Biology is the study of life itself: organisms, from the simplest bacteria to the complexities of humanity, showing us how similar and yet how different the living things on planet Earth are. Life is viewed at a cellular and biochemical level before linking cell processes to tissue, organ, organ system and whole organism function. The subject also investigates how these different these organisms interact through the study of Ecology and Disease. The Colfe’s Biology Department guides pupils’ exploration of this enormous variety of life in a stimulating and engaging way. At Colfe’s, Biology is taught with a strong practical emphasis and pupils are therefore encouraged to ‘learn by doing’ as much as possible. Regular experiments therefore supplement and enhance the theories and concepts studied. Audio-visual aids are also widely employed using our interactive whiteboards and computer-linked projectors. All in all, we try to use as wide a variety of teaching methods as possible to stimulate our pupils in their exploration of Biology.
Biology is taught in three well-equipped laboratories each containing an interactive whiteboard , DVD and video facilities, and access to class sets of personal computers and laptops. "Biology students at Colfe’s have achieved great success at GCSE (in both separate Biology and as part of the Dual Award Science) and at A Level. Over the past 5 years, Colfe’s A level Biologists have achieved a 100% pass rate with an average of 72% of pupils gaining grades A*-B."
Each summer we take Year 12 pupils on the highly popular Biology Field Trip and enter selected Sixth Form biologists into the annual Biology Olympiad, run by the Institute of Biology. Over the last few years the department has run the Science Society, inviting guest speakers to present topics as diverse as sharks, carnage chemistry and biomedical sensors. During school hours there is also: the weekly 6 th Form Medical Society, which invites guest speakers to address prospective medics on a variety of related topics and also debates issues such as medical ethics; ‘The B Team’ Biology clinic where teachers and 6 th Form students are on hand to help younger pupils with their Biology; and Junior Science Club which explores many fun aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics such as making flubber, giant bubbles and magic magnets. In addition, Tarquin, the department’s Corn Snake, is always an attraction, especially at feeding times.
Click to download GCSE Course description (Word)
Click to download GCSE Course description (PDF)
Click to download A-Level Course description (Word)
Click to download A-Level Course description (PDF)