Topical revision checklist for AQA UK GCE A Level Biology — specification 7402. Track confidence for each topic and sub-topic; aligned to 2026 specification headings. Rate your confidence (1–5) for each specification topic.
| Topic | Sub-topic | Resources | Confidence (1–5) | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Biological molecules | Monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides; starch, glycogen, cellulose | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | Triglycerides, phospholipids; saturated vs unsaturated | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | Amino acids, primary to quaternary protein structure | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | DNA and RNA structure; base pairing | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | Water: dipolar, solvent, specific heat capacity | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | Inorganic ions: roles in organisms | ||||
| 1. Biological molecules | Enzymes: active site, induced fit, factors affecting rate | ||||
| 2. Cells | Ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells | ||||
| 2. Cells | Prokaryotes vs eukaryotes; viruses (introductory) | ||||
| 2. Cells | Mitosis and the cell cycle | ||||
| 2. Cells | Meiosis and genetic variation | ||||
| 2. Cells | Cell membranes: fluid mosaic; factors affecting permeability | ||||
| 2. Cells | Cell recognition and communication (introductory) | ||||
| 3. Exchange and transport | Surface area to volume ratio; gas exchange surfaces | ||||
| 3. Exchange and transport | Mass transport: haemoglobin, blood vessels | ||||
| 3. Exchange and transport | The heart and cardiac cycle | ||||
| 3. Exchange and transport | Water transport in plants: cohesion–tension | ||||
| 3. Exchange and transport | Translocation of assimilates | ||||
| 4. DNA, genes, and protein synthesis | DNA replication; semi-conservative model | ||||
| 4. DNA, genes, and protein synthesis | Transcription and translation | ||||
| 4. DNA, genes, and protein synthesis | Mutations: substitution, insertion, deletion | ||||
| 4. DNA, genes, and protein synthesis | Regulation of lac operon (introductory) | ||||
| 5. Energy transfers | Photosynthesis: light-dependent and light-independent reactions | ||||
| 5. Energy transfers | Respiration: glycolysis, link reaction, Krebs, ETC | ||||
| 5. Energy transfers | Anaerobic respiration in plants and animals | ||||
| 5. Energy transfers | Nitrogen cycle (as specified) | ||||
| 6. Response to environment | Nervous system: action potentials; synapses | ||||
| 6. Response to environment | Brain structure and function (introductory) | ||||
| 6. Response to environment | Muscle: sliding filament theory | ||||
| 6. Response to environment | Homeostasis: blood glucose — insulin and glucagon | ||||
| 6. Response to environment | Osmoregulation: kidneys overview | ||||
| 7. Genetics and ecosystems | Hardy–Weinberg (as specified) | ||||
| 7. Genetics and ecosystems | Speciation: allopatric and sympatric | ||||
| 7. Genetics and ecosystems | Ecosystems: energy transfer; productivity | ||||
| 7. Genetics and ecosystems | Nutrient cycles: carbon, nitrogen | ||||
| 7. Genetics and ecosystems | Population ecology; competition | ||||
| 8. Gene expression (A Level) | Epigenetic regulation; methylation | ||||
| 8. Gene expression (A Level) | Cancer as gene malfunction | ||||
| 8. Gene expression (A Level) | Recombinant DNA technology; PCR, electrophoresis | ||||
| 8. Gene expression (A Level) | Genome projects; bioinformatics (introductory) |
Use with our Past Paper Finder for exam practice. Always cross-check topic coverage with your school’s route and the official board specification.
Quick answers about this free revision checklist, how to use it for exam prep, and how it relates to the official syllabus.
This revision checklist mirrors the official AQA UK GCE A Level Biology 7402 syllabus for the 2026 examination series. Every topic and sub-topic on the page is taken from the published syllabus document, so working through the list in order gives you full coverage of what your exam can assess. For the authoritative version, always cross-check with the latest syllabus PDF on your exam board's website before your final revision push.
The number of top-level topic groups varies by subject, but you can see the exact count on this page — each major heading in the checklist corresponds to one syllabus topic group, and each row below it is a syllabus-level sub-topic. Use the confidence column (1–5) to flag which sub-topics need more work, and re-score yourself weekly to track real progress instead of guessing.
12–16 weeks of focused revision, working through one topic group per week with weekly past-paper practice, is a realistic target for most A Level students. Use this checklist to plan your weeks: filter by topics you have rated 1–3 and spend your first revision block there. Subjects with heavy practical or extended-writing components (e.g. sciences, English) need more past-paper time in the final block than the topic-by-topic phase.
Revise in roughly the order the syllabus lists the topics — exam boards build later topics on earlier ones, so taking them in syllabus order avoids gaps. Once you have rated every topic, switch to weakest-first: filter the checklist by confidence ≤ 2 and prioritise those topics in your next study block. This is more effective than re-revising topics you already score 4–5 on.
You can find past papers and mark schemes via Tutopiya's Past Paper Finder and on your exam board's official site. Once you have rated each sub-topic on this checklist, attempt past-paper questions on your weakest topics first — practising under timed conditions is the single best predictor of exam performance, more so than re-reading notes.
Use the Download CSV or Print PDF button at the bottom of the checklist. CSV opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets so you can sort by confidence and re-arrange revision order. The PDF is print-ready for offline use. A free Tutopiya account is required for download — this also unlocks the matching topic resources, notes and worked examples on the Learning Portal.
Yes, the checklist itself is free — you can view, score and re-score every topic on this page without an account. The CSV / PDF downloads and access to matching Tutopiya Learning Portal resources require a free account. There is no payment required at any point; teachers and parents can also use this checklist freely with their students.
Yes. The topics and sub-topics on this page are drawn from the current 2026 AQA UK GCE A Level Biology 7402 specification published by AQA. Exam boards occasionally tweak weighting or assessment structure mid-cycle, so do a quick sanity-check against the official syllabus PDF when you start your revision and again 4 weeks before the exam.