Edexcel | GCSE Biology | Paper 1 | 2025 predictions
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Get ready to smash your Edexcel GCSE Biology Paper 1 with our 2025 Predicted Papers! 🧪📚
Last year, we nearly predicted EVERY single topic correctly! 🔥🎯 And this year, we’ve analysed all the trends and patterns again to bring you:
✅ Exam-style questions designed to match the real thing 📝
✅ Mark schemes so you know exactly how to score top marks ✅
✅ NEW for 2025 🎥 FREE video walkthroughs showing you how to write answers the way examiners love! 🏆
Want even MORE support? 🎯 Join our Masterclasses to get:
🌟 Access to our Revision Accelerator Course over the school holidays 🚀
🌟 Live exam prep sessions the night before your exam for that final confidence boost! 🎧📢
We’ve done the hard work, but don’t forget—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💡💪
Ready to boost your grade? Grab your predicted papers & masterclass spot
You’ve got this! 🌟💖
Table of Contents
Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Higher | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Biology Higher Paper 1! 🔬✨ We’ve carefully analysed trends, but remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💡📚
🦠 Cell Structure & Specialised Cells
✅ Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic cells – key differences (nucleus, organelles)
✅ Specialised cells & adaptations:
Sperm cell – tail for swimming, mitochondria for energy
Nerve cell – long with branches to send signals quickly
Root hair cell – large surface area for water absorption
✅ Functions of cell organelles – nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, etc.
⚡ Enzymes
✅ Lock and key theory – enzyme fits perfectly with its substrate
✅ Factors affecting enzyme activity:
Temperature & pH – too high or too low can denature enzymes
Substrate concentration – increases rate until saturation point
✅ Digestive enzymes:Amylase → starch → glucose
Protease → protein → amino acids
Lipase → fats → fatty acids + glycerol
🧠 The Brain & Imaging
✅ Key parts of the brain & functions:
Cerebrum – thinking, memory, emotions
Cerebellum – balance and coordination
Medulla – heartbeat and breathing
✅ Brain imaging techniques:MRI scans – detect brain damage & diseases
CT scans – 3D images of the brain structure
🔬 Microscopy
✅ Light vs. Electron microscopes – resolution, magnification, and what they show
✅ How to calculate magnification:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ How to prepare a slide – staining cells to see structures clearly
🧬 Inheritance, Sex Determination & Sex-Linkage
✅ Chromosomes:
XX = female
XY = male (Y chromosome determines male characteristics)
✅ Sex-linked conditions – some genes (e.g. for colour blindness & haemophilia) are carried on the X chromosome
✅ How to use Punnett squares to predict inheritance
🦴 Fossils & Human Evolution
✅ How fossils form:
Mineral replacement
Preserved in ice, amber, or peat
✅ Human evolution:Homo habilis – first tool users
Homo erectus – walked upright
Homo sapiens – modern humans
✅ Fossil evidence shows how species have changed over time
🐶 Selective Breeding
✅ Humans choose parents with desirable traits
✅ Used for:
Farming – high-yield crops, disease-resistant livestock
Pets – dogs with gentle temperaments
✅ Risks – inbreeding causes health problems & reduces genetic variation
🧬 Cloning
✅ Types of cloning:
Tissue culture – growing plants from a few cells
Embryo transplants – splitting an embryo to produce clones
Adult cell cloning – nucleus transfer (e.g. Dolly the sheep)
✅ Advantages & risks:Good for conservation & medicine
Reduces genetic diversity
🌱 Sexual & Asexual Reproduction
✅ Sexual reproduction – genetic variation, slower process
✅ Asexual reproduction – identical offspring, fast process
✅ Examples:
Bacteria & fungi reproduce asexually
Plants can do both! (e.g. strawberries use runners)
🦠 Aseptic Technique Practical
✅ Why it’s important: Prevents contamination from bacteria
✅ Steps:
Sterilise equipment (flaming inoculating loop)
Seal Petri dish (to prevent unwanted bacteria growth)
Incubate at 25°C (prevents harmful bacterial growth)
💊 Drug Trials
✅ Stages of drug testing:
Preclinical trials – tested on cells & animals
Clinical trials (Phase 1-3) – tested on humans
Double-blind trials – patients don’t know if they have the real drug or a placebo
✅ Why blind trials are important? – Removes bias and increases reliability
🦠 Monoclonal Antibodies
✅ How they are made:
Fuse a B-lymphocyte (white blood cell) with a tumour cell
Creates a hybridoma cell that produces monoclonal antibodies
✅ Uses of monoclonal antibodies:Treating cancer
Pregnancy tests
Detecting diseases
🦟 Malaria
✅ Caused by a protist (Plasmodium), spread by mosquitoes
✅ How to prevent malaria:
Using mosquito nets
Draining stagnant water
Using antimalarial drugs
💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!
