OCR GCSE Combined Science Biology, Foundation tier exam papers and weighting (J250)
Guide overview All topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each OCR GCSE Combined Science Biology, Foundation tier paper assesses
OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway Science, specification J250) is worth two GCSEs and is examined by six papers, two for each science, each 1 hour 10 minutes and 60 marks. The biology content is sat as Paper 1 (Biology) and Paper 2 (Biology), together a third of the qualification. This is the Foundation tier, which sits its own pair of papers and offers grades 5–5 to 1–1 of the double award.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 1 (Biology) Paper 1 (Biology) |
Cell Level Systems Organism Level Systems Scaling Up |
1 hour 10 minutes | 60 marks | 16.7% |
|
Paper 2 (Biology) Paper 2 (Biology) |
Community Level Systems Genes, Inheritance and Selection Global Challenges |
1 hour 10 minutes | 60 marks | 16.7% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Level Systems | Paper 1 (Biology) | 181 |
| Community Level Systems | Paper 2 (Biology) | 51 |
| Genes, Inheritance and Selection | Paper 2 (Biology) | 118 |
| Global Challenges | Paper 2 (Biology) | 233 |
| Organism Level Systems | Paper 1 (Biology) | 76 |
| Scaling Up | Paper 1 (Biology) | 147 |
Assessment details from the OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway Science) J250, version 5.0, May 2026. OCR specification.
Every paper is covered, because the guide runs the whole specification.Get the guide, £7
OCR GCSE Combined Science Biology, Foundation tier Active Recall Guide
806 questions across every paper on the specification.