Biology
7
specification units
64
named subtopics
Year 8–Year 11
year groups
AQA Biology is organised here into 7 specification units covering 64 named subtopics, studied across Year 8–Year 11. The units are Cell biology, Organisation, Infection and response, Bioenergetics, Homeostasis and response, Inheritance, variation and evolution and Ecology.
Each subtopic is tagged on the question bank, so you can practise one skill at a time, sit a full AQA past paper, or build a mixed worksheet from several units at once. Answers are checked against the AQA mark scheme, awarding method, accuracy and final-answer marks separately so you can see exactly where marks were lost.
Inheritance, variation and evolution is the widest unit on this specification with 14 subtopics, so it is usually the highest-value place to start revision.
Cell biology
- Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
- Animal and plant cell structure
- Cell specialisation and differentiation
- Microscopy and magnification
- Culturing microorganisms
- Chromosomes, mitosis and the cell cycle
- Stem cells
- Diffusion, osmosis and active transport
Organisation
- Principles of organisation
- The human digestive system
- Enzymes and digestion
- The heart and blood vessels
- Blood and its components
- Coronary heart disease and health
- Cancer and risk factors
- Plant tissues and organs
- Transpiration and translocation
Infection and response
- Communicable diseases and pathogens
- Bacterial, viral, fungal and protist diseases
- Human defence systems
- Vaccination
- Antibiotics and painkillers
- Discovery and development of drugs
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Plant diseases and defences
Bioenergetics
- Photosynthesis and limiting factors
- Uses of glucose from photosynthesis
- Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
- Response to exercise
- Metabolism
Homeostasis and response
- Principles of homeostasis
- The human nervous system and reflexes
- The brain
- The eye
- Control of body temperature
- The human endocrine system
- Control of blood glucose and diabetes
- Hormones in human reproduction
- Contraception and treating infertility
- Negative feedback and ADH
- Plant hormones and responses
Inheritance, variation and evolution
- Sexual and asexual reproduction
- Meiosis
- DNA, the genome and DNA structure
- Genetic inheritance and crosses
- Inherited disorders and sex determination
- Variation and mutation
- Evolution by natural selection
- Selective breeding
- Genetic engineering
- Cloning
- Theory of evolution and speciation
- Fossils and extinction
- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- Classification of living organisms
Ecology
- Communities, competition and interdependence
- Abiotic and biotic factors
- Adaptations
- Levels of organisation and food chains
- Cycling of materials and the carbon cycle
- Decomposition and the rate of decay
- Biodiversity and human impact
- Trophic levels and biomass
- Food production and security
How to revise AQA Biology
- 1
Diagnose with one mixed set
Start with a mixed set drawn from all 7 units to find where Biology marks are actually being lost, rather than revising what already feels comfortable.
- 2
Drill unit by unit
Work through the subtopics in order, from Cell biology to Ecology, doing short focused sets rather than long unfocused sessions.
- 3
Sit a full past paper under timing
Once two or three units are solid, sit a complete AQA Biology paper to timing and mark it against the official mark scheme.
- 4
Re-practise only the dropped marks
Convert every dropped mark into a targeted set on that subtopic, then re-test it a week later to check the fix stuck.
Continue with Biology
Every board and level we cover for this subject
Predicted papersPractice papers built from the topics that recur most
Past paper practiceSit whole papers online with examiner-grade marking
Other specifications for this subject
Biology — frequently asked questions
Everything students and parents ask about revising AQA Biology.
The fastest route is past-paper-first revision: practise exam-style questions by topic, mark every answer against the real AQA mark scheme, then drill the topics where you lose marks. On MathsGradeUp you can do all of this for Biology in one place — topic practice, full past papers and instant examiner-grade feedback.
AQA Biology is mapped to the official specification and covers 7 units, including Cell biology, Organisation, Infection and response, Bioenergetics, Homeostasis and response, Inheritance, variation and evolution and more. Every unit is broken down into subtopics so you can target exactly what you need to revise.
Yes. You can open full AQA Biology past papers, write directly on them with pen and maths tools, save your work, export a PDF, and submit for examiner-grade marking against the mark scheme.
Yes — our predicted papers for Biology are assembled from the topics that recur most in AQA exams and the topics you have practised least. They are a revision aid built from the specification, not leaked content.
Each answer is checked against the real AQA mark scheme, awarding method, accuracy and final-answer marks the way a real examiner would. You see exactly where marks were earned or dropped, with feedback you can act on.
Biology on the AQA specification is aimed at Years 8–11. You can filter practice by year group and topic so the questions always match where you are in the course.
Yes. The Biology content follows the current AQA specification, including all units and subtopics, so what you practise reflects what you will actually be examined on.
Yes — Biology practice, past papers and marking are free during our early launch period. Subscription plans may be introduced later, but launch users get full access now.
You do not just get an answer to copy. Biology marking guides you with hints, worked steps and mark-scheme-based feedback so you understand the method and pick up the marks yourself next time. Calculation-style questions are tagged so you can practise both structured and extended-response answers.
Yes. Parents and tutors can see completed Biology practice, accuracy, weak topics and overall exam readiness, making it easy to support revision and focus on the right areas.
Short, regular sessions beat occasional long ones. Aim for a few focused Biology sessions a week, always finishing by marking your work so each session ends with clear next steps. The progress dashboard shows what to revise next.