GCSE Biology tutors
17 UK tutors who teach Biology at GCSE. £15–£150/hr · median £40
Biology covers cells, physiology, genetics, ecology and evolution from KS3 through GCSE (combined or triple), A-level and Pre-U. The volume of content is the headline challenge: students who 'get' biology often still lose marks on exam technique, command words, and the required practicals. Tutoring earns its keep on the maths-in-biology strand (statistical tests, log graphs, rate calculations) which routinely surprises A-level students, and on essay-style synoptic questions where boards differ (AQA's 25-mark essay, OCR's extended-response). For medicine applicants, look for tutors who can extend into UCAT-relevant reasoning and BMAT-style problem-solving where still required.
GCSE biology has the lightest maths requirement of the three sciences at a 10 per cent assessment weighting, and the largest volume of content to hold in memory. Marks are lost mostly on precision of language: the difference between "the enzyme dies" and "the enzyme denatures" is a mark, and examiners are strict about it. Required practicals are assessed in the written papers. Most tutoring here works on extended six-mark answers, where students who know the material still lose marks by writing a list rather than a linked explanation.
GCSEs are sat in Year 11 (age 15-16), with most students taking 8-10 subjects. They're the main UK school qualification at 16: the 9-1 graded exams that drive sixth-form admission, apprenticeship eligibility, and (via maths and English at grade 4 or 5) university and many job prerequisites. Tutoring demand peaks here. The biggest grade gains tend to come from exam-paper technique rather than further content. Students often know more than they show. Boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, WJEC, CIE) diverge on content and assessment, so tutor familiarity with the specific spec is meaningful in most subjects.
89.6% got grade 4 or above in 2026 across the UK (JCQ). Exam boards, dates and past papers
Luke P.
Friendly GCSE Maths and Science tutor, 10+ years of experience. Experienced in helping students with neurodiversity and SEN, ADHD and ASD.
- Maths
- Combined Science
- Science
- +4 more
- SpLD
- Autism
- ADHD & EF
- +1 more
About the GCSE Biology exam
Which exam board?
Your child's school will know which board they sit.
AQA · 8461 Specification
Exam dates, summer 2027
- Tuesday, 11 May 2027 Paper 1, morning
- Thursday, 10 June 2027 Paper 2, morning
Past papers, June 2025
Higher tier
- Paper 1 Question paper Mark scheme Examiners' report
- Paper 2 Question paper Mark scheme Examiners' report
Foundation tier
- Paper 1 Question paper Mark scheme Examiners' report
- Paper 2 Question paper Mark scheme Examiners' report
Grade boundaries, every series
Grade boundaries
| Series | Tier | Grade 4 | Grade 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | Higher | 52/200 26% | 107/200 54% |
| June 2026 | Foundation | 127/200 64% | Not on this tier |
| June 2025 | Higher | 56/200 28% | 113/200 57% |
| June 2025 | Foundation | 121/200 61% | Not on this tier |
The total marks needed across all the papers. From AQA GCSE grade boundaries, June 2026 and AQA GCSE grade boundaries, June 2025.
How students do
Share of UK entries who got grade 4 or above, and who got grade 7 or above, all boards.
- 2019 89.7%·42.4%
- 2020 94.6%·52.7%
- 2021 94.2%·56%
- 2022 92%·50%
- 2023 89.6%·42.4%
- 2024 89.3%·42.2%
- 2025 89.4%·43.5%
- 2026 89.6%·43.6%
2020 and 2021 were teacher-assessed grades, which is why they run higher. All ages, including students resitting. From GCSE (full course) results summer, all UK candidates.
Read up before you book
Plain-English guides
About Biology
What Biology covers across UK levels, where tutoring usually helps, and what to look for in a tutor.
About GCSE
Year groups, exam timing, and how GCSE fits into the UK qualification ladder.
Exam boards
AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA, SQA (now Qualifications Scotland) and Cambridge International: what each is known for.
Also explore