OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science), specification J247, is assessed by two 1 hour 45 minute papers of 90 marks each, worth 50% apiece. Foundation students sit Papers 1 and 2 for grades 5 to 1; Higher students sit Papers 3 and 4 for grades 9 to 4. The first paper of each tier covers Topics B1 to B3 and the second covers B4 to B6, and both include the practical skills of Topic B7, which make up 15% of the exam questions. This FLN Tutors course follows the current Cambridge OCR J247 specification (version 4.0) through every topic, from cell level systems and scaling up to genes, inheritance and global challenges. Lessons are live and one-to-one with a verified biology tutor, who explains each topic, practises the eight Practical Activity Groups as exam questions, drills the calculations and marks extended answers against OCR mark schemes. It suits Year 10 and 11 students and resit candidates.
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In short: OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science), code J247, is Cambridge OCR's main separate-science biology GCSE in England. It is graded 9 to 1, offered at Foundation and Higher tier, and examined by two written papers at the end of the course.
Is OCR Gateway A or B? Gateway Science is Biology A (J247). Biology B is the separate Twenty First Century Science specification (J257), with its own papers, so check which one your school follows before buying revision material.
OCR has traded as Cambridge OCR since September 2025; the August 2026 specification (version 4.0) updated the branding only, with no change to the assessment. This FLN Tutors (Freelancer Network) course follows the OCR GCSE Biology A J247 specification. For A-level and university support, see biology tutoring.
Get help with OCR GCSE Biology: book a lesson or send a question from this page.
| Tier | Paper | Code | Topics | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation (grades 5 to 1) | Paper 1 | J247/01 | B1 to B3 + B7 | 1 h 45 min | 90 | 50% |
| Foundation | Paper 2 | J247/02 | B4 to B6 + B7, assumes B1 to B3 | 1 h 45 min | 90 | 50% |
| Higher (grades 9 to 4) | Paper 3 | J247/03 | B1 to B3 + B7 | 1 h 45 min | 90 | 50% |
| Higher | Paper 4 | J247/04 | B4 to B6 + B7, assumes B1 to B3 | 1 h 45 min | 90 | 50% |
Papers 2 and 4 include synoptic questions that link ideas from across the course. Extended-response questions are marked using levels of response, so the quality of the whole answer counts.
On the Higher tier, an allowed grade 3 can be awarded to students who fall a small number of marks below the grade 4 boundary. Students must enter one tier for both papers.
Every J247 paper has the same balance of assessment objectives.
| Assessment objective | What it tests | Each paper | Whole GCSE |
|---|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas and techniques | 20% | 40% |
| AO2 | Applying that knowledge | 20% | 40% |
| AO3 | Analysing information, evaluating and improving methods | 10% | 20% |
Sixty per cent of the marks reward applying and analysing, not just recalling. OCR also states that 15% of exam questions assess practical skills, so the practical work done in class has to be revised as carefully as the theory.
| Topic | Sub-topics | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| B1 Cell level systems | B1.1 Cell structures; B1.2 What happens in cells; B1.3 Respiration; B1.4 Photosynthesis | 1 or 3 |
| B2 Scaling up | B2.1 Supplying the cell; B2.2 The challenges of size | 1 or 3 |
| B3 Organism level systems | B3.1 Nervous system; B3.2 Endocrine system; B3.3 Maintaining internal environments | 1 or 3 |
| B4 Community level systems | B4.1 Ecosystems | 2 or 4 |
| B5 Genes, inheritance and selection | B5.1 Inheritance; B5.2 Natural selection and evolution | 2 or 4 |
| B6 Global challenges | B6.1 Monitoring and maintaining the environment; B6.2 Feeding the human race; B6.3 Monitoring and maintaining health | 2 or 4 |
| B7 Practical skills | Skills from the practical activity groups | All papers |
Statements printed in bold in the specification are tested only on the Higher papers. A tutor marks these so Foundation students focus their time on the content they will be examined on.
OCR does not use a fixed list of "required practicals". Instead, schools must give every student the chance to complete at least eight practical activities covering eight Practical Activity Groups, and the head of centre confirms this in a practical science statement.
| PAG | Area | Example activity in the specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microscopy | Using different magnifications to draw labelled scientific diagrams |
| 2 | Testing for biological molecules | Testing foods for the presence of biological molecules |
| 3 | Sampling techniques | Comparing habitats using ecological sampling |
| 4 | Rates of enzyme-controlled reactions | Investigating factors that affect enzyme activity |
| 5 | Photosynthesis | Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis in Cabomba |
| 6 | Physiology, responses and respiration | Effect of exercise on pulse or breathing rate and recovery |
| 7 | Microbiological techniques | Effectiveness of antimicrobial agents on a bacterial lawn |
| 8 | Transport in and out of cells | Effect of water potential on the length and mass of potato chips |
Schools may use OCR's suggestions or design their own activities. Either way, exam questions ask about methods, variables, safety, results and improvements.
