Assessment for National 4/5
To achieve the Biology (National 4/5) Course, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit. National 4 courses will be internally assessed by teachers and graded as pass/fail. In National 5 courses, learners will draw on and extend the skills they have learned during the Course. These will be assessed within a question paper and a Coursework assessment, requiring demonstration of the breadth of knowledge and skills acquired from across the Units in unfamiliar contexts and/or integrated ways. All assessment grades will be subject to external verification.
The Course has four mandatory Units including an added value unit at National 4.
Biology: Cell Biology (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will develop knowledge and skills and carry out practical and other learning activities related to study and investigation of the cell. This will include cell structure and processes within cells, such as transport, photosynthesis and respiration, as well as DNA, protein and biotechnology.
Biology: Multicellular Organisms (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will develop knowledge, skills and carry out practical and other learning activities related to study and investigation of whole organisms. This will include a comparative approach to the study of plants and animals, through areas such as reproduction and inheritance, the need for transport within organisms, digestion and associated enzymes, control and communication, and health.
Biology: Life on Earth (National 4/5)
In this Unit, learners will develop knowledge and skills and carry out practical and other learning activities related to the study and investigation of life on Earth. This will include world ecosystems, evolution, natural selection and competition, behaviour, biodiversity, decay, recycling, microorganisms, and ethical issues.
Added Value Unit
Courses from National 4 to Advanced Higher include assessment of added value. At National 4, added value will be assessed in an Added Value Unit. The Added Value Unit will address the key purposes and aims of the Course as defined in the Course Rationale. It will do this by addressing one or more of breadth, challenge or application. In this Course, the Added Value Unit will focus on breadth and application. Learners will draw on and extend the skills they have learned during the Course. This will be assessed through a project and a test. These will offer opportunities to demonstrate the breadth of knowledge and skills acquired from across the other Units, in unfamiliar contexts and/or integrated ways.
Conditions of award
To achieve the Biology (National 4/5) Course, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit at National 4 level.
Further details of units and course content can be obtained from
www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence.
Progression
Passing National 5 Biology with a grade of B or better may provide progression to:
- Higher Human Biology
- Higher in another Science Subject
- further study, employment or training
