AQA GCSE Biology, Higher tier exam papers and weighting (8461)
Guide overview All topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each AQA GCSE Biology, Higher tier paper assesses
AQA GCSE Biology (specification 8461) is one of the three separate sciences and is examined by two written papers of 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks each, worth 50% apiece. Paper 1 covers the first half of the topics and Paper 2 the second. This is the Higher tier: it carries everything on the Foundation papers plus the higher-tier content, and grades 4 to 9 are available, with an allowed grade 3 for a student who just misses grade 4.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 1 Biology Paper 1 |
Cell Biology Organisation Infection and Response Bioenergetics |
1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks | 50% |
|
Paper 2 Biology Paper 2 |
Homeostasis and Response Inheritance, Variation and Evolution Ecology |
1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks | 50% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Bioenergetics | Paper 1 | 95 |
| Cell Biology | Paper 1 | 202 |
| Ecology | Paper 2 | 228 |
| Homeostasis and Response | Paper 2 | 246 |
| Infection and Response | Paper 1 | 169 |
| Inheritance, Variation and Evolution | Paper 2 | 318 |
| Organisation | Paper 1 | 217 |
Assessment details from the AQA GCSE Biology 8461, version 1.0, April 2016. AQA specification.
Every paper is covered, because the guide runs the whole specification.Get the guide, £7
AQA GCSE Biology, Higher tier Active Recall Guide
1,475 questions across every paper on the specification.