Feedback on GCSE Biology 2018

GCSE Biology Unit 1

Foundation Tier

Maximum mark = 80 Mean mark =30.7 Entry =1493

C D E F G
Grade 35 29 23 18 13
boundary
Cumulative 40.7 59.8 76.1 87.5 93.0
% at grade
GENERAL COMMENTS FROM PRINCIPAL EXAMINER

• When factual recall was tested there was evidence that despite key
words being known, they were frequently not used appropriately.
• Calculations were generally completed successfully.
• When reading graphs it was often the case that data was repeated
when comparisons of trends in the results were required.
• Some examples showed that experience of practical work had been
beneficial.
• All candidates would be well advised to re-read answers to avoid
unnecessary errors and for some, poor handwriting may well have
led to valuable marks being lost.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 1 – PISA style question.



(a) This question required candidates to use information about diet and identify correct
statements which were related to it. Most were able to give some correct answers but few
gained full marks.
(b) (i) and (ii) - Most answers correctly identified obesity as a condition resulting from
excess dietary sugar but in the case of excess salt many made vague references such as
‘heart problems’ which did not score marks.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 2 – Microscope

• Some excellent responses seen for (a) and

(b). The scaffolding in the question enabled
candidates to show their knowledge of the
use of the microscope.

• In c(i) a common error was for the

measurement to be multiplied rather than
divided
• Little understanding of the electron
microscope was shown in (d)
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 3 – Circulatory system

• Most were able to label the pulmonary

vein and knew the function of the
valve in (a) .

• Common error in (b) was to refer to

arteries pumping the blood.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 4 – Smoking and data analysis.
• (a) required candidates to use the graph
and table. Many just described the
graph and gained no credit.

• (b) and (c) were well answered

 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 5 – Fertilizer and plant growth
• Marks were lost in (a)(i) when
candidates gave imprecise answers
about wheat growth rather than yield.
Encourage students to use the axes
titles in their answers.

• Little understanding of control in (ii)

some gained credit by referring to a
comparison

• Very few candidates knew the effect of

NPK on leaves and roots.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 6 – Respiratory system • Few were able to correctly label the trachea
and bronchus or describe the pressure and
volume changes in the thorax

• Many candidates were able to analyse the

data in (b) to gain credit and understood
how to increase confidence in their results.

• More oxygen was required for the answer in

(c). Many candidates only referred to
oxygen being required.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 7 – Practical and maths skills • Very few gave pH as a variable to control.
All other variables were given in the
question

• Common errors in (b) included an incorrect

scale, missing the scale at the origin and
drawing a clear line.

• Reference to increased collisions was often

missing in answers to c(i). Some good
descriptions of denaturing were seen in (ii)
• Few candidates suggested more
temperatures within a range in (iii)
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 8 – Food web • Quality of Extended response question

• Mean = 2.0
• Facility factor = 33.2

• Many good answers seen with many

answers being placed in the middle band.
• Candidates could identify the herbivores
Indicative content
5-6 marks and the secondary consumers and were able
7 or more points from the indicative content
There is a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant, to make relevant comments on the effects
substantiated and logically structured. The candidate uses appropriate
scientific terminology and accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.
on other species when one species was
3-4 marks removed.
4 – 6 points from the indicative content
There is a line of reasoning, which is partially coherent, largely relevant,
supported by some evidence and with some structure. The candidate
uses mainly appropriate scientific terminology and some accurate
spelling, punctuation and grammar.
1-2 marks
1 -3 points from the indicative content
There is a basic line of reasoning, which is not coherent, largely
irrelevant, supported by limited evidence and with very little structure.
The candidate uses limited scientific terminology and inaccuracies in
spelling, punctuation and grammar.
0 marks: No attempt made or no response worthy of credit.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier/ Higher Tier
Contact9/1
QUESTION Details
– Diffusion • First overlap question. This tested
knowledge of diffusion and practical skills
• Many answers referred to selectively
Liane Adams permeable membranes allowing certain
Biology Subject Officer molecule to pass through without
029 2026 5126 mentioning molecule size and so did not
liane.adams@wjec.co.uk gain credit.

Lowri Evans • Diffusion was well known in (b) but

Subject Support Officer
029 2026 5140
lowri.evans@wjec.co.uk
candidates did not refer to ‘pores’ to explain
their answer in (ii).
• Many candidates recognised the food
starch/iodine test and the movement of
iodine, but did not use the information from
the diagram to help them recognise that
iodine therefore must be a small molecule.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Foundation Tier/ Higher Tier
QUESTION 10/2 – Photosynthesis • Less scaffolding was used for the equation
as this was a standard demand question.
This caused some issues for foundation
candidates.

• Many higher tier candidates were able to

give a good explanation of photosynthesis
in (c), however foundation candidates
struggled with this.