🔥 These topics are predicted, but the exam could include anything—so revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers and use mark schemes to learn how examiners award points!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel confident! 🎧📢
💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your mental health matters more. Take breaks, eat well, and remember—you are so much more than your grades! 💪✨
👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot
Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Higher | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Biology Higher Paper 1! 🔬✨ These topics are likely to appear, but remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💪📚
🦠 Cell Structure & Specialised Cells
✅ Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells – key differences (nucleus, organelles)
✅ Specialised cells & adaptations:
Sperm cell – tail for movement, mitochondria for energy
Nerve cell – long with branches for fast signal transmission
Root hair cell – large surface area for water absorption
✅ Functions of organelles – nucleus (DNA), mitochondria (energy), ribosomes (protein synthesis)
⚡ Enzymes
✅ Lock and Key Theory – enzyme fits perfectly with its substrate
✅ Factors affecting enzyme activity:
Temperature & pH – too high or too low can denature enzymes
Substrate concentration – increases reaction rate until enzymes become saturated
✅ Digestive enzymes:Amylase → starch → glucose
Protease → protein → amino acids
Lipase → fats → fatty acids + glycerol
🔬 Microscopy
✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes – resolution, magnification, and what they show
✅ How to calculate magnification:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ How to prepare a slide – staining cells to see structures clearly
🧬 Inheritance & Sex Determination
✅ Chromosomes:
XX = female
XY = male (Y chromosome triggers male characteristics)
✅ Dominant vs. Recessive Alleles – dominant only needs one copy to be expressed
✅ Using Punnett Squares to predict inheritance of traits
🧬 Gene Therapy
✅ What is it? – Replacing faulty genes with healthy ones to treat genetic diseases
✅ Examples:
Treating cystic fibrosis by inserting a normal CFTR gene
Used in cancer treatment to target cancer cells
✅ Challenges & risks:Difficult to insert genes in the right place
Expensive and still being developed
🦴 Fossils & Human Evolution
✅ How fossils form:
Mineral replacement
Preserved in ice, amber, or peat
✅ Human evolution:Homo habilis – early tool users
Homo erectus – walked upright
Homo sapiens – modern humans
✅ Fossil evidence shows how species have changed over time
🐶 Selective Breeding
✅ Humans choose parents with desirable traits
✅ Used for:
Farming – high-yield crops, disease-resistant livestock
Pets – dogs with gentle temperaments
✅ Risks:Inbreeding can cause genetic disorders
Reduced genetic variation makes species more vulnerable to disease
💊 Drug Development
✅ Stages of Drug Testing:
Preclinical trials – tested on cells & animals
Clinical trials (Phase 1-3) – tested on humans
Double-blind trials – some patients get the real drug, others get a placebo
✅ Why blind trials are important? – Removes bias and increases reliability
🦟 Malaria
✅ Caused by a protist (Plasmodium), spread by mosquitoes
✅ Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, muscle pain
✅ How to prevent malaria:
Using mosquito nets
Draining stagnant water
Using antimalarial drugs
💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!
🔥 These topics are predicted, but the exam could include anything—so revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers and use mark schemes to learn how examiners award points!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel confident! 🎧📢
💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your mental health matters more. Take breaks, eat well, and remember—you are so much more than your grades! 💪✨
👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot
Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Foundation | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Biology Foundation Paper 1! 🔬✨ These are key topics we think might come up, so make sure you’re confident with them! But remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💪📚
🦠 Specialised Cells
✅ Cells are adapted for specific functions
✅ Examples:
Sperm cell – has a tail to swim to the egg, lots of mitochondria for energy
Nerve cell – long to send electrical signals quickly
Root hair cell – large surface area to absorb more water and minerals
✅ Why do we need specialised cells? – Different jobs in the body require different structures
🔬 Microscopes & Magnification (Including Practical Techniques)
✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes – electron microscopes have higher magnification and resolution
✅ Magnification formula:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ Practical techniques:
Place a thin specimen on a slide
Add stain (e.g. iodine) to highlight structures
Lower coverslip carefully to avoid air bubbles
🧬 DNA & Inheritance (Including Sex-Determination & Inherited Diseases)
✅ DNA carries genetic information – found in the nucleus in chromosomes
✅ Sex-determination:
XX = female
XY = male (Y chromosome triggers male characteristics)
✅ Inherited diseases:Cystic fibrosis – caused by a faulty recessive allele (needs two copies to be inherited)
Polydactyly – caused by a dominant allele (only needs one copy)
🦴 Fossils & Evolution
✅ How fossils form:
Hard parts of organisms (bones, shells) are replaced by minerals over time
Some fossils are trapped in ice, amber, or peat
✅ Why are fossils important? – They provide evidence of how life has changed over time
✅ Evolution by natural selection:Mutations cause variation
Organisms with the best adaptations survive and reproduce
Over time, these traits become more common in the population
🧠 The Nervous System
✅ How it works:
Stimulus (e.g. touching something hot) is detected by a receptor
Signal travels through sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone
Effector (e.g. muscle) responds, moving hand away
✅ Why are reflexes important? – They are fast and automatic to protect us from harm
🌱 Selective Breeding & Genetic Modification
✅ Selective breeding:
Humans choose parents with desirable traits to breed together
Used for faster-growing crops, disease-resistant animals, pets with certain features
Risk: inbreeding can lead to health problems
✅ Genetic modification (GM):
Changing an organism’s DNA to give it new traits
Example: Making crops resistant to pests
Benefits: Better yields, disease resistance
Concerns: Ethical issues, long-term effects on the environment
💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!
