If you were disappointed by your Year-12 exam results, you’re not alone. Many A-level Biology students have a bit of a shock at this point, but you still have the opportunity to turn things around.

Reading pop-science books is enjoyable and also supports your studies. Here are eight books that I recommend, all of which are written to be interesting and entertaining for non-specialists. They bring biology to life and will change the way you think about these topics forever.

We provide a wide selection of self-marking, multiple-choice quizzes by topic for OCR A and CIE. But how can you use them to best effect?

Here’s a quick guide.

The simplest, last-minute exam tip of all time

You need to know some maths for A level Biology, including to work out whether an experiment can be said to have shown an effect or not. Master this early on and it will not help you with exam questions, but also make it easier for you to learn the bits of the course that are explained using these statistical methods.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Photosynthesis. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Proteins. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Food Tests and Chromatography. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Phospholipids, Lipids, and Cholesterol. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Carbohydrates, Ions and Elements. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Weekly Group Masterclasses for OCR A Y13

Raise your exam grade with question focused masterclasses from a highly experienced A level Biology teacher.

Every week we go through a different topic from the specification and look at how to apply the content to OCR A exam questions. I show how to understand commonly occurring questions and how to answer them.

Self-marking multiple choice quiz for Cell Ultrastructure, Ions, and Elements. Using OCR A past paper exam questions.

Weekly Group classes - for OCR A Y12

Raise your exam grade with question focused masterclasses from a highly experienced A level Biology teacher.

Every week we go through a different topic from the specification and look at how to apply the content to exam questions. I show how to understand commonly occurring questions and how to answer them.

Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new treatment type, with huge importance for treating migraine, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and many other conditions.

So how do they work?

What is an Antibody? What is an Antigen?

Self marking quiz for revision of OCR A Breadth in Biology - June 2024

Self marking quiz for revision of OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity H420/02 - June 2024

Self marking quiz for revision of OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes H420 01 - June 2024

Mastering Carbohydrates: Your Complete Guide to OCR A Level Biology Specification 2.1.2 (d-g)

Essential Prior Knowledge to Recap

Before diving into these commonly tested topics, ensure you're confident with:

• Basic carbohydrate classification – understanding the terms monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide, and being able to distinguish between them • Condensation and hydrolysis reactions – knowing that condensation joins molecules together by removing water, whilst hydrolysis breaks bonds by adding water • The concept of monomers and polymers – recognising that large biological molecules are built from smaller repeating units • Chemical bonding basics – understanding covalent bonds and how atoms share electrons to form stable molecules • The relationship between structure and function – appreciating that the shape and properties of molecules determine their biological roles

Mastering Resting Potential, Action Potential and Propagation: Common OCR A Level Biology Questions Answered

OCR A Level Biology: Mastering Biodiversity and Simpson's Index (Section 4.2.1 a-d)

Prior Knowledge to Recap

Before diving into biodiversity questions, ensure you understand these foundational concepts:

• The three levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity (variation within species), species diversity (number and abundance of species), and habitat/ecosystem diversity (range of different habitats)

• Species richness vs species evenness: richness is the total number of different species present, whilst evenness refers to how similar the abundance of each species is