• Few foundation or higher candidates were

able to give the purpose of the beaker of
water in (d) or understood how to improve
accuracy in (e)
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier

Maximum mark = 80 Mean mark = 37.3 Entry = 7258

A* A B C D E
Grade 47 37 27 18 9 4
boundary
Cumulative 17.3 43.0 72.1 91.1 98.8 99.8
% at grade
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
Contact3 Details
QUESTION – Leaf structure • (a) was surprisingly poor showing a lack of
revision by some candidates

Liane Adams • Again a lack of revision was shown

Biology Subject Officer regarding the definition of specialised cells
029 2026 5126 and organ in (b)
liane.adams@wjec.co.uk
• Good knowledge and understanding was
Lowri Evans shown regarding the calculation of
magnification
Subject Support Officer
029 2026 5140
lowri.evans@wjec.co.uk
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
QUESTION 4 – Heart structure • Again candidates struggled to give the
definition of a double circulation in (a).

• (c) required candidates to be specific about

the role of the semi lunar valve. Many gave
generic answers.

• Better candidates were able to recognise

that the heart is a muscle and the effect of
exercise upon it.

• Candidates found difficulty in calculating a

percentage change. Many were unsure of
the denominator.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
QUESTION 5 – Pollution and fieldwork • Many lost marks in (a) as their answers
were not comparative.

• (b) was well answered by many although

some incorrectly linked the lack of oxygen
to lack of photosynthesis

• In c(ii), candidates still struggled to use

indicator species to show the level of
pollution. If Mayfly are present, there can
be no pollution.
• In (iii), many wanted to test fields or
different parts of the lake. More careful
reading of the question was needed.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
QUESTION 6 – Digestive system • Some candidates are still using the term
'amount' when referring to specific
quantities, rather than concentration, mass
or volume.

• Most candidates scored one mark in (c), but

struggled to think of a second reason.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
QUESTION 7 – Respiration
• This was a difficult multi-step calculation
and it was good to see candidates showing
their workings out. This allowed many to
pick up one or two marks even though they
failed to get the correct answer.

• Candidates find it difficult to identify errors

in experimental methods. Most interpreted
this part as being due to some problem with
the apparatus provided rather than why the
method is unable to give us a result close to
the ‘true value'.

• Far too many lost marks in b(i) by

discussing respiration as opposed to aerobic
respiration.
 GCSE Biology Unit 1
Higher Tier
• This was a demanding extended response
QUESTION 8 – Absorption by roots
question that required higher-order problem
solving. Candidates should have considered
two points before attempting to answer this
question. What do I see? (the information
provided in the stem) and what do I know?
Indicative content:
• Some candidates discussed at length the
• lack of oxygen therefore less aerobic respiration
effect of reduced oxygen levels on
• less energy available
denitrification which showed that they had
• less ATP produced;
not read the command line which referred to
'.... reduced oxygen levels for root hair
• active transport of mineral salts
cells ...".
• transporting from low to high concentration
• Many failed to access the top band for this
• Requires ATP/ energy
question because they referred to respiration
rather than aerobic respiration.
• there is mineral/ nutrient deficiency
• poor growth - lack of nitrates
• yellow leaves - lack of potassium
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier

Maximum mark = 80 Mean mark =27.9 Entry =1098

C D E F G
Grade 30 24 18 13 8
boundary
Cumulative 49.8 67.3 81.1 88.6 94.3
% at grade
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 1 – Classification and adaptation

• (a) Classification was well understood.

• (b) (ii) was poorly done with vague references to diseases being ‘passed on’
rather than giving methods of communication with pathogens.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 2 – Diabetes

• Common graph errors included failure to

identify the max normal concentration of
blood glucose or poor line drawing.

• In b(iv), many candidates lost marks because

they simply repeated the data given in the
graph rather than comparing trends.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 3 – DNA

• Good knowledge of the structure of

DNA shown in (i) and (ii), but
candidates struggled to explain the role
of DNA as a code.

• Most were able to analyse the DNA

profiling data correctly.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 4 – Alien species
• Only around a third of candidates were
able to recognise the knotweed as an
alien invasive species and knew its
affect on biodiversity.

• A pleasing number were able to use the

data to gain the correct answer for the
calculation.

• When asked about reproducibility of

results in c(ii), many answers consisted
of vague statements such as “do it
again” and did not score marks.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 5 – Excretory system
• Confusion between ureter and urethra
in (a)

• In (b) there was a lack of knowledge

regarding the tests for protein and
glucose with Benedicts being confused
for biuret. There was also a lack of
knowledge of the colour changes.

