OCR AS Biology Course Overview¶

AS-year revision notes covering the first-year OCR Biology course, including Modules 1 to 4, assessment structure and the topic map.

Scope¶

• Qualification: AS Level, H020.
• This overview page covers modules 1 to 4 only.
• Modules 5 and 6 are part of the maintained full-course wiki and are covered separately in the A Level overview.

Assessment Shape¶

The AS is examined through two equal written papers. Breadth in biology (01) and Depth in biology (02) each last 1 hour 30 minutes, carry 70 marks, and each count for 50% of the qualification. Both papers can draw on any part of Modules 1 to 4, so revision works best when the first-year course is treated as one connected body of knowledge rather than as separate paper-specific blocks.

Module Map¶

• Module 1: Development of practical skills in biology: planning, implementing, analysis and evaluation for practical questions in the written papers.
• Module 2: Foundations in biology: cells, biological molecules, nucleic acids, enzymes, membranes, cell division and differentiation.
• Module 3: Exchange and transport: exchange surfaces plus transport systems in animals and plants.
• Module 4: Biodiversity, evolution and disease: pathogens and immunity, biodiversity, classification and evolution.

Further Detail¶

• OCR AS Biology A (H020) specification
• OCR A Level Biology A (H420) specification