Topical revision checklist for AQA UK GCSE (9–1) Biology — specification 8461. Track confidence for each topic and sub-topic; aligned to 2026 specification headings. Rate your confidence (1–5) for each specification topic.
Start from the official AQA GCSE resource page (notes, videos, practice questions, AI quizzes), or open this subject’s topic dashboard and past papers. Below are portal links for each AQA GCSE course we host (also listed in our Past Paper Finder).
| Topic | Sub-topic | Resources | Confidence (1–5) | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cell biology | Eukaryotes vs prokaryotes; animal vs plant cells | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Specialised cells: sperm, egg, nerve, muscle, root hair, xylem, phloem | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Microscopy: magnification and resolution; staining | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Mitosis: growth, repair, asexual reproduction | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Meiosis: gametes; genetic variation (introductory) | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Diffusion: factors affecting rate; examples in cells | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Osmosis: water potential; plant and animal cells in solutions | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Active transport: root hair cells, gut epithelium | ||||
| 1. Cell biology | Stem cells: meristems, bone marrow; medical uses and ethics | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Digestive system: enzymes, pH, bile, villi structure | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Lock-and-key model; factors affecting enzyme activity | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Heart structure; double circulation; valves | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Blood vessels: structure related to function | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Blood components: plasma, red cells, white cells, platelets | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Coronary heart disease: causes and lifestyle | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes; diet and exercise | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Plant tissues: epidermis, palisade, spongy mesophyll, xylem, phloem | ||||
| 2. Organisation | Transpiration and translocation (introductory) | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Spread of disease: droplets, water, vectors, direct contact | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Body defences: skin, stomach acid, mucus, white blood cells | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Vaccination: herd immunity; MMR and other examples | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Antibiotics vs antivirals; antibiotic resistance | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Drug development: preclinical, clinical trials, double-blind | ||||
| 3. Infection and response | Monoclonal antibodies: pregnancy tests, cancer treatment (Higher) | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Photosynthesis: word and symbol equations; light-dependent and light-independent overview | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Limiting factors: light, CO2, temperature | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Rate of photosynthesis investigations (required practical) | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Aerobic respiration: glucose + oxygen → energy + CO2 + water | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Anaerobic respiration in muscles and yeast | ||||
| 4. Bioenergetics | Exercise: respiration, oxygen debt, recovery | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Nervous system: CNS, neurones, synapses | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Reflex arc: receptor, coordinator, effector | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | The eye: accommodation, pupil reflex (Higher) | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Endocrine system: hormones vs nerves | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Blood glucose: insulin and glucagon | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Menstrual cycle: FSH, LH, oestrogen, progesterone (Higher) | ||||
| 5. Homeostasis and response | Plant hormones: auxin, phototropism, weedkillers (Higher) | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | DNA structure; genes, chromosomes, genome | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Sexual vs asexual reproduction; advantages | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Mitosis vs meiosis in inheritance | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Monohybrid crosses; Punnett squares; key terms | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Inherited disorders: cystic fibrosis, sickle cell (examples) | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Variation: genetic, environmental, combined | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Natural selection: Darwin’s finches, antibiotic resistance | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Evolution and speciation | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Selective breeding in agriculture and pets | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Genetic engineering: insulin production; GM crops; ethics | ||||
| 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution | Cloning (introductory) | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Communities, populations, habitats; abiotic and biotic factors | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Sampling: random, systematic; estimating population size | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Food chains and webs; pyramids of numbers and biomass | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Energy transfer between trophic levels; efficiency | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Carbon cycle; water cycle (introductory) | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Biodiversity and human threats: deforestation, pollution, climate change | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Conservation: protected areas, breeding programmes, legal protection | ||||
| 7. Ecology | Nutrient cycles: nitrogen (Higher) |
Use with our Past Paper Finder for exam practice. Always cross-check topic coverage with your school’s route and the official board specification.