Cognito
Free · videos, quizzes, flashcards and exam questions
Free videos and quizzes for each GCSE science topic, popular with students.
GCSE Biology: past papers and revision
The exam boards for GCSE Biology, where to find their official past papers, and the revision sites teachers recommend most.
Exam boards and past papers
| Exam board | Qualification | Code | Official links |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA | GCSE Biology (Foundation and Higher) | 8461 | Past papers · Specification |
| Pearson Edexcel | GCSE Biology (Foundation and Higher) | 1BI0 | Past papers · Specification |
| OCR | GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science) (Foundation and Higher) | J247 | Past papers · Specification |
| OCR | GCSE Biology B (Twenty First Century Science) (Foundation and Higher) | J257 | Past papers · Specification |
Which board does my child's school use? Schools choose a board for each subject, and it can differ between subjects. It's usually in the GCSE or A-level options booklet or on the subject's page of the school website, and the front of any mock exam paper shows it. If not, ask the subject teacher. The specification code on the paper matches the code in this table.
Our top picks
Freesciencelessons
Free with paid upgrade · videos
Free YouTube videos covering every GCSE science topic, widely recommended for AQA.
Physics & Maths Tutor
Free · past papers by topic and revision notes
Free past papers and questions by topic for each exam board.
More revision sites
Save My Exams
Free with paid upgrade (from £12 a month, or £48 a year) · revision notes, topic questions, past papers and mock exams
Revision notes and exam questions sorted by topic and exam board, written by teachers and examiners.
Isaac Science
Free · problem-solving question bank
Cambridge University problem-solving questions that stretch able students beyond standard exam questions.
Exam QA
Paid · topic questions and video solutions
Exam questions by topic with video solutions for maths, science and English.
Up Learn
Paid (GCSE from £19.99 a month per subject; A-level from £74.99 a month) · video courses and practice
Complete structured video courses with a money-back grade guarantee, for students who want a full course.
Best YouTube channels
Free video lessons. Watching is a start: pausing to try the questions is what makes it stick.
Freesciencelessons
992k subscribers · AQA
The largest UK GCSE science channel, following the AQA specification topic by topic.
Cognito
1.36m subscribers
Concise animated lessons for every GCSE science topic.
Primrose Kitten Academy
268k subscribers · AQA
Long-form revision sessions across GCSE sciences, maths and English, and A-level Biology exam technique.
Science with Hazel
107k subscribers · Edexcel
Topic explanations and past paper walkthroughs, with a strong focus on Edexcel IGCSE science.
SnapRevise
1.25k subscribers
Short GCSE science explainers and revision webinars for parents from the SnapRevise platform.
Science Shorts
367k subscribers · AQA, OCR, Edexcel
Full A-level past paper walkthroughs and whole-topic recap videos for physics, chemistry and biology.
Good for every subject
BBC Bitesize
Free · short guides, videos and quizzes
Covers almost every school subject from primary to GCSE in short guides matched to the curriculum.
Oak National Academy
Free · video lessons with quizzes
Full video lessons that follow the national curriculum, useful for catching up on a missed topic.
Seneca Learning
Free with paid upgrade · adaptive interactive courses and quizzes
Short interactive courses for most GCSE and A-level specifications, free to use without limits.
Mr Barton Maths
Free · worksheets, starters and exam resources
Teacher-made maths resources including KS2 SATs and GCSE exam material, mainly aimed at teachers.
Quizlet
Free with paid upgrade (Quizlet Plus; UK App Store options £9.99 or £44.99) · flashcards
Making and testing flashcards, especially for language vocabulary and key terms.
Anki
Free (iPhone app AnkiMobile £24.99 one-off) · flashcards (spaced repetition)
Spaced-repetition flashcards for older students willing to make their own cards.
Using past papers well
- Start with topic questions, then move to full papers in the last few months.
- Do papers to time, then mark them with the official mark scheme. The mark scheme shows what examiners reward.
- Read the examiner's report for the same paper: it lists the mistakes most students made.
- Make sure the paper matches your child's board, specification code and tier.
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