Biology B (Advancing Biology) H022/H422 OCR biology support: Katherine Hands-Taylor and Richard Tateson

Structure of qualification H022/H422

Assessment model – AS level Biology B Paper 1 ‘Breadth’ 1 h marks Paper 2 ‘Depth’ 1 h marks Section A (20 marks) Multiple choice questions Section B (50 marks) Short answer styles (structured questions, problem solving, calculations, practical) Structured questions covering theory and practical skills  140 marks  3 hours total assessment time  A specified minimum weighting for maths, at level 2, of 10%  Extended response in Paper 2 only  Synoptic assessment in both papers  Practical-based questions included in both papers

Assessment model – A level Biology B Paper 1 Fundamentals of biology 2 h marks (30 MCQ) Paper 2 Scientific literacy in biology 2 h marks Paper 3 Practical skills in biology 1 h marks  270 marks  6 hours total assessment time  Maximum of 50% AS content coverage  A specified minimum weighting for maths, at level 2, of 10%  Extended response in all papers  Synoptic assessment across all components  Assessment split across concepts of ‘breadth of understanding’, ‘depth of understanding with scientific literacy’ and ‘practical skills’  Advance Notice item in Paper 2 (20–25 marks)  Practical-based questions in all papers

June 2016 Series 1.How will a brand new qualification be awarded? 2.Does the change to linear make a difference? 3.Will being part of a smaller cohort matter? 4.Will our student outcomes be comparable to OCR Biology A? 5.Will our student outcomes be comparable to the national cohort?

June 2016 Series - Answers 1. How will a brand new qualification be awarded? Biology B, just like OCR Biology A and Biology AS Levels from other awarding bodies, is a new qualification. For all of these the grades awarded will be determined by ‘comparable outcomes’ with the grades given to students studying the previous Biology AS qualifications. That means that, in general across all students, it is no harder or easier to get an A this year. The standard is being maintained year to year, board to board.

June 2016 Series 2. Does the change to linear make a difference? Not to the grades awarded. The ‘comparable outcomes’ concept, stringently applied by all awarding bodies and rigorously policed by Ofqual, can be applied ‘like for like’ with previous AS Biology qualifications. The way results are reported on results day will be slightly different because there is no more UMS.

June 2016 Series 3. Will being part of a smaller cohort matter? No. Each student is treated as an individual. Marking is done anonymously and randomly (not one centre all going to one marker) and marking is rigorously standardised and checked. ‘Comparable outcomes’ prevents any advantage or disadvantage to being in a larger or smaller, stronger or weaker cohort.

June 2016 Series 4. Will our student outcomes be comparable to OCR Biology A? Yes, it is no easier or harder to get an A in Biology B than Biology A 5. Will our student outcomes be comparable to the national cohort? Yes, it is no easier or harder to get an A in Biology B than in any of the other Biology AS qualifications

Biology B content – context led Mammalian blood – cells and enzymes Heart and lung function, measurement, treatment Fetal development – mitosis Cancer – mitosis HIV/AIDS and TB – pathogens, epidemiology, immunity Aerobic fitness – respiration, oxygen transport, muscles Human fertility - reproduction Effects of ageing Food production and environmental management Gene technology Neural injury – nervous system Hypothermia, diabetes and kidney failure - homeostasis

Things to be aware of… Statistics: AS students need to be able to select and use the full set of tests the chi squared test (χ2) the Student’s t-test (paired and unpaired tests) the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient Graphs: dot-to-dot lines are not appropriate if a trend can be identified extrapolation is appropriate in some cases e.g. to identify intercept with y axis Language of Measurement: All our reformed GCE science qualifications use the terms defined in the Language of Measurement booklet from ASE/Nuffield. This means consistency across sciences and from GCSE to A Level No more ‘reliability’ Do you know what ‘precision’ means (now)?

The Practical Endorsement To pass, a student must have demonstrated the appropriate skills and techniques for the subject and met the assessment criteria, having completed a minimum of twelve practical activities.

The Practical Endorsement - Monitoring Your department needs to have: documented plans to carry out sufficient practical activities which meet the requirements of CPAC, incorporating skills and techniques detailed, over the course of the A level. any associated materials provided for the practical activity a record of each practical activity a record of the criteria being assessed a record of student attendance a record of which student met the criteria Your students need to have: their work showing evidence required from the practical activities

OCR Resources Full AS and A Level SpecificationsASA Level Full set of AS and A Level Sample Assessment Materials (SAMs) AS Practice Papers (A Level available soon) The Online Scheme of Work BuilderOnline Scheme of Work Builder Online Delivery Guides Topic Exploration Packs and Transition Guides Lesson Elements (including MCQ quizzes) Candidate exemplars (Level of Response examiner commentary and additional responses)examiner commentary additional responses Biology Practical Skills, Maths Skills and Drawing Skills HandbooksPracticalMathsDrawing 36 suggested practical activities (PAGs) PAG Tracker spreadsheet Links to OCR-endorsed OUP Biology B textbook

Links and Support Biology B homepage biology-h022-h422-from-2015/ biology-h022-h422-from-2015/ Biology B Online Delivery Guides advancing-biology-h022-h422-from-2015/delivery-guide/ advancing-biology-h022-h422-from-2015/delivery-guide/ Science Homepage Positive about Practical Face to Face and Online Events CPD events Practical Endorsement training Regional Educator Networks Other Contact – the existing (and continuing) address for general queries – Practical Endorsement queries