OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science) J247: online tutoring
One-to-one lessons for OCR GCSE Biology, planned around your child’s exam date, with homework and examiner-style marking.
The exam at a glance
- Syllabus
- For teaching from 2016
- Grades
- 9 to 1
- Routes
- Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1) and Higher tier (grades 9 to 4)
- Exam series
- June
Facts from the board’s own syllabus: official document. Always confirm your child’s entry with the school.
OCR also offers other science suites; this page covers Biology A (Gateway Science).
| Paper | Route | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Foundation) or Paper 3 (Higher)Topics B1 to B3 and B7 (practical skills) | Foundation or Higher | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 | 50% |
| Paper 2 (Foundation) or Paper 4 (Higher)Topics B4 to B6, with assumed knowledge of B1 to B3 and B7 | Foundation or Higher | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 | 50% |
What the course covers
- Cell level systems
- Scaling up
- Organism level systems
- Community level systems
- Genes, inheritance and selection
- Global challenges
How we teach J247
Concepts are explained with clear diagrams first, then the calculations, then the exact wording the mark scheme accepts.
Practical and data-handling questions are practised every week, because they carry marks that many students drop.
Long-answer questions are planned in class so your child writes complete, mark-earning explanations.
Where students usually lose marks
- Calculations with units and significant figures
- Practical and experimental skills questions
- Explaining in precise key terms
- Linking ideas across topics
“Today’s class went really well. My daughter is very satisfied. She said she understood it properly. Please carry on just like this.”
Biology on other boards
- Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610
- Cambridge O Level Biology 5090
- Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology 9700
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology 4BI1
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology YBI11
- AQA GCSE Biology 8461
- AQA A-level Biology 7402
- OCR A Level Biology A H420
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0
- Pearson Edexcel A Level Biology B 9BI0
Questions parents ask
Do you teach the current OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science) syllabus?
Yes. Lessons follow the board’s current syllabus (For teaching from 2016). We check the specification before planning a course, and we tell you if anything changes.
Which route or tier should my child take?
The options are: Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1) and Higher tier (grades 9 to 4). After the free demo we look at your child’s work and the target grade, and suggest the right one with the school.
Can you help close to the exam?
Yes. Exam-season courses focus on timed practice, the topics that lose the most marks, and marking every paper like the real exam.
Start J247 lessons with a free demo
Book a free 60-minute one-to-one lesson. You choose the topic; we show you the notes, the practice and how the work is marked.
