A-level Biology web conferences
These web conferences will enable you to gain a better understanding of A-level Biology, in light of the examination series this summer.
Our web conferences are online interactive sessions where you can:
- key in questions for trainers
- participate in typed 'chat' sessions
- take part in polling activities.
This web conference is relevant for all teachers of AQA A-level Biology.
Our trainers Martin Rowland (Chair of Examiners) for AS and Graham Read (Chief Examiner) for A2 will focus on:
- theory units examined this summer AS (Unit 2) / A2 (Unit 5)
- giving you confidence in understanding the assessment objectives
- providing strategies for improving student performance
- tips on good examination practice and technique.
Time 4.15pm – 6.15pm
Visit Courses and Events to Book a place.
January 2012 1411/2411 (AS/A2) Biology
General advice
Students should:
- read all instructions on the front cover and at the start of each section of the question paper
- read each question carefully before responding, especially where there are optional question(s)
- remember that questions can appear on all pages of a question paper, including the final page.
Combined question paper answer books
Students should look at the number of marks and the line space allocated to each question and write answers of an appropriate length.
If a student needs more space to answer a question, they must:
either use the white space immediately beneath the lined answer space and before the start of the next question
or ask for an AQA four-page Supplementary answer book.
They should not:
- use the answer space for a different question
- write in the margin
- respond elsewhere in the answer book.
Separate answer books and the two-digit numbering system
Students worked well with the two-digit numbering system and separate answer books in 2011 exams; thank you for ensuring that the guidance was applied successfully. We have updated our guides for students, teachers and exams officers / invigilators to reflect the general advice given above.
A reminder: question paper style and marking answers on screen
Exams with separate question papers and answer books (unconstrained answer books) will use:
- our simplified, two-digit question numbering system
- answer books with spaces for students to write the two-digit question numbers.
For additional guidance see:
- Teacher Guide (revised)
- Exams officer and invigilator Guide (revised)
- Student Guide (revised)
- Question papers and mark schemes:
- Summer 2011 materials are available to schools / colleges in the Secure Key Materials area of e-AQA
- Specimen materials are available from the subject pages of aqa.org.uk
- Examples of students' work:
- AQA Research team papers: Marking answers on screen
- Reliability of on-screen marking of essays
- A concurrent approach to estimating the reliability of electronic marking of long form answers
- Using the Think Aloud Method to investigate electronic marking of long form answers
- The impact of e-marking on Enquiries After Results 2006/2007
- The impact of e-marking on Enquiries After Results 2005/2006
Archive
Additional Information: BIO6T/Q12/TN
We have published additional information for the A2 ISA Teachers' Notes, BIO6T/Q12/TN. This Additional Information is available in the Secure Key Materials area of e-AQA. This document is restricted to Exams Officers who should print a copy for the Head of Department.
We hope this information will be helpful to you.
Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS)
The Teacher Online Standardisation system is now live.
How to use online standardisation
- Log in to e-AQA with your personal e-AQA login. Select 'Teacher online standardisation' from the list of services in e-AQA.
- Select your subject in the online standardisation system.
Why online standardisation?
Access for all teachers – With online standardisation, all teachers can go online to see the marking advice from the Principal Moderator at a time that suits them.
Access for all schools – All centres taking the AQA Biology specification can participate.
Examples of work marked by the Principal Moderator – See pieces of candidate work marked by the Principal Moderator. Mark the work yourself online and see how you compare with the standard set by the Principal.
This service provides more detailed information to help you, whilst reducing the time teachers spend away from school.
For centres following route T, the ISA – The ISA materials for submission in 2012 are available on e-AQA in Secure Key Materials. Access to these secure documents is restricted to Exams Officers only. The security rules provided in previous series apply to these materials. These rules are published in the Instructions for the Administration of the ISA.
Final versions of the Marking Guidelines were published on 31 October and must be used to mark candidates' work.
For centres following route X, the EMPA – The Teachers' Notes for the 2012 EMPAs are available on e-AQA in Secure Key Materials. The same security rules apply as in previous series. These rules are published in the Instructions for the Administration of the EMPA.
The remaining EMPA materials will be despatched to centres in hard copy based on estimated entries.
Secure Key Materials
Secure Key Materials is a new e-AQA service which replaces Recent Exam Materials from 1 September. It provides teachers and Exams Officers with exclusive access to a bank of exam-related material that is:
- secure
- easy to navigate
- quick to use
- intuitive, based on the design of our website.
Please read our new leaflet and look at the following demo to find out more about this new service.
To obtain an e-AQA account and access to Secure Key Materials, please register at e-AQA. For more information about the materials published on Secure Key Materials, please don't hesitate to contact the Subject team.
