, DNA and other topics you’ll meet in the first year of A-level biology.
- Gently make the transition from GCSE to A-level, seeing where the course builds on what you already know (we also have a blog that may help).
- Get answers to any questions you might have about the course, or the science itself.
- Top up your maths skills ready for the “maths for biologists” aspect of the A-level course.
- Explore the different types of questions that come up in mocks, class tests and the A-level exams themselves.
- Put A-level biology topics into context, reflecting on the latest research, career ideas, and university prospects.
Useful for A-level biology students entering Year 13 (A2):
- Recap your Year 12/ AS biology learning, with “troubleshooting” on any topics you find challenging.
- Work on areas for improvement following mock exams or class test results.
- Get a head start on Year 13 topics that delve deeper into DNA, genetics and the nervous system.
- Focussing on the assessment outcomes (AO) of the major exam boards.
- Work on specific aspects of the exam, such as “evaluate” questions, “application” questions and exam technique.
- Boost your confidence ahead of the new term.
Please get in touch with me (John@wooltontutors.co.uk) to ask about our A-level biology summer school and we’ll take it from there.
All the best,
Dr John Ankers is a specialist online A-level biology tutor
How to make a revision timetable that works
Whether you’re revising for GCSE or A-levels or preparing for university or college exams, making a revision timetable or a revision plan is an important step to learning anything. Complementing our post on how to revise, here we’re exploring what you need to make a revision timetable, and how to structure your revision sessions.
We find that revision is most effective as part of your weekly routine alongside your learning. In contrast to “cramming” in the days or weeks before exams, (which rarely works and often increases stress) regular revision helps to build confidence.
Continue reading “How to make a revision timetable that works”
How to use the p-value in A-level biology
The problem with biological processes is that they’re messy. The same measurements taken on different days are likely to be slightly different (in some cases very different) due to the random nature of biological molecules sloshing around in cells. Scientists call this randomness “noise”. Noisy measurements might fool us into thinking a change we observe in our experimental data is important, when in fact it’s just the universe being random. We need a way of spotting a difference that stands out – that is significant – this is where we turn to statistical tests and the p-value in A-level biology. Continue reading “How to use the p-value in A-level biology”
How to study A-level biology as a private candidate
Many students choose to study A-level biology as a private candidate, enjoying the flexibility of home education/ home-schooling or online education. I have helped several students find their way with the practicalities involved, like choosing an exam board and an exam centre. I have also tutored several A-level biology candidates through all or part of their course. I would like to share some of this advice with you:
How to choose an A-level biology exam board
Choosing an A-level biology course (linked with an exam board) is the first step to sitting A-level biology as a private candidate. I’ve listed some popular choices below, which are respected by universities and colleges. There are differences in their course structure and the types of questions that feature on their exams.
Each of these options involves a mixture of fact learning and recall (often referred to as Assessment Objective 1), applied knowledge (AO2) and evaluating data (AO3). They also involve practical experiments, which, while not compulsory, often help with university applications – see below. Each exam board has a “specification” document which introduces their course in more detail.
AQA A-level biology
AQA is the most popular choice for A-level biology in schools in the UK, and is perhaps also (slightly!) easier than others in terms of the exam content. However, it features a 25-mark essay question on paper 3 which some students may find challenging.
Specification document for AQA A-level biology.
Entry fees for AQA A-level biology.
There are 3 exam papers in AQA A-level biology (each 2 hours long) and 12 practical experiments (see below)
Edexcel Salters-Nuffield A-level Biology
Edexcel uses similar content to AQA, but with greater depth in certain areas. The exams are often more challenging, but reward students able to apply their knowledge and “think like a scientist”. Edexcel is often chosen for students intending to study medicine or related disciples at university because of the (slightly) greater emphasis on medical topics.
Specification document for Edexcel Salters A-level biology.
Entry fee information for Edexcel Salters A-level biology.
There are also 3 exam papers in AQA A-level biology (each 2 hours long) and 12 practical experiments (see below).
OCR A
Similar to Edexcel, OCR A is another course aimed slightly more towards thinking like a scientist, data interpretation and experimental design (AO2/ AO3). The specification for OCR was recently updated to include more up-to-date case studies.
