Biology

Activities and assessments

The course includes the following activities: readings on current topics, quizzes, self-assessments, problem sets, practical work and marked written assignments. Teachers will review and grade assignments during the course. There are also unit discussions to support students with each topic. The final examinations for students on this course consist of 3 externally-assessed papers, covering:

• Paper 2 (Extended subject content) —45 minutes, 30%, multiple-choice questions
• Paper 4 (Extended subject content) —1 hour 15 minutes, 50%, Short answer and structured questions
• Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical) – 1 hour, 20%, questions based on experimental skills

 

Advice from our teachers

In order to succeed in IGCSE Biology, we recommend students set aside five to six hours a week to study. It is important that students regularly keep up with the readings and the course activities in a timely manner. And that they contact their Pamoja teacher if they fall behind or need help with assignments.  

Practical Work

It is expected that students taking this course will sit Paper 6 Alternative to Practical, rather than the Paper 5 Practical Test. Regardless, Cambridge International expect educators to embed practical techniques and investigative work into their teaching. Students are expected to be familiar with a key set of practicals during their course of study. To support this the course provides full guidance for a limited number of experimental investigations that can be carried out independently, with minimal equipment. Such experiments however MUST be be supervised and performed in an appropriate laboratory setting. Schools wishing students to enrol onto Pamoja Taught IGCSE Biology must make best efforts to ensure that this can be complied with to give students the best possible preparation for their examinations. Guidance on equipment and safety can be found within the syllabus specification. If for any reason it is not possible for a student to do experimental work then alternative activities are provided within the course.