🔥 These topics are predicted, but remember—revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers to get used to the types of questions that come up!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel exam-ready! 🎧📢
💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exam stress is real, but your grades do not define your worth. Take breaks, eat well, and believe in yourself—you’ve got this! 💪✨
👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot here
Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Foundation | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Separate Science Biology Foundation Paper 1! 🔬✨ We’ve carefully selected key topics, but remember—revise everything just in case! 💪📚
🦠 Specialised Cells
✅ Cells have adaptations to help them do their job
✅ Examples:
Sperm cell – tail for swimming, lots of mitochondria for energy
Nerve cell – long to quickly send electrical signals
Root hair cell – large surface area for absorbing water and minerals
✅ Why do we need specialised cells? – Different jobs in the body require different structures
🔬 Microscopes & Magnification (Including Practical Techniques)
✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes:
Light microscopes – lower magnification, can view living cells
Electron microscopes – much higher magnification, shows more detail but can only view dead specimens
✅ Magnification formula:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ Practical steps:Place a thin specimen on a slide
Add stain (e.g. iodine) to highlight cell structures
Lower the coverslip carefully to avoid air bubbles
🧬 DNA & Inheritance (Including Sex-Determination & Inherited Diseases)
✅ DNA stores genetic information – found in chromosomes in the nucleus
✅ Sex determination:
XX = female
XY = male (the Y chromosome determines male traits)
✅ Inherited diseases:Cystic fibrosis – caused by a recessive allele (needs two copies to be inherited)
Polydactyly – caused by a dominant allele (only needs one copy)
🦴 Fossils & Evolution
✅ How fossils form:
Hard parts (bones, shells) are replaced by minerals
Some fossils are trapped in ice, amber, or peat
✅ Why are fossils important? – They show how species have changed over time
✅ Evolution by natural selection:Mutations create variation
The best-adapted organisms survive and reproduce
Over generations, new species can develop
🧠 The Nervous System
✅ How it works:
Receptors detect a stimulus (e.g. touching something hot)
Signal travels through sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone
The effector (muscle or gland) responds
✅ Why are reflexes important? – They are fast and automatic to protect us from harm
🌱 Selective Breeding & Genetic Modification
✅ Selective breeding:
Humans choose parents with desirable traits
Used for bigger crops, disease-resistant animals, friendly pets
Risk: inbreeding can cause health problems
✅ Genetic modification (GM):
Changing an organism’s DNA to improve it
Example: GM crops that resist pests
Benefits: Higher yields, disease resistance
Concerns: Ethical issues, unknown long-term effects
🥩 Food Tests (Separate Science Only)
✅ Benedict’s test (sugars): Turns blue → brick red if sugar is present
✅ Iodine test (starch): Turns brown/orange → blue/black if starch is present
✅ Biuret test (protein): Turns blue → purple if protein is present
✅ Sudan III (lipids): Forms a red layer on top if lipids (fats) are present
🌿 Plant Diseases & Aseptic Technique (Separate Science Only)
✅ Plant diseases:
Caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses & pests
Examples: Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), rose black spot, aphid infestations
✅ How to identify plant diseases:Discolouration, spots, stunted growth
Using testing kits & lab analysis
✅ Aseptic technique practical:Prevents contamination of bacteria cultures
-
Steps:
Sterilise equipment (e.g. flame the inoculating loop)
Seal Petri dish to prevent other bacteria from getting in
Incubate at 25°C (prevents growth of harmful bacteria)
💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!
🔥 These topics are predicted, but remember—revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers to get used to the types of questions that come up!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel exam-ready! 🎧📢
💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your grades do not define your worth. Take breaks, eat well, and believe in yourself—you’ve got this! 💪✨
👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot
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