National 5 Biology

National 5 Biology

The National 5 Biology Course covers major areas of biology including cellular, whole organism and ecosystems. The key areas of biodiversity, interdependence, body systems and cells and inheritance are developed through the Course.

Biology homepage

 

 


Mandatory information

Course Specification

This explains the overall structure of the Course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.

 

 

Course Assessment Specification

This explains the structure of the Course assessment; including the type and method of assessment. It also includes information on Course coverage.

Unit Specifications

These provide an outline of what each Unit will cover within the Course and detail the Outcomes and Assessment Standards.

 

 

Advice and guidance

Course and Unit Support Notes

These provide advice and guidance for teachers/lecturers on learning, teaching and assessment within the Course and its Units.

The following document contains the Course Support Notes and the Unit Support Notes for this Course. They can be printed together or separately.

Assessment support

Past Papers and Marking Instructions

Past papers are copies of exams that have been used in previous years. They can be used to help candidates revise for the live question paper.

Specimen and Exemplar Question Papers and Marking Instructions

These illustrate the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers learners will sit. These also include marking instructions.

Hodder Education have produced sets of additional model papers that include copies of our Specimen Question Papers. These are available to buy now.

The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) have also produced National 5 Revision in a Nutshell documents to help learners prepare for National 5 exams.

Coursework information

General assessment information provides instructions for the conduct of coursework, an overview of the assessment task, evidence to be gathered and general marking instructions.

Coursework assessment tasks provide the live assessment task, including marking instructions and instructions for candidates. Teachers/lecturers can access these confidential documents through their SQA Co-ordinator.

Submitting Coursework

Information on the production and submission of SQA-assessed coursework for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.

Producing and Submitting Coursework

 

Unit Assessment Support

These documents contain details of Unit assessment task(s), show approaches to gathering evidence and how the evidence can be judged against the Outcomes and Assessment Standards. Teachers/lecturers can arrange access to these confidential documents through their SQA Co-ordinator.

 

Understanding Standards materials

We are publishing examples of candidate evidence with commentaries as part of our Understanding Standards programme. These materials are for teachers and lecturers to help them develop their understanding of the standards required for assessment. As these materials become available, they are being published in the following locations:

  • Available from our secure website Materials relating to Unit assessment, internally assessed components of Course assessment, and externally assessed components of Course assessment which are subject to visiting assessment. Teachers and lecturers can arrange access to these materials through their SQA Co-ordinator.
  • Available from our Understanding Standards website Materials relating to externally assessed components of Course assessment, with the exception of those subject to visiting assessment.

More information on our Understanding Standards programme, can be found on our Understanding Standards page.

 

Verification and Course Reports

Essential information

Course Specification

This explains the overall structure of the Course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.

Assessment

Past Papers and Marking Instructions

Past papers are copies of exams that have been used in previous years. They can be used to help candidates revise for the live question paper.

Coursework

This section provides information on marking instructions and/or the coursework assessment task(s). It includes information that centres need to administer coursework and must be read in conjunction with the course specification.


Resources

Understanding Standards

There is a range of material available, including examples of candidate evidence with commentaries, as part of our Understanding Standards programme. This material is for teachers and lecturers to help them develop their understanding of the standards required for assessment. As new material is developed we will publish this information in our weekly Centre News. All material available can be found in the following locations:

  • Available from our Understanding Standards website Material relating to externally assessed components of course assessment, with the exception of those subject to visiting assessment.
  • Available from our secure website Material relating to internally assessed components of course assessment, and components of course assessment which are subject to visiting assessment. In addition, material relating to freestanding units which are no longer part of National 5 courses can be found on this website. Teachers and lecturers can arrange access to these materials through their SQA Co-ordinator.

More information on Understanding Standards material for this subject can be found on our Understanding Standards website at http://www.understandingstandards.org.uk/Subjects/Biology

CPD webinar/audio and support

The National 5 webinar provides a detailed overview of the revised course assessment for this subject.

National 5 Biology 15 June 2017

Additional CPD support

Where any particular areas of concern are identified, which are not addressed by our Understanding Standards events or support materials, we will offer free continuing professional development (CPD) training, subject to request. CPD support is subject-specific and can be tailored to cover one or more qualification level. To find out more about this service visit our CPD page.

National 5 Biology Assignment SSERC Resources

SSERC, in partnership with SQA, have produced teacher/technician guides that provide background information to teachers/lecturers. Candidate guides containing protocols have also been produced. These are available via the following link:

National 5 Biology Assignment SSERC Resources