Master GCSE Biology with Adaptive Practice
Revise GCSE Biology topics from cell biology to ecology. Practise with exam-style questions tailored to your specification.
Content reviewed February 2026 · Aligned to current specifications
About GCSE Biology
GCSE Biology covers the study of living organisms, from the molecular level right up to ecosystems. You will learn about cell biology, organisation, infection and response, bioenergetics, homeostasis, inheritance, variation, evolution, and ecology.
Biology is essential if you are considering careers in medicine, veterinary science, nursing, environmental science, or any health-related field. It is also highly regarded as evidence of scientific literacy and the ability to evaluate evidence critically.
Students often find the sheer volume of content challenging — there is a lot to remember. The required practicals and the application of knowledge to unfamiliar scenarios in the exam also catch students out if they have only memorised facts without understanding the underlying principles.
Topics Covered
How UpGrades Helps
Adaptive Practice
Questions adapt to your level in Biology, focusing on the topics where you need the most improvement.
Spaced Repetition
Review Biology topics at optimal intervals to maximise long-term retention for your GCSE exam.
Progress Tracking
See exactly how you're progressing across all 9 Biology topics with detailed analytics.
Study Tips for Biology
- ✓ Use flashcards with diagrams for key processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and mitosis. Draw the diagrams from memory repeatedly until you can reproduce them accurately without looking.
- ✓ Learn the required practicals thoroughly — not just the method, but why each step is done, what variables are controlled, and how to evaluate the results. Exam questions on practicals are very common.
- ✓ Create a glossary of key terms for each topic. Many marks are lost because students use vague language instead of precise scientific terminology, such as writing germs instead of pathogens.
- ✓ Link topics together. For example, understand how respiration connects to exercise and homeostasis, or how genetics links to evolution and natural selection. Examiners love questions that cross topic boundaries.
Exam Tips for GCSE Biology
- ✓ For 6-mark extended response questions, plan your answer briefly before writing. Structure it logically with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Use scientific terminology throughout and make sure each point is distinct rather than repeating the same idea in different words.
- ✓ When interpreting graphs and data, always refer to specific values from the data in your answer. Saying the rate increased is not enough — state by how much and between which points.
- ✓ Read command words carefully. Describe means state what happens, explain means say why it happens, and evaluate means weigh up evidence for and against. Mixing these up costs marks every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many papers are in GCSE Biology? +
Is GCSE Biology harder than Combined Science? +
What topics come up most in GCSE Biology? +
Do I need to memorise equations for GCSE Biology? +
Useful Resources
Biology at other levels: A-Level Biology · iGCSE Biology · International A-Level Biology
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