A mitochondrion measures 40 mm on an electron micrograph. Its real length is 2 µm.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Convert the image size to µm | 40 × 1000 | 40,000 µm |
| Magnification = image ÷ actual | 40,000 ÷ 2 | × 20,000 |
A light microscope could not show this structure in detail, because electron microscopes have much higher resolution. The B1.1 statements ask you to explain how electron microscopy improved understanding of sub-cellular structures.
Potato chips were measured before and after 30 minutes in two solutions.
| Chip | Start length (mm) | End length (mm) | Percentage change |
|---|---|---|---|
| In distilled water | 50 | 53 | +6.0% |
| In concentrated sugar solution | 50 | 46 | -8.0% |
The chip in water lengthened because water entered the cells by osmosis; the chip in sugar solution shortened as water left. Measuring mass as well as length, and blotting each chip the same way, makes the results more reliable.
Enzyme rate (PAG 4): catalase released 24 cm³ of oxygen in 60 s at 35 °C and 6 cm³ in 60 s at 15 °C.
| Temperature | Rate = volume ÷ time |
|---|---|
| 35 °C | 24 ÷ 60 = 0.4 cm³/s |
| 15 °C | 6 ÷ 60 = 0.1 cm³/s |
Surface area to volume (B2.2):
| Cube side (cm) | Surface area (cm²) | Volume (cm³) | SA : V |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 : 1 |
| 3 | 54 | 27 | 2 : 1 |
As an organism gets bigger, its surface area to volume ratio falls, which is why large organisms need exchange surfaces and transport systems.
Ten 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrats were placed at random in a 30 m × 20 m field. Daisy counts were 5, 8, 4, 7, 6, 9, 5, 6, 4, 6.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Quadrat area | 0.5 × 0.5 | 0.25 m² |
| Mean per quadrat | 60 ÷ 10 | 6 |
| Mean per m² | 6 ÷ 0.25 | 24 |
| Field area | 30 × 20 | 600 m² |
| Population estimate | 24 × 600 | 14,400 daisies |
Random coordinates avoid bias; a transect is better when the question asks how a population changes across a gradient, such as distance from a hedge.
Exercise: a student's pulse rose from 70 to 130 beats per minute. Percentage increase = (130 − 70) ÷ 70 × 100 = 85.7%. Recovery time, how long the pulse takes to return to resting rate, is a useful measure of fitness.
Antimicrobials: two agents produced clear zones of 10 mm and 16 mm diameter on a bacterial lawn.
| Agent | Radius (mm) | Area = πr² (mm²) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 5 | 78.5 |
| B | 8 | 201.1 |
Agent B was more effective. Valid comparisons need equal disc sizes and concentrations, the same incubation temperature and time, and aseptic technique throughout.
Level-of-response questions are marked on the overall quality of your answer.
No board is officially harder: all GCSE Biology specifications in England follow the same government subject content and use the same 9 to 1 grades. The differences are in structure.
| OCR Biology A (J247) | AQA GCSE Biology | |
|---|---|---|
| Papers | Two papers, 90 marks each, 1 h 45 min | Two papers, 100 marks each, 1 h 45 min |
| Topic split | B1 to B3 on the first paper, B4 to B6 on the second | Topics split differently between the papers |
| Practicals | Eight Practical Activity Groups, at least eight activities | A fixed list of required practicals |
| Tiers | Foundation 5 to 1, Higher 9 to 4 | Foundation and Higher |
Grade boundaries change every series, so a percentage on a past paper is only a rough guide to a grade. If your school uses another board, see AQA GCSE Biology or Edexcel GCSE Biology.
Because each paper covers half the topics, plan revision paper by paper and then mix them.
| Weeks before the exams | Focus | Method |
|---|---|---|
| 12 to 9 | B1 to B3 (first paper) | Flashcards for key terms, then topic questions from past papers |
| 8 to 5 | B4 to B6 (second paper) | Retrieval practice, linking back to cells and transport for synoptic questions |
| 4 to 3 | B7 practical skills | One PAG per session: method, variables, results table, improvement |
| 2 to 1 | Full papers for your tier | Timed papers, then mark against the OCR scheme and redo every lost mark |
Short, regular sessions beat long rereading sessions. Each week, return to one topic you found hard earlier; spacing like this is what makes facts stick for the exam hall.
| Topic | What the specification says |
|---|---|
| Exam series | One series each year, in May and June |
| Structure | Linear: all papers taken at the end of the course in the same series |
| Resits | Retake as many times as you wish, sitting all papers of your tier again |
| Tier choice | Foundation or Higher, decided at entry |
| Guided learning | About 120 to 140 hours; total qualification time 140 hours |
| Where available | England; schools in Wales and Northern Ireland check their own regulator |
Students in Wales usually take WJEC GCSE Biology, which uses A* to G grades instead.
Lessons are live one-to-one video sessions with a verified biology tutor, using a shared whiteboard for diagrams, tables and graphs.
What you get: - A plan built around topics B1 to B7, your tier and your exam date. - Clear teaching of each topic, with Higher-only content marked. - Exam-style questions on all eight Practical Activity Groups. - Calculation practice: magnification, rates, percentages, SA:V ratios and population estimates. - Six-mark answers marked against OCR mark schemes, with written feedback.
