“I enjoyed A Level Biology because it gave me deeper understanding and knowledge that I can apply to the world around me, allowing me to appreciate different aspects of biology I may have overlooked previously. During our lessons, we were able to participate in practical experiments ranging from dissections to quadrat sampling, which I hadn’t had to opportunity to do before.” We do a practical experiment every two weeks and this week we are analysing urine samples for the presence of molecules that shouldn’t be present to indicate the existence of certain diseases.

On a recent field trip to Devon, we got the chance to use quadrats to sample and explore the ecology on a beach. We also used a technique called mark-release-recapture to sample animal populations, as well as taking part in some team building and surfing in the sea! We visit local museums and universities and have recently had a talk delivered by The University of Manchester to help students select the right Biology course. Students can also participate in workshops run by The University of Manchester; topics include healthcare, cancer and physiology. We have already taken part in the Biology Olympiad and, towards the end of Year 12, we will take part in the Intermediate Biology Olympiad.”