OCR GCSE Gateway Biology

About this course

Old science gcse courses are being replaced by new ones. On this page I give details of both. Make sure you know which course you are taking – old or new!

Gateway separate sciences (triple science)  are taught and examined in a different way compared to other courses.

For each science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), there are three Units as detailed below. The first two contain three modules each and the third is the practical, research-based part. So, for example, the first unit contains the two modules from the Gateway (core) science course plus one of the modules from Gateway Additional Science. Then the second unit consists of the remaining Additional Science module plus two extension modules. What this really means is that at the beginning of the course, you must decide whether you want to do double or triple science. You can’t do core and additional and then add on extension modules, as you can with other courses such as OCR 21st century and courses by other exam boards.

Some schools will cover the first units of each science in one year, then unit two the following year. Or you might concentrate on Biology first, then Chemistry, then Physics. There’s a great deal of flexibility.

New course starting September 2011.

Unit B731: Biology modules B1, B2, B3. 35% o. 1 hour 15 mins written paper

Unit B732: Biology modules B4, B5, B6. 40%. 1 hour 30 mins written paper

Unit B733: Biology controlled assessment. 25% – Controlled assessment

Old course

Unit B631  Biology – modules B1, B2, B3  – 1 hour  written paper
Unit B632  Biology – modules B4, B5, B6 – 1 hour  written paper
Unit B635  Biology – ‘Can-Do’ tasks and report on Science in the News
-or
Unit B636  Biology -  Research Study, Data Task and Practical Skills
Each unit count for one third of the total marks.

Exam dates

Old course:
Unit 1 – Tuesday, Jaunary 24th and Monday, May 21st.
Unit 2 – Tuesday, January 31st and Tuesday, June 12th.
Unit 3 – the controlled assessment, can be taken at any time.

New course: The first exams for the extension modules will be in 2013 – dates to be confirmed

Exam papers

Old course: Past papers and other resources can be found on the OCR website.

New course: Specimen papers and other resources can be found on the OCR website.

Course content

Old course (current for 2011/20120 – last exams in 2013) – Science B (Gateway) J643.

These are the two extension modules. B1 and B2 are the same as Gateway (core) Science, and B3 and B4 are the same as Gateway Additional Science.

B5:  The Living Body 
a  In good shape
b  The vital pump
c Running Repairs
d  Breath of Life
e Waste Disposal
f  Life Goes On
g  New for Old
h Size matters

B6:  Beyond the Microscope
a Understanding bacteria
b Harmful micro-organisms
c  Micro-organisms – factories for the future?
d Biofuels
e  Life in soil
f  Microscopic life in water
g  Enzymes in Action
h Genetic engineering

New course – J263

These are the two extension modules. B1 and B2 are the same as Gateway (core) Science, and B3 and B4 are the same as Gateway Additional Science.

B5: The Living Body Module
a Skeletons
b  Circulatory systems and the cardiac cycle
c Running repairs
d Respiratory systems
e Digestion
f  Waste disposal
g  Life goes on
h  Growth and repair

B6: Beyond The Microscope
a Understanding microbes
b Harmful microorganisms
c Useful microorganisms
d Biofuels
e  Life in soil
f  Microscopic life in water
g  Enzymes in action
h Gene technology

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