Specification document for OCR A A-level biology
Entry fees for OCR A A-level biology
There are 3 exam papers in AQA A-level biology (each between 1.5 and 2.25 hours long) and 12 practical experiments (see below)
These are the most popular choices of course providers, but there are several other A-level biology exam boards for private candidates – including Eduqas, OCR B and Edexcel B. Please do get in touch to discuss the pros and cons of these.
Studying International A-level biology as a private candidate
Candidates outside the UK have the choice of several international A-levels. These are slightly different, but broadly equivalent in terms of UCAS and respected by universities. Please get in touch to discuss these options – or take a look at my case study on studying A-level biology in Dubai, as much of the advice applies in other parts of the world.
Choosing an exam centre for A-level biology as a private candidate
There are no options to take the A-level biology exams online… yet. The AQA is trialling a number of digital exams as an option for the future. Instead, you will need to find a local centre to sit your A-level biology exams. The Joint council for qualifications (representing all the exam boards above) has a list of approved centres – take a look to see if there is one local to you. https://www.jcq.org.uk/private-candidates/
What about practical experiments when studying as a private candidate?
School students have the opportunity to perform 12 practical experiments (see the list below) as part of their A-level biology course, towards meeting a set of standards for “thinking like scientists”. These are known as the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC) – the AQA website (for example) has information on CPAC. Completing these experiments gives you a “practical endorsement” – this does not affect your grade either way, but will appear as a tick box on your UCAS application. Some university courses look favourably or even require students to have their practical endorsement.
If you’re studying A-level biology as a private candidate, one option is to book a space at a private laboratory centre to perform the experiments and gain their practical endorsements. These can be googled, but I’m happy to discuss the options if you want to get in touch. Whichever you choose, make sure they are approved by the JCQ.
For interest, here are the 12 practical experiments:
Practical 1 – Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction.
Practical 2 – Preparation of garlic root meristems to investigate stages of mitosis and calculating the mitotic index.
Practical 3 – Production of a dilution series of a solute to produce a calibration curve with which to identify the water potential of plant tissue.
Practical 4 – The effect of a named variable on the permeability of cell surface membrane.
Practical 5 – Dissection of a mammalian heart.
Practical 6 – Microbiological techniques and investigation into the effect of antimicrobials.
Practical 7 – An investigation of the pigments present in leaves.
Practical 8 – Investigation into the effect of a named factor on the rate of dehydrogenase activity in extracts of chloroplasts: the effect of ammonium hydroxide on the time taken for chloroplasts to decolourise DCPIP.
Practical 9 – An investigation of the effect of temperature on respiration in yeast.
Practical 10 – Using choice chambers to investigate responses in invertebrates to light/dark or humid/dry conditions.
Practical 11 – Use a colorimetric technique to produce a calibration curve with which to identify the concentration of glucose in an unknown ‘urine’ sample.
Practical 12 – Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species.
Planning your studies and getting help
Once you are enrolled on a course, your first step should be to read your exam board’s specification document. Next, purchase a textbook for your course. The biology can look daunting at first, but there is plenty of help out there.
Be wary of package courses offered on flashy websites and ask yourself: who is delivering the course? how much experience do they have? Can I meet them before I commit? Elsewhere, Student room and even Reddit have dedicated groups for A-level biology students for you to share your experience and ask for advice.
You can also consider one-to-one tutoring to support your A-level biology. I have spent over 10 years taking students through A-level biology exams on all the exam boards mentioned above. I have also helped several students studying A-level biology as a private candidate. I have written blog posts and study guides on A-level biology.
I can provide online one-to-one tutoring for all or part of your A-level biology course, as well as a regular exam technique masterclass. If this interests you, please do get in touch.
I wish you the best of luck!
John
Dr John Ankers
Director, Woolton Tutors
Specialist in online A-level biology tutoring
How to answer A-level Biology essay questions
The Synoptic essay questions on paper 3 of the AQA A-level biology course carry 25 marks, so doing well can make a big difference to your overall grade. The essay encourages you to think across different topics (some call this “synoptic” or “holistic” thinking). This is also valuable for other areas of the exams, particularly the application questions.
