OCR GCSE Combined Science Biology, Higher 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, Higher 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 7 (Biology) and Paper 8 (Biology), together a third of the qualification. This is the Higher tier: it carries everything on the Foundation papers plus the higher-tier content, and grades 9–9 to 4–4 of the double award are available, with an allowed grade 4–3 for a student just below the 4–4 boundary.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 7 (Biology) Paper 7 (Biology) |
Cell Level Systems Organism Level Systems Scaling Up |
1 hour 10 minutes | 60 marks | 16.7% |
|
Paper 8 (Biology) Paper 8 (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 7 (Biology) | 197 |
| Community Level Systems | Paper 8 (Biology) | 51 |
| Genes, Inheritance and Selection | Paper 8 (Biology) | 118 |
| Global Challenges | Paper 8 (Biology) | 240 |
| Organism Level Systems | Paper 7 (Biology) | 108 |
| Scaling Up | Paper 7 (Biology) | 147 |
Assessment details from the OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway Science) J250, version 5.0, May 2026. OCR specification.
OCR GCSE Combined Science Biology, Higher tier Active Recall Guide
861 questions across every paper on the specification.