Course Information

CfE Advanced Higher Biology (level 7) consists of 32 SCQF credit points. The course is divided into 3 topics, each further sub-divided into multiple Key Areas:

• Topic 1 - Cells and Proteins

  • Key Area 1 - Laboratory techniques for biologists

  • Key Area 2 - Proteins

  • Key Area 3 - Membrane Proteins

  • Key Area 4 - Communication and signalling

  • Key Area 5 - Protein control of cell division 

  • Revision of Topic 1 Key Areas

• Topic 2 - Evolution and Organisms

  • Key Area 1 - Field techniques for biologists

  • Key Area 2 - Evolution

  • Key Area 3 - Variation and sexual reproduction

  • Key Area 4 - Sex and behaviour

  • Key Area 5 - Parasitism

• Topic 3 - Investigative Biology

  • Key Area 1 - Scientific principles and process

  • Key Area 2 - Experimentation

  • Key Area 3 - Reporting and critical evaluation of biological research

I have included a range of Revision Materials for the AH Biology Curriculum.

Course Assessment

The course assessment has two components:

1. Question Paper (3 hours) of 100 marks - this is scaled to 120

2. Project worth 30 marks - scaled to 40 marks (worth 25% of your overall grade).

Resources via The Biology Coach

The mandatory learning of the CfE Advanced Higher Biology course will be presented in this section of the site. I will, as I always do, begin with Topic 3, to ensure you have the necessary grounding to begin your projects.

In addition, several tasks to support your understanding will be provided, which I encourage you to try as you progress through the notes. These will appear in grey boxes.

At times, I will also provide a link to videos that are useful to support your learning - these will be shown by pink boxes.

Finally, sometimes links to my own YouTube videos will be available to talk through particular areas in a bit more detail.

All exam questions have been taken from past examination papers published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

References

Many of the images used throughout the Advanced Higher Biology pages have been obtained from SCHOLAR booklets or from materials produced by SSERC. 

AH Biology Topic 3 SCHOLAR Booklet:  Smith, B. and Campbell, D. (2016), SCHOLAR Guide: CfE Advanced Higher Biology Unit 3, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Available from https://scholar.hw.ac.uk/  [accessed on 06.04.20]

Ruxton, G.D. and Stafford, J. (2015), Statistics for School Biology Experiments and Advanced Higher Projects, Dunfermline, SSERC.

SSERC (2018a), Safety in Microbiology: A code of practice for Scottish schools and colleges (4th edition), available from https://www.sserc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SSERC-Safety_in_Microbiology_Code_of_Practice.pdf  [accessed on 21.04.20]

SSERC (2018b), Materials of living origin - Educational uses: A code of practice for Scottish schools and colleges (4th edication), available from https://www.sserc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SSERC-Materials_of_Living_Origin_Code_of_Practice.pdf , [accessed on 21.04.20].

SSERC (2018c), Risk Assessment Template, available from https://www.sserc.org.uk/health-safety/chemistry-health-safety/chemistry-hs-background/chemistry-risk-assessment/  [accessed on 21.04.20].

SSERC (2013), Dopa Oxidase, SSERC Bulletin 242, page 8-10.

Past examination paper questions have been taken from:

SQA (2020), Past papers and marking instructions, available from https://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm?subject=Biology&level=NAH  [accessed on 17.04.20]