OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) guide FAQ (H422)
Guide overview All 35 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology): questions and answers
Specification H422. Two sets, because students and parents ask different things.
For students
Is this the right specification? I have seen H420 mentioned.
This guide is Biology B, Advancing Biology, H422. The other OCR specification is Biology A, H420, which is organised into six modules by topic rather than by applied context.
They are different courses. If your code is H420 you need the Biology A guide.
I have heard H422 is being withdrawn. Does that affect me?
It does not affect the exam you sit. OCR is withdrawing H422: the last first teaching was September 2026 and the final assessment is summer 2028, with no resit opportunity after that.
If you are sitting your A-Level in 2027 or 2028 you are on H422 and this is your guide. If you are starting the course after September 2026, check with your school which specification they are entering you for.
Which topics are on which paper?
All of them, on all three. OCR states that each component can draw on any of the five teaching modules. The papers differ in style rather than in content: Component 01 is fundamentals, Component 02 is scientific literacy and Component 03 is practical skills.
Is the Practical Endorsement in it?
The endorsement itself is marked by your teacher and reported separately, so it is not examined and not in the guide.
Practical skills are also examined, and Component 03 is 22 per cent of the grade. That content is in the guide as three topics totalling 312 questions.
How long does one session take?
About twenty minutes for one subtopic, all three steps. Topics run from 46 to 181 questions, so work by subtopic.
Can I do it in my head instead of writing?
Write. Biology mark schemes want precise terms and named processes, and step 2 is where the loose version gets replaced. The method page sets out the evidence.
Do I still need past papers?
Yes. The method puts the biology into memory. Past papers train the unfamiliar applied context, which H422 leans on heavily, and the data analysis on Component 03. OCR publishes them free.
For parents
What is this, in plain terms?
A PDF of 2,895 exam-style questions covering the whole of OCR A-Level Biology B, with the answers printed after each topic.
Is this specification being withdrawn?
Yes. OCR is withdrawing H422. The final assessment is summer 2028 and there is no resit after that.
A student sitting in 2027 or 2028 is unaffected and this is the correct guide. A student starting the course now should confirm with the school which specification they will be entered for.
How do I check it is the right course?
Find the specification code. OCR runs Biology A (H420) and Biology B Advancing Biology (H422). If your child’s notes use applied contexts like dialysis, haemocytometers and assisted reproduction as chapter headings, it is H422.
How do I know if it is being used properly?
There should be handwritten answers on paper and three passes over the same questions, and two scores per session to compare.
How much is it compared with a textbook?
£8.00 for the whole specification. An endorsed Advancing Biology textbook is usually £30 to £40.
How much time does the whole course take?
189 subtopics at roughly twenty minutes each is about 63 hours for a full first pass, spread across two years.
What else does my child need?
Past papers, which OCR publishes free, and their own notes for anything not yet taught.
OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) Active Recall Guide
2,895 questions with their answers, 189 subtopics, one file.