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Developing maths skills in the new A level Biology curriculum

Written by: Catherine Russell
4 min read
“Nature is written in mathematical language.” Galileo Galilei Background In 2015, biology teachers began teaching a new A level curriculum, which whilst not greatly different in terms of content, did have a few notable changes: Introduction of the practical endorsement The loss of assessed practical work and the implementation of a ‘practical endorsement’ award, achieved through compulsory experiments (where understanding is assessed through terminal examinations, but skills are assessed by the teacher). More challenging 'application-style' questions A greater emphasis on the application of concepts to specific scenarios rather than knowledge recall (something we are also experiencing in the new biology GCSEs). Challenging mathematical content of examinations It is a requirement that 10% of the marks on the A level are awarded for mathematical skills. I’m sure that many biology teachers will attest to the fact that the style of questions seen in the

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This article was published in September 2018 and reflects the terminology and understanding of research and evidence in use at the time. Some terms and conclusions may no longer align with current standards. We encourage readers to approach the content with an understanding of this context.

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      From this issue

      Issue 4: Designing a Curriculum

      Autumn 2018

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