Next step: pick a tutor and a time from this page, or send us your question about tiers or topics first. Lesson prices are listed on this page before you book, and you pay per lesson.
Prerequisites: Key Stage 3 science.
| Stage | Focus | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B1 and B2 | Explain cells, enzymes, respiration, photosynthesis and transport |
| 2 | B3 | Explain nerves, hormones and homeostasis |
| 3 | B4 to B6 | Handle ecosystems, inheritance, evolution and global challenges |
| 4 | B7 practical skills | Answer PAG-based questions confidently |
| 5 | Timed papers | Complete Papers 1 and 2, or 3 and 4, on time |
After GCSE, many students continue to OCR A-level Biology A.
OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science), code J247, is Cambridge OCR's separate-science biology GCSE in England. It is graded 9 to 1 and assessed by two 1 hour 45 minute papers of 90 marks each, at Foundation or Higher tier, covering topics B1 to B6 plus practical skills.
OCR Gateway Science Biology is Biology A, specification J247. Biology B is a different specification, Twenty First Century Science (J257), with its own content order and papers. Check your exam entries or ask your teacher which one you are taking before choosing past papers and revision guides.
There are two papers at each tier. Foundation students take Papers 1 and 2; Higher students take Papers 3 and 4. Every paper lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, carries 90 marks and counts for 50% of the GCSE, so there are 180 marks in total.
Paper 1 (Foundation) and Paper 3 (Higher) assess Topics B1 to B3: cell level systems, scaling up and organism level systems, plus the practical skills in B7. That covers cells, enzymes, respiration, photosynthesis, transport, the nervous and endocrine systems, and homeostasis.
Paper 2 (Foundation) and Paper 4 (Higher) assess Topics B4 to B6: community level systems, genes, inheritance and selection, and global challenges, plus practical skills. They also assume knowledge of B1 to B3 and include synoptic questions linking ideas across the course.
Foundation tier covers grades 5 to 1 and Higher tier covers grades 9 to 4. On Higher, an allowed grade 3 may be awarded to students a small number of marks below the grade 4 boundary. Students aiming for grade 6 or above should sit Higher.
PAGs are Practical Activity Groups. OCR lists eight: microscopy, testing for biological molecules, sampling, enzyme rates, photosynthesis, physiology and respiration, microbiological techniques, and transport in and out of cells. Schools must offer at least eight activities covering them, and 15% of exam questions test practical skills.
OCR does not set a fixed list of required practicals like some boards. Instead, students must have the chance to complete at least eight practical activities covering the eight Practical Activity Groups. The specification suggests example activities, but schools may design their own.
Neither board is officially harder, because both follow the same national subject content and 9 to 1 grading. OCR papers are 90 marks each with topics B1 to B3 and B4 to B6 split between them, while AQA papers are 100 marks each. Use your own board's past papers.
OCR publishes grade boundaries after each series, and they change from year to year, so there is no fixed percentage for each grade. A score on a past paper is only a rough guide. Use recent boundaries for the same tier to set realistic targets.
OCR GCSE Biology A is examined once a year, in the May and June series. Both papers of your tier are taken in the same series at the end of the course. Check the published timetable or ask your school for the exact dates.
Yes. You can retake the qualification as many times as you wish, but you must sit all the papers of your chosen tier again in the same series. The only series is May/June, so plan revision across the year to make each attempt count.
Divide the image size by the actual size after converting both to the same unit. For example, a 40 mm image of a 2 µm mitochondrion: 40 mm is 40,000 µm, and 40,000 divided by 2 gives a magnification of 20,000 times.
It is the surface area divided by the volume. A 1 cm cube has a surface area of 6 cm² and a volume of 1 cm³, giving 6:1, while a 3 cm cube gives 54:27, or 2:1. Larger organisms have smaller ratios, so they need specialised exchange surfaces.
Sit the Higher tier, learn the bold Higher-only statements, and practise applying knowledge to unfamiliar contexts. Master the PAG methods and calculations, answer six-mark questions in a logical order, and work through past papers against mark schemes, fixing each lost mark.
Yes. An FLN Tutors biology tutor works one-to-one with you on the J247 topics, the Practical Activity Groups and exam technique. Lessons start with your weakest areas, and your tutor marks practice answers against OCR mark schemes so you can see exactly where marks slip.
You get live one-to-one lessons, a plan for your tier and exam date, teaching of every topic with Higher-only content flagged, PAG-based exam practice, calculation drills, and six-mark answers marked with written feedback. Your tutor also advises on tier entry using recent scores.
Select a tutor and an available time on this page to book, and many students have their first lesson within a few days. If exams are close, tell your tutor your tier and dates so the first sessions target the topics and skills worth the most marks.
Rates depend on the tutor and lesson length. FLN Tutors shows the price on this page before you book, you pay only for the lessons you take, and there is no subscription. You can send a question first to estimate how many lessons you need.
Yes. Lessons are live online in your time zone with a shared whiteboard. OCR GCSE Biology A is designed for England, so if you are abroad you will need a centre that offers it, or you may take an international qualification such as Cambridge IGCSE instead.
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