AQA GCSE Biology specification checklist
All 97 spec points of 8461 that our notes cover, topic by topic. Rate each one red, amber or green as you revise, and follow the link to the note when you need it.
AQA GCSE Biology (8461) specification checklist · clockitwithsci.com
The numbers are AQA's own spec references for 8461. Triple only: only in Triple Biology. Combined Science students can skip it. Higher tier: only on the Higher tier papers. Foundation students can skip it. Teachers: you are welcome to print this checklist and share it with your classes.
Paper 11 hour 45 minutes · 100 marks
1Cell biology
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.1.1 | Eukaryotes and prokaryotes | |||
| 4.1.1.2 | Animal and plant cells; Required practical 1: using a light microscope | |||
| 4.1.1.3 | Cell specialisation | |||
| 4.1.1.4 | Cell differentiation | |||
| 4.1.1.5 | Microscopy | |||
| 4.1.1.6 | Culturing microorganisms; Culture calculations; Required practical 2: antiseptics and antibiotics Triple only |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.2.1 | Chromosomes | |||
| 4.1.2.2 | Mitosis and the cell cycle | |||
| 4.1.2.3 | Stem cells |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.3.1 | Diffusion; Surface area to volume ratio; Exchange surfaces | |||
| 4.1.3.2 | Osmosis | |||
| 4.1.3.3 | Active transport |
2Organisation
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2.1 | Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems; Size and scale |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2.2.1 | The digestive system; Enzymes; Amylase, proteases and lipases; Bile; Required practical: food tests; Required practical: the effect of pH on amylase | |||
| 4.2.2.2 | The heart and the double circulatory system; Controlling the heart rate; The lungs and gas exchange; Blood vessels | |||
| 4.2.2.3 | Blood | |||
| 4.2.2.4 | Coronary heart disease; Treating cardiovascular disease | |||
| 4.2.2.5 | Health and disease; Handling data about disease | |||
| 4.2.2.6 | Risk factors and causes; The effect of lifestyle on disease; The cost of non-communicable diseases; Using data about risk factors | |||
| 4.2.2.7 | Cancer |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2.3.1 | Plant tissues; The leaf as an organ | |||
| 4.2.3.2 | Roots, xylem and phloem; Transpiration and stomata; Factors affecting the rate of transpiration |
3Infection and response
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3.1.1 | Communicable (infectious) diseases | |||
| 4.3.1.2 | Viral diseases | |||
| 4.3.1.3 | Bacterial diseases | |||
| 4.3.1.4 | Fungal diseases | |||
| 4.3.1.5 | Protist diseases | |||
| 4.3.1.6 | Human defence systems | |||
| 4.3.1.7 | Vaccination | |||
| 4.3.1.8 | Antibiotics and painkillers | |||
| 4.3.1.9 | Discovery and development of drugs |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3.2.1 | Producing monoclonal antibodies Triple onlyHigher tier | |||
| 4.3.2.2 | Uses of monoclonal antibodies Triple onlyHigher tier |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3.3.1 | Detection and identification of plant diseases Triple only | |||
| 4.3.3.2 | Plant defence responses Triple only |
4Bioenergetics
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4.1.1 | The photosynthetic reaction | |||
| 4.4.1.2 | Factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis; Interacting factors and the inverse square law; Required practical: light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis | |||
| 4.4.1.3 | Uses of glucose from photosynthesis |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4.2.1 | Aerobic and anaerobic respiration | |||
| 4.4.2.2 | Response to exercise | |||
| 4.4.2.3 | Metabolism |
Paper 21 hour 45 minutes · 100 marks
5Homeostasis and response
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.1 | What homeostasis is; Parts of a control system |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.2.1 | Structure and function of the nervous system; Reflex actions and the reflex arc; Required practical: reaction time | |||
| 4.5.2.2 | The brain Triple only | |||
| 4.5.2.3 | The eye: structures and their functions; Accommodation; Defects of the eye Triple only | |||
| 4.5.2.4 | Control of body temperature Triple only |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.3.1 | The human endocrine system | |||
| 4.5.3.2 | Control of blood glucose concentration; Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes | |||
| 4.5.3.3 | Water balance and the effect of osmosis on cells; The kidneys and urea; ADH and water level; Kidney failure: dialysis and transplant Triple only | |||
| 4.5.3.4 | Hormones in human reproduction | |||
| 4.5.3.5 | Contraception | |||
| 4.5.3.6 | The use of hormones to treat infertility Higher tier | |||
| 4.5.3.7 | Adrenaline, thyroxine and negative feedback Higher tier |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.4.1 | Plant hormones, phototropism and gravitropism Triple only | |||
| 4.5.4.2 | Uses of plant hormones Triple onlyHigher tier |
6Inheritance, variation and evolution
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6.1.1 | Sexual and asexual reproduction | |||
| 4.6.1.2 | Meiosis | |||
| 4.6.1.3 | Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction Triple only | |||
| 4.6.1.4 | DNA and the genome | |||
| 4.6.1.5 | DNA structure Triple only | |||
| 4.6.1.6 | Genetic inheritance | |||
| 4.6.1.7 | Inherited disorders | |||
| 4.6.1.8 | Sex determination |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6.2.1 | Variation | |||
| 4.6.2.2 | Evolution | |||
| 4.6.2.3 | Selective breeding | |||
| 4.6.2.4 | Genetic engineering | |||
| 4.6.2.5 | Cloning Triple only |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6.3.1 | Theory of evolution Triple only | |||
| 4.6.3.2 | Speciation Triple only | |||
| 4.6.3.3 | The understanding of genetics Triple only | |||
| 4.6.3.4 | Evidence for evolution | |||
| 4.6.3.5 | Fossils | |||
| 4.6.3.6 | Extinction | |||
| 4.6.3.7 | Resistant bacteria |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6.4 | The Linnaean system and binomial names; Developments in classification |
7Ecology
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7.1.1 | Communities | |||
| 4.7.1.2 | Abiotic factors | |||
| 4.7.1.3 | Biotic factors | |||
| 4.7.1.4 | Adaptations |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7.2.1 | Producers, consumers and food chains; Sampling: distribution and abundance; Predator-prey cycles | |||
| 4.7.2.2 | How materials are cycled | |||
| 4.7.2.3 | Decomposition Triple only | |||
| 4.7.2.4 | Impact of environmental change Triple onlyHigher tier |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7.3.1 | Biodiversity | |||
| 4.7.3.2 | Waste management | |||
| 4.7.3.3 | Land use | |||
| 4.7.3.4 | Deforestation | |||
| 4.7.3.5 | Global warming | |||
| 4.7.3.6 | Maintaining biodiversity |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7.4.1 | Trophic levels Triple only | |||
| 4.7.4.2 | Pyramids of biomass Triple only | |||
| 4.7.4.3 | Transfer of biomass Triple only |
| Spec | What to know (the note) | Not yet | Nearly | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7.5.1 | Factors affecting food security Triple only | |||
| 4.7.5.2 | Farming techniques Triple only | |||
| 4.7.5.3 | Sustainable fisheries Triple only | |||
| 4.7.5.4 | Role of biotechnology Triple only |
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