Here are a few tips for tackling your A-level biology essay: (As an example, let’s use the title “The importance of movement in cells and tissues”)
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Think broadly…
Essay titles are deliberately vague to give you the chance to show your knowledge in a variety of topics. To help you to choose what’s most relevant, look out for subjective words like “movement” and “cells”. Think of the possible alternatives. “Cells”, for example, hints that you could discuss plants, animals, single-celled organisms etc. in your essay. “Movement” could mean short distances (across a membrane) or much further (circulation or mass flow) or even the whole tissue moving (phototropism). Continue reading “How to answer A-level Biology essay questions”
How to answer A-level biology describe and explain questions
The wording of A-level biology describe and explain questions is important. Often when people lose marks in exams, it’s not due to being completely wrong, but slightly wrong – the answer might make perfect sense, but miss the point of the question. Very frustrating!
I’ve written about how to answer A-level biology evaluate questions, and application questions, (and how to choose a statistical test), but what about Describe and explain questions? What’s the difference? What does each question want from you?
Answering A level biology describe questions
“Describe” questions want to know what is happening in front of you – perhaps in a graph, a scientific diagram or a picture. You need to describe what you can see!
Imagine the examiner doesn’t know any biology and can’t see the paper – your job is to tell them what’s going on. What is the line in the graph doing? What is the plant in the picture above doing in response to sunlight?
The line may show a relationship between two variables – look for their names on the axes of a graph. Can you see a correlation between temperature and enzyme activity? Or, for the plant picture, the bend of a plant and the light levels around it?
Steer clear of using “it” in your descriptions – use scientific names instead. “The gradient of the line is…” or “the line representing enzyme activity flattens after…”
Keep an eye on the number of marks the question is worth – these will tell you how many details you need to mention.
Answering A level biology explain questions
Explain questions want to know why something is happening. You may still have a graph in front of you, but why does it look like that?
Focus on scientific explanation – what is going on “behind the scenes”? If the graph is of enzyme activity, we might talk about how the enzyme meets the substrate and the effect of temperature on how often this happens – explaining why the graph points upwards.
Use clear language here, too. Instead of “it” use the correct names for whatever you are writing about. Clear language doesn’t have to involve lots of scientific words. The idea is that your points logically follow each other. This happens, then this happens… so in the graph this happens.
Use the word “because” in your answer – it’s a good way to focus yourself on the explanation rather than the description.
Answering A level biology describe and explain questions
Some exam questions ask you to both “describe and explain”. Here you can be methodical – look at the number of marks for the question and divide it in half. This is the number of points you need to mention, including a description and explanation for each.
Remember for each pair of marks – first describe “What does this look like?” then explain “Why does it look like that?”
Answering A level biology Suggest questions
Some questions may ask you to “suggest an explanation” for a graph or an event in the text. This is slightly different to an “explain” question as it gives you a little more freedom.
There may be multiple reasons why something behaves as it does, or why a line flattens on a graph. Your job here is to pick a theory than makes sense, then argue how and why it explains what’s going on. The mark scheme will likely have lots of flexibility to allow for whichever explanation you choose.
If you have any questions about the difference between suggest, describe and explain questions just get in touch.
Good luck!
You can find an expanded version this guide, with added bits including model answers to real describe and explain exam questions, in our shiny eBook “How to answer A-level Biology exam questions“. We also offer annotated model answers to A-level biology papers.
If you’d like to work through some A-level biology describe and explain questions, from exam boards like AQA, please get in touch with me at Woolton Tutors, and we can set up some online A-level biology tutoring sessions. AQA students might be interested in my weekly A-level biology masterclass sessions for practice on exam technique.
Best wishes,
John
Dr John Ankers
Specialist online A-level biology tutor and academic wellbeing coach
How to answer A-level biology application questions
A lot of our tutees ask how to answer A-level biology application questions. Application questions (AKA “applied knowledge” questions or assessment objective 2, AO2 questions) challenge you to apply your knowledge in an unfamiliar setting. Essentially, they are biological puzzles, and you have all the information you need to solve them – the real challenge is working out how and where to start.
Here are a few tips to guide you through:
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Ask yourself – what topic is this?
Look for key words and phrases that give you clues to which topic area (or areas) the question relates to. There may be a lot of information in the opening part of the question here that you’ve not seen before – that’s ok! It’s designed that way. If there’s a strangely named chemical described as an enzyme, everything you know about enzymes and proteins might be useful. Do we have an unfamiliar gene? Great – now everything you know about transcription, translation, epigenetics and even genetic engineering could be relevant.
It’s best to start with a clear idea of the context of the question.
Continue reading “How to answer A-level biology application questions”