• Part c required candidates to draw

conclusions from a bar chart. Many did
not make comparisons but instead
repeated the data.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier
QUESTION 6 – Antibiotics - QER • Quality of Extended response question

• Mean = 2.6
• Facility factor = 44.0

• It was clear that many candidates had

gained experience of undertaking practical
work and some steps in the procedure for
setting up agar plates with antibiotics were
known.
• Unfortunately, many responses did lack
detail such as temperatures of incubation
and were poorly sequenced.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier/ Higher Tier
QUESTION 7/ 1 – Cell division • This question required candidates to
respond to data on recovery comparing
methods of treatment for broken bone. Most
answered very well.

• Many foundation candidates failed to read

the question carefully enough in (b), but it
did not prove to be an issue for higher tier
candidates

• Better candidates were able to give good

answers regarding the ethics of stem cells in
(c)
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Foundation Tier/ Higher Tier
Contact8/2
QUESTION Details
– Reflex actions
Liane Adams
Biology Subject Officer
029 2026 5126
liane.adams@wjec.co.uk
Lowri Evans
Subject Support Officer
029 2026 5140
lowri.evans@wjec.co.uk
• There were some good explanations of the
reflex action shown in the “before” and
“after” photographs but few scored the full
three marks. Where marks were lost it was
generally because the answer consisted of
just a general description of the alteration of
pupil size in different light intensities. Also,
some answers lacked precision in failing to
refer to the prevention of damage to the
retina.
• In b (ii) Candidates struggled to calculate a
percentage change even though this type of
question is a common mathematical skill
tested almost annually. The main problem
seems to be choice of denominator in the
calculation.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier

Maximum mark = 80 Mean mark = 32.2 Entry = 5959

A* A B C D E
Grade 43 34 25 16 8 4
boundary
Cumulative 21.4 44.6 71.5 92.4 98.4 99.5
% at grade
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
Contact 3Details
QUESTION – DNA structure - QER

Liane Adams
Biology Subject
• Mean Officer
= 2.7
029•2026 5126factor = 44.3
Facility
liane.adams@wjec.co.uk
• Candidates who had learnt their work were rewarded with good scores on
this question.
Lowri Evans
Subject Support Officer
• Most achieved a middle band with their answers. However, there is still some
029 2026 5140
uncertainty on the link between the triplet code and amino acids. Many stated
lowri.evans@wjec.co.uk
that the triplet code 'makes' amino acids.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 4 – Monoclonal antibodies • a(i) was well answered but a lack of specific
detail penalised many candidates.
Candidates discussed the "... antigens on the
organs ..." rather than on the cells of the
organs and tended to repeat the stem by
stating that antibodies 'attack the cells'
rather than recalling that antibodies 'destroy
cells'.

• Monoclonal antibodies is new to this

specification and it was evident in the
answers to (b) and (c) that some centres had
not introduced it into their teaching.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 5 – Variation

• All parts of this question had high

facility factors
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 6 – Excretory system • The best answers in a (i) were able to
identify and describe the process. Many
candidates discussed the movement of small
molecules, but did not get a mark because
they did not identify where the molecules
were moving from or were moving to.

• Lack of detail was again an issue in (ii) with

many stating that glucose was being
reabsorbed but not stating where to.
• Part (b) is a difficult concept resulting in a
facility factor of 12.0 for this part of the
question.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 7 – Tropic responses
• Tropic responses was another definition that
was not well answered

• Candidates struggled to apply knowledge to

solve a novel problem. Most candidates who
did recognise that there was more than one
variable affecting growth were unable to
suggest an appropriate control. For example,
some answers seen identified that negative
gravitropism could also be having an effect
but then went on to describe placing the
dandelion in a dark container with light
coming from a hole in one side.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 8 – Penicillin
• Candidates should be careful with their use
of pH in (b). Not PH or Ph

• A pleasing number of candidates were able

to give a correct time in (c) and explain their
answer.

• Fewer were able to correctly draw a line in

(d)
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
• This question posed the greatest challenge
QUESTION 9 – Temperature control
to all the candidates. Even though
temperature control by the skin has been
repeatedly assessed over the years it seems
that candidates' understanding of this topic
is superficial. Not many candidates appear
to understand the concept of heat being
carried by the blood.

• Not many were able to score two marks in

(a) with many describing homeostasis. What
was missing was a basic understanding of
the 'normal' or 'optimum' range; without this
the candidates struggled to score any marks.
 GCSE Biology Unit 2
Higher Tier
QUESTION 10 – Pesticides

• Part (a) posed the greatest challenge with

many recognising that both parasitized bees
had the same genus, but less using this
knowledge to suggest that it is the similarity
between the bees that allowed the spread of
the parasite.
• Most candidates were able to give one
correct reason in c (ii). A common error was
to state that "... not all the beekeepers took
part ...".
Any Questions?