GCSE Biology 2027: papers, exam dates, grade boundaries and topics

GCSE Biology papers and specifications

This guide is for the separate science GCSE in Biology. In Combined Science, the biology comes in shorter papers inside that GCSE. Ask your teacher which board you are on.

Both papers count equally and must be at the same tier. Ofqual's rules say at least 20% of each tier's marks come from questions shared by Foundation and Higher.

AQA GCSE Biology specification: Paper 1 and Paper 2

The AQA GCSE Biology specification has seven topics. AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1 covers topics 1 to 4, and Paper 2 covers topics 5 to 7.

Edexcel and OCR cover the same core biology in a different order, so check your own specification's topic list before you plan revision.

GCSE Biology exam dates 2027

Dates are from the final timetables of AQA, Edexcel and OCR. On OCR Gateway, Papers 1 and 2 are Foundation and Papers 3 and 4 are Higher. Results day is Thursday 19 August 2027, and entries close on 21 February 2027 (JCQ).

GCSE Biology grade boundaries

Boundaries are set on your total for both papers and change every year. These are from June 2026 (AQA, Edexcel and OCR).

The boards differ a lot: a grade 7 on Higher took 107 out of 200 with AQA but 147 out of 200 with Edexcel. That reflects how hard each board's papers were, not how easy the grade was, so always compare your marks with your own board.

Food tests in GCSE Biology

The food tests are among the most searched parts of the course, and you need the reagent and the positive result for each.

Required practicals

Every GCSE Biology student must do at least eight practical activities set by the exam board, and at least 15% of the marks test practical knowledge. AQA calls them required practicals. You aren't marked in the lab, but both papers ask about methods, variables, risks and results. Practise with the Virtual Microscope and analyse results in the Practical Data Lab.

GCSE Biology maths, worked through

At least 10% of the marks test maths. We wrote these questions for this guide.

Magnification

Question: a drawing of a cell is 30 mm long at a magnification of ×600. How long is the real cell in micrometres?

Rearrange magnification = image size ÷ real size to real size = image size ÷ magnification = 30 ÷ 600 = 0.05 mm. Multiply by 1,000 to get 50 µm. Check it with the Magnification Calculator.

Percentage change in osmosis

Question: a potato cylinder goes from 3.20 g to 2.88 g in a salt solution. Find the percentage change in mass.

The minus sign matters: the potato lost mass, so water left its cells by osmosis. Percentage change lets you compare cylinders that started at different masses.

Genetic crosses

Two parents both carry the recessive allele for cystic fibrosis (Ff × Ff). A Punnett square gives FF, Ff, Ff and ff, so each child has a 1 in 4 (25%) chance of having cystic fibrosis and a 1 in 2 chance of being a carrier. Each child is a new event: the chance stays 25% every time. Build crosses in the Genetics Cross Lab, then try one from our Genetics and DNA course.

GCSE Biology past papers and revision

Past papers and mark schemes are free from AQA, Edexcel and OCR, though the newest are often kept back for teachers to use as mocks. For GCSE Biology revision that works:

1. Learn the key words exactly. Biology mark schemes reward precise terms: "diffusion", "active transport", "denatured".
2. Revise each required practical, including what you would change to make it more accurate.
3. Practise six mark questions. Plan the steps in order before you write.
4. Use the data. When a question gives a graph or table, quote numbers from it.
5. Time yourself. 105 minutes for 100 marks is just over a minute a mark.

Common GCSE Biology mistakes

• "Enzymes are killed". Enzymes are denatured: the active site changes shape.
• "Respiration makes energy". Respiration releases energy.
• Osmosis without water. Osmosis is about water: it moves across a partially permeable membrane.
• Mixing up mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis makes two identical cells for growth and repair; meiosis makes four different gametes.
• Units. Convert mm to µm by multiplying by 1,000.

Use a daily paper as a short timed mock

Year 11 mocks run through the winter. Between them, sit today's Foundation or Higher paper. For dates and whether mocks count, see the GCSE mocks guide. Our GCSE Biology mock paper page compares the daily paper with the real exam and shows how to sit it.

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