Learning is but an adjunct to ourself. (Berowne in Love’s Labour Lost)
William Shakespeare, (1564 – 1616), poet and playwright
A level Biology practical courses at Greene's
There are five A level Biology practical courses to chose from.
An A level & AS foundation practical course of four sessions suitable for people who have little or no experience of working in a laboratory or who need a refresher on laboratory techniques and the correct and safe use of laboratory equipment and materials. This is a course designed to help prepare the groundwork for the twelve assessed practicals required to achieve the A level practical endorsement.
The foundation course is strongly recommended for students who have not studied A level science before; who are unsure of their A level Biology practical skills; and who need to pass their A level practical endorsement first time.
An A level (year 1) and AS starter practical course of six practicals for either as part of the practical endorsement required for the full Biology A level qualification or to help prepare the Biology AS qualification CIE exam.
An A level (year 2) completer practical course consisting of a second set of six practicals to complete the practical endorsement required for the Biology A level qualification.
Intensive spring A level practical endorsement course – An alternative one week intensive course in Oxford if you are unable to come to Greene’s on a regular weekly basis. Success on these intensive courses requires considerable pre-course preparation as well as a pre-course assessment.
CIE A level intensive practical exam preparation course – A one week intensive course in Oxford to help you prepare for the unit 3 CIE Biology A level science practical exam. The course cover topics and methods that are specific to the CIE exam board and which are required for success in the practical exam – such as microscopy which is a compulsory element of the exam.
The table below may help you select the right course(s):
| Examination board: | Experimental competency | AS | A level | Practical endorsement |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA | CIE | Edexcel | OCR | WJEC | |||||
| Foundation course (A level and AS) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Starter course (A level year 1 & AS) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Completer course (A level year 2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Intensive practical endorsement course | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Intensive CIE preparation course | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
A level Biology practicals course tutor: Dr Saif Bham
A level Biology practicals at Greene’s are taught and led by Dr Saif Bham. Saif has been running Biology A level practicals at Greene’s for the last two years. He is a passionate tutor and keen scientific researcher – even building his own artificial coral reef. Saif has a B.Sc in Biochemistry from the University of Manchester and a D.Phil in Medical Oncology from University of Oxford. One of his specialities is microscopy.
A level Biology practicals at Greene’s
Saif describes A level Biology practicals in the following way:
Practical sessions in Biology allow you to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and their real world applications. It is a powerful method of reinforcing your understanding of the science, and facilitates the development of a wide range of practical skills which will undoubtedly be useful should you choose to pursue a science based course in higher education.
To apply to attend a Biology practical course please complete our online application.
If you would like to contact us before applying you are welcome to do so using the enquiry form below.