Edexcel GCSE Biology past papers
Official past papers and mark schemes for Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) are free from Pearson Edexcel. We link to them rather than copy them, so you always get the board's own, up-to-date files.
Where to find the official papers
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE Sciences (2016) course materials Choose Biology and the Exam materials category for papers, mark schemes and examiner reports.
- Pearson past papers search Search by qualification, subject and exam series. Papers with a padlock are for teachers only.
Look for these paper codes: 1BI0/1F and 1BI0/1H (Paper 1), 1BI0/2F and 1BI0/2H (Paper 2).
Pearson says only teachers can open the most recent papers, from roughly the last year, so schools can use them as mocks. Ask your teacher if the newest series is locked. Clock it with SCI is not affiliated with Pearson Edexcel and does not host any past papers.
How the papers are set out
| Paper | Time | Marks | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE | Topics 1 to 5: Key concepts, Cells and control, Genetics, Natural selection and genetic modification, Health and disease |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE | Topics 1 and 6 to 9: Key concepts, Plant structures, Animal coordination, Exchange and transport, Ecosystems |
From the Edexcel specification. Always check the latest version with your teacher before the exam.
How to use past papers
- Revise the topic first. Past papers test whether you can use what you know, so go through the revision notes and specification checklist before you start.
- Practise one topic at a time. Early on, use our exam questions by subtopic (for example Cell structure and specialised cells) and the printable topic tests, which come with mark schemes.
- Then sit a full paper, timed. Use the time and marks above, with no notes. Leave a question you are stuck on and come back to it.
- Mark it with the official mark scheme. Give a mark only where your answer says what the mark scheme says. Note the points you missed, not just the score.
- Go back to the notes for every question you lost marks on. Look up any terms you got wrong in the glossary, then try that topic again a week later.
- Read the examiner reports. They say where students lost marks in each question, which is often the quickest way to pick up marks.