Scheme of assessment
Find past papers and mark schemes, and specimen papers for new courses, on our website at aqa.org.uk/pastpapers
The AS specification is designed to be taken over one or two years with all assessments taken at the end of the course. The A-level specification is designed to be taken over two years with all assessments taken at the end of the course.
Assessments and certification for the AS specification are available for the first time in May/June 2016 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.
Assessments and certification for the A-level specification are available for the first time in May/June 2017 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.
These are linear qualifications. In order to achieve the award, students must complete all exams in May/June in a single year. All assessments must be taken in the same series.
Questions for these specifications will be set which require students to demonstrate
- their knowledge and understanding of the content developed in one section or topic, including the associated mathematical and practical skills or
- the ability to apply mathematical and practical skills to areas of content they are not normally developed in or
- the ability to draw together different areas of knowledge and understanding within one answer.
A range of question types will be used, including those that require extended responses. Extended response questions will allow students to demonstrate their ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant, substantiated and logically structured. Extended responses may be in written English, extended calculations, or a combination of both, as appropriate to the question.
All materials are available in English only.
Aims
Courses based on these specifications should encourage students to:
- develop essential knowledge and understanding of different areas of the subject and how they relate to each other
- develop and demonstrate a deep appreciation of the skills, knowledge and understanding of scientific methods
- develop competence and confidence in a variety of practical, mathematical and problem solving skills
- develop their interest in and enthusiasm for the subject, including developing an interest in further study and careers associated with the subject
- understand how society makes decisions about scientific issues and how the sciences contribute to the success of the economy and society.
Assessment objectives
Assessment objectives (AOs) are set by Ofqual and are the same across all AS and A-level Biology specifications and all exam boards.
The exams will measure how students have achieved the following assessment objectives.
- AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures
- AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes,
techniques and procedures:
- in a theoretical context
- in a practical context
- when handling qualitative data
- when handling quantitative data
- AO3: Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and
evidence, including in relation to issues, to:
- make judgements and reach conclusions
- develop and refine practical design and procedures.
Weighting of assessment objectives for AS Biology
| Assessment objectives (AOs) | Component weightings (approx %) | Overall weighting (approx %) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Paper 2 | ||
| AO1 | 47–51 | 33–37 | 35–40 |
| AO2 | 35–39 | 41–45 | 40–45 |
| AO3 | 13–17 | 21–25 | 20–25 |
| Overall weighting of components | 50 | 50 | 100 |
10% of the overall assessment of AS Biology will contain mathematical skills equivalent to Level 2 or above.
At least 15% of the overall assessment of AS Biology will assess knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to practical work.
Weighting of assessment objectives for A-level Biology
| Assessment objectives (AOs) | Component weightings (approx %) | Overall weighting (approx %) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Paper 3 | ||
| AO1 | 44–48 | 23–27 | 28–32 | 30–35 |
| AO2 | 30–34 | 52–56 | 35–39 | 40–45 |
| AO3 | 20–24 | 19–23 | 31–35 | 25–30 |
| Overall weighting of components | 35 | 35 | 30 | 100 |
10% of the overall assessment of A-level Biology will contain mathematical skills equivalent to Level 2 or above.
At least 15% of the overall assessment of A-level Biology will assess knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to practical work.
Assessment weightings
The marks awarded on the papers will be scaled to meet the weighting of the components. Students' final marks will be calculated by adding together the scaled marks for each component. Grade boundaries will be set using this total scaled mark. The scaling and total scaled marks are shown in the table below.
AS
| Component | Maximum raw mark | Scaling factor | Maximum scaled mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 75 | x1 | 75 |
| Paper 2 | 75 | x1 | 75 |
| Total scaled mark: | 150 |
A-level
| Component | Maximum raw mark | Scaling factor | Maximum scaled mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 91 | x1 | 91 |
| Paper 2 | 91 | x1 | 91 |
| Paper 3 | 78 | x1 | 78 |
| Total scaled mark: | 260 |
