Biology

CCEA A-Level Biology is taken in Northern Ireland on a modular structure. AS covers molecules and enzymes, cells, tissues and organs, and the organism and its environment; A2 continues into physiology and ecosystems, and molecular biology, genetics and evolution, with practical assessment units at both levels.

CCEA biology is content-heavy and its examination papers reward precision of terminology more than most: an answer that is broadly right but loosely worded frequently scores below its understanding. The practical units assess technique directly, and the mathematical requirement, including statistical testing and chi-square analysis, runs through the written papers rather than being confined to a single section.