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Biology IGCSE

Do you want to be a vet, a doctor, an environmentalist or a wildlife expert?

Learn the fundamentals of Biology to enhance your knowledge of the workings of the natural world and provide a solid foundation on which you could build a career in science. Our International GCSE Biology is a home education course that will equip you with everything you need to study the subject at a higher level in the future. Alternatively, if you just need a basic qualification in science, this may be the subject for you.

Biology International GCSE

Biology International GCSE

£14.99 / month and a £9.99 sign-up fee

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How does a course work

Step one – Subscribe to our online coursematerials

Subscribe to the courses you wish to study.  The courses contain all the study material you require to pass your chosen subject including many self assessment questions and assignments with comprehensive suggested answers. The course also includes assignments which you can choose too have marked by one of our fully qualified tutors

The minimum subscription period is 6 months, after that you can cancel your subscription at any time.  If you wish you can optionally purchase a physical course pack at the point of enrolment 

Step two

You will be allocated a tutor from our bank of PGCE qualified tutors.  Your tutor will arrange a free 15 minute induction call with you to introduce themselves and the course to you. As you require further assistence, you can purchase:

  • Tutorial Time in our virtual classroom,
  • Assignment Marking and Mock Exam Marking,

Course Outline

Covering a broad range of topics, from cell and plant life to ecology and food production, the International GCSE Biology course is a popular choice for students who require a basic level of biological understanding before studying the topic at A level or for those who are simply curious about the natural world.

The course itself is made up of five modules.

  • Module 1: Cells and Organisms
  • Module 2: Plant and Animal Physiology A
  • Module 3: Plant and Animal Physiology B
  • Module 4: Inheritance
  • Module 5: Ecology and Food Production

There are 23 lessons and 13 tutor-marked assessments, two of which are mock examinations. Each lesson is designed to challenge the student, while helping them to gain the knowledge demanded by the specification. Everything leads towards being fully prepared to sit and pass the exam.

Practical Work

Throughout the course, there will be a mixture of both theoretical and practical science exercises.

There is no practical exam as such but the practical work throughout our course is there to develop your understanding ready for the practical-based components in the theory exams. You will find it very worthwhile to carry out this work yourself and it is designed to be perfectly feasible at home. It will greatly help your grasp of concepts.

Three of the lessons are devoted to the development of these skills.

The exam will include written questions on practical-based study and hands-on experience will be invaluable even though there is no dedicated examination.

Exams and Assessment

The Oxford Home Schooling International GCSE Biology course matches the content of the Edexcel  4BI1 International GCSE specification for examinations in [year_plus_one] and beyond. There are two Biology exams;

The first – Paper 1 – is out of 120 marks and represents 61% of the final mark. This examination will last for two hours and covers the core topics only.

The second examination – Paper 2 – covers both the core and higher topics. This paper is out of 60 marks and lasts for 75 minutes.

Course duration and study time

The Recommended number of study hours for this course is 200 hours.  You will need to fit all of this in

Because of the unique way Oxford Home Schooling courses are structured your support will last for as long as you are subscribed to the course, regardless of whether you decide to do the course in 12 months or 18. 

Biology Student Book

 You will need to use a copy of this textbook throughout the course. It is referred to in every lesson and provides excellent coverage of the material. By using the textbook and the course you will have very full coverage of all the material.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When can I enrol?

You can enrol and start any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam and to give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully. Our cut-off dates for enrolment can be found here.

Once you have enrolled, you will get access to your course online immediately and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.

Can I complete the Biology exam in one year?

Our cut-off for enrolling on an A level Spanish course for the following summer examination series is mid-October each year. So yes you can.  However, remember that you will still need to fit around 700 hours of study time into your schedule before the examination.  The earlier you enrol, the less study you must do each week!

Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling?
  • Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational trust that prides itself on
    • treating every student as an individual
    • customer service
    • course quality.
  • We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
  • We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
  • We make it easy for you to home-educate your children with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.
  • Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals.
  • Oxford Home Schooling is part of a not-for-profit trust so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your child’s tuition or on improving our courses.
What is an International GCSE?

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1 grades) are directly comparable to the UK GCSE specifications, with appropriate international content and assessment that will enable successful progression for learners.

Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are studied in over 80 countries worldwide and they are very popular in independent schools in the UK. Available in 37 subjects, they are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs and accepted by universities globally. Aimed at learners aged 14 to 16, they provide the skills and knowledge needed to progress to A Levels, International A Levels, university and into employment.

Full details of Pearson Edexcel’s International GCSEs can be found here

When will I sit my exam?

The Biology IGCSE papers are available in both the Summer or the Autumn examination series.  The Summer series typically runs from mid-May to late June and the Autumn series is in November.

How and when do I book an exam?

The final date for booking summer exams with the exam board without incurring late entry fees is the 21st of February. You should book your place at an exam centre well in advance of this date. Start looking once the autumn term begins.

All the information you need to book an exam centre can be found in our Exams Hub. Here you will find

  • detailed instructions
  • entry codes needed to book exams
  • our map of examination centres where our students have taken exams in recent years.

Tutors & Exams offers discounts to Oxford Home Schooling students and has ten current exam venues across the UK: Birmingham, Bolton,  Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.

Pearson Edexcel also publishes a list of exam centres that accept private candidates. This won’t list every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.

How much does a Biology IGCSE examination cost?

Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They will vary depending on which centre you choose.  Generally speaking, dedicated examination services will be more expensive than a local school or college.  Prices range from £100 to £350 pounds.

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