We recommend a GCSE grade C or above in Biology/Double Science and a strong grasp of English and Maths.

• 24/7 access to the LearnOnline training platform
• All learning documentation (including text books)
• Dedicated course tutor
• Tutor-marked assignments feedback
• Up to 36 months priority tutor support
• Three tutor-marked past papers
• Five day intensive Practical Endorsement Workshop

The most important part of your online A level Biology LearnOnline course (apart from you) is your dedicated tutor. Every LearnOnline tutor has extensive academic experience and have taught A level Biology in the classroom as well as online. During your enrolment onto the course, you will be assigned your tutor who will support you for up to 36 months during your studies. You can contact your tutor via email or using the LearnOnline messaging system with any questions.

Your A level Biology course contains a number of assignments which your course tutor will mark, grade and give you valuable feedback on throughout your study.

Paper 1: The Natural Environment and Species Survival

• Lifestyle, Health and Risk
• Genes and Health
• Voice of the Genome
• Biodiversity and Natural Resources
• On the Wild Side
• Immunity, Infection and Forensics

100 marks
2 hours – written paper
33.3% of A level

Paper 2: Energy, Exercise and Co-ordination

• Lifestyle, Health and Risk
• Genes and Health
• Voice of the Genome
• Biodiversity and Natural Resources
• On the Wild Side
• Immunity, Infection and Forensics
• Run for your Life
• Grey Matter

100 marks
2 hours – written paper
33.3% of A level

Paper 3: General and Practical Applications in Biology

• Lifestyle, Health and Risk
• Genes and Health
• Voice of the Genome
• Biodiversity and Natural Resources
• On the Wild Side
• Immunity, Infection and Forensics
• Run for your Life
• Grey Matter

A scientific article will be released 8 weeks prior to the exam

100 marks
2 hours – written paper
33.3% of A level

It is your responsibility to find an exam centre and we recommend you book your exams 6 months prior to the date of exams (exams  are not included in the course fees).

Practical Endorsement: Workshop Assessment

For more details of the location and details of the workshop contact online@pembrokeshire.ac.uk

In order to achieve a pass in your biology practical endorsement workshop, students will need to have met the following expectations:

• Follows written procedures
  • Correctly follows instructions to carry out the experimental techniques or procedures.
• Applies investigative approaches and methods when using instruments and equipment
  • Correctly uses appropriate instrumentation, apparatus and materials (including ICT) to carry out investigative activities, experimental techniques and procedures with minimal assistance or prompting.
  • Carries out techniques or procedures methodically, in sequence and in combination, identifying practical issues and making adjustments when necessary.
  • Identifies and controls significant quantitative variables where applicable, and plans approaches to take account of variables that cannot readily be controlled.
  • Selects appropriate equipment and measurement strategies in order to ensure suitably accurate results.
• Safely uses a range of practical equipment and materials
  • Identifies hazards and assesses risks associated with these hazards when carrying out experimental techniques and procedures in the lab or field.
  • Uses appropriate safety equipment and approaches to minimise risks with minimal prompting.
  • Identifies safety issues and makes adjustments when necessary.
• Makes and records observations
  • Makes accurate observations relevant to the experimental or investigative procedure.
  • Obtains accurate, precise and sufficient data for experimental and investigative procedures and records this methodically using appropriate units and conventions.
• Researches, references and reports
  • Uses appropriate software and/or tools to process data, carry out research and report findings.
  • Sources of information are cited demonstrating that research has taken place, supporting planning and conclusions.

Confidence Boost

Thank you for such a wonderful time at the biology workshop. Having never been part of “official” education I had no idea what to expect and was filled with trepidation. However, and your wonderful team made my week a fun, engaging time! relaxed, patient manner and  enthusiasm for sharing  extensive biology knowledge really made the lab a comfortable place in which to work. I can honestly say that I miss it already – although perhaps not some of those dangerous chemicals!

Teaching myself the A-level biology course means I am always worried that I may miss something, or not understand something fully, but praise throughout week has given me a massive confidence boost.

Gap year and interviews for medical school

My son was enrolled on the A level courses for Biology and Chemistry and he completed his A levels in 2016.

He has Asperger’s and sometimes finds it challenging to adapt to new situations. The staff at Pembrokeshire College were very helpful in making him feel at ease and supporting him.

He was home educated throughout and it was quite a challenge to find a course that would cater for the practical requirements of the exams.
He attended the practical sessions for both subjects over a two year period.

Best aspect – Practical Endorsement

“I personally thought the best aspect of the course was the practical endorsement for both AS and A-level. This was taught to a very high standard, was really good fun, and delivered a wide range of lab skills as well as an ecology trip to the sand dunes. The whole practical endorsement could be done in one week of work rather than being split across multiple weekends. This gave the course flexibility, and allowed meant me to complete the whole A-level in just 10 months.”

Thanks for making distance learning so easy!

“Many thanks to yourself and the LearnOnline team for facilitating this course, and making distance learning so easy!”

Science Workshop, “much recommended”

The college provided the student with a spacious laboratory for Chemistry and Biology practical’s. The teachers are very helpful and supportive during experiment as they first go through the introduction which helped me to have a better understanding of experiment. Even though it was my first time to attend the college both teachers for Biology and biology went through the examples before initial experiments.

All in all much recommended.