Extra Curricular
Clubs
As with all the Sciences at Borlase, there is a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved in STEM clubs and Societies with a Biology focus. For students in Years 11-13, BioSoc meets weekly. This student-led academic society brings in external speakers to showcase their specialist knowledge as well as providing a platform for senior Borlase students to show work they have done, perhaps towards an Extended Project.
For younger years, our senior students run a Key Stage 3 Science club that focuses on all the sciences. This provides the opportunity to try out a wider range of experiments than is possible in lesson time. Biologists also lead an annual egg hatching project: Borlase hens now live happy lives in the Oxfordshire, Bucks, Berks and Cornwall countryside!
Every year there are a range of Biology-themed projects entered into the STEM fayre. The pictures below give a flavour of some of the entries.
In early February, 19 A-Level Biology students from across Year 12 and 13 sat the British Biology Olympiad. This is a national competition sat by over 15,000 students from across over 900 schools and consists of two 45 minute multiple choice papers. The papers test both the A-Level knowledge and wider reading of students.
Our students did exceptionally well, with the majority of them achieving an award in the competition:
5 Gold Awards
1 Silver Award
5 Bronze Awards
4 Highly Commended
3 Commended
Trips and visits
The Biology department organises regular trips and visits in support of the curriculum. Recent trips include an A level trip to a Biology in Action conference and Year 12 fieldwork undertaken at Kew's Wakehurst site.
