Science Progress Book 1 • Progression chart • Biology
biology • Students:
Old NC
Level
GCSE
Equivalent
Cells and tissues
Animal reproduction
Plant reproduction
Environment and
adaptation
Variation and
classification
Photosynthesis
Food and digestion
Student book Topic 1
Student book Topic 2A
Student book Topic 2B
Student book Topic 3
Student book Topic 4
Student book Topic 5
Student book Topic 6
Know the main organs of the male
and female reproductive systems.
Can describe the functions of
flowers and seeds.
Know the basics to use a
microscope to view prepared
slides.
Can label the main parts of plant
and animal cells.
Level 4
Are able to draw some food
chains.
Are able to name the food groups
in a balanced diet.
Know the raw materials needed
for photosynthesis.
Are able to carry out food tests.
Are able to test a leaf for starch.
Can label the main organs in the
digestive system.
Know that a quadrat can be used
to estimate the population of
plants.
Can describe sexual intercourse
and fertilisation.
Are able to label the main
structures in a flower and describe
how fertilisation occurs.
Can draw and label cells of plants
and animals.
Can interpret food chains and
webs.
Are able to explain variation
caused environmental factors.
Understand why most food chains
begin with a plant.
Know what a balanced diet is and
sources of the main food groups.
Can describe resources that
organisms may compete for.
Can collect and graphically
represent data for examples of
discontinuous variation.
Are able to write the word
equation for photosynthesis.
Can interpret the results of food
tests.
Know how a plant gets all
the raw materials needed for
photosynthesis.
Know that the energy content of
different foods can be compared
by burning them.
Are able to give some ways
in which a leaf is adapted for
photosynthesis.
Know some factors that affect
how much energy a person
needs.
Know that plants also need
mineral salts.
Can describe the functions of
the main organs in the digestive
system.
Can give examples of different
uses of plants.
Are able to carry out an
investigation and calculate the
amount of energy in different
foods.
Know the five vertebrate groups
and are able to give examples of
organisms.
E
Can prepare good microscope
slides and use a microscope
correctly to view them at different
magnifications.
Level 6
Are able to give examples of
genetic and environmental
variation in humans.
Can describe how organisms
are adapted to survive in their
habitat.
F
Can prepare microscope slides
and view them under the
microscope.
Level 5
Can name the main resources
that plants and animals need to
survive.
Are able to explain the function of
different parts of plant and animal
cells.
D
Can explain how different cells are
specialised for their functions.
Are able to describe the changes
that occur from fertilisation to
birth of a baby.
Can describe the differences
between wind and insect
pollinated flowers.
Can describe the effects of
maternal lifestyle on the
development of her baby.
Can identify different types of
fruits and seeds.
Can describe the changes that
occur in the menstrual cycle.
Are able to draw and interpret
pyramids of numbers.
Can explain factors that affect
population size.
Are able to collect and graphically
represent data for examples of
continuous variation.
Know the five kingdoms.
Are able to interpret the results of
starch tests.
Can use a quadrat to estimate
plant populations.
Are able to give examples of some
invertebrate and plant groups.
Can label a diagram showing a
cross section of a leaf.
Can describe the effects of
modern food production
techniques on the environment.
Know that animals and plants
can be bred to have useful
characteristics.
Are able to explain the effects
of different elements on plant
growth.
Know that some diseases are
inherited.
Can produce clear drawings
of cells viewed under the
microscope showing a
representation of scale.
Level 7
C
Level 8
B/A/A*
Demonstrate a good
understanding of cell structure
and function.
Can give reasons why some
people are unable to have a baby.
Know some ways that infertility
might be treated.
Can explain the differences
in wind and insect pollinated
flowers.
Can describe different methods
of seed dispersal and why it
is beneficial for seeds to be
dispersed widely.
Can explain the interdependence
of living organisms.
Understand why organisms are
classified into groups.
Are able to explain the
importance of plants.
Can explain bioaccumulation in
food chains and some effects of
this.
Are able to explain the basics of
genetic engineering and why it
can be useful.
Know the main differences
between photosynthesis and
chemosynthesis.
Are able to explain how a leaf is
adapted for photosynthesis.
Know food is digested both
physically and chemically using
enzymes.
Are able to describe how the
small intestine is adapted for the
absorption of food.
Can evaluate methods used to
calculate the amount of energy in
foods.
Are able to explain why foods
need to be digested.
Can explain how enzymes work.
GCSE
Science Progress Book 2 • Progression chart • Biology
biology • Students:
Old NC
Level
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
GCSE
Equivalent
F
E
D
Lungs and gas exchange
Respiration
Muscles and bones
Inheritance and evolution
Drugs and health
Microbes
Student book Topic 7
Student book Topic 8
Student book Topic 9
Student book Topic 10
Student book Topic 11
Student book Topic 12
Can label the main organs in the
breathing system.
Know some uses of energy in living
organisms.
Know the main structures in the skeletal
system.
Can give examples of genetic and
environmental variation.
Know alcohol and nicotine are legal
recreational drugs.
Can name the three groups of
pathogens.
Are able to measure lung volume.
Can measure muscle strength.
Can name the main organs in the
circulatory system.
Carry out experiments to show the
differences between inhaled and
exhaled air.
Know that the gene is the unit of
inheritance.
Can calculate the number of units of
alcohol in different drinks.
Can suggest what people can do to
reduce the spread of infection.
Know the names of some illegal
recreational drugs.
Know that white blood cells defend the
body against micro-organisms.
Know that gas exchange occurs across
the walls of the alveoli.
Know the word equation for aerobic
respiration.
Know that all organisms are given a
scientific name.
Can describe the effects of smoking and
alcohol on the body.
Are able to give examples of diseases
caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Are able to describe how gases enter
and leave leaves.
Can explain the differences between
inhaled and exhaled air.
Know where genes are found inside a
cell.
Know that drugs are tested before they
can be prescribed.
Can name the main components of
blood.
Know why yeast is used to make bread,
wine and beer.
Know some mechanisms the body has
to reduce the chance of pathogens
entering the body.
Can explain the functions of cilia and
mucus lining the trachea.
Know the word equation for anaerobic
respiration in animals and in yeast.
Are able to describe the different types
of muscle cells.
Can describe the impact of asthma on
the breathing system.
Can describe the differences between
aerobic and anaerobic respiration in
animals.
Know that muscles work in pairs.
Can describe the important stages in
evolution by natural selection.
Can describe the structure of a synovial
joint.
Are able to give examples of selective
breeding of plants and animals.
Know how to relate a model of the lungs
to breathing.
Are able to describe the action of the
heart as a double pump.
Know some benefits of regular exercise.
Can describe the uses of biogas
generators.
Know the functions of the skeleton.
Know that muscles contract to bring
about movement.
Know there are different types of joints.
Know who Darwin was.
Know that antibiotics are used to treat
bacterial infections.
Know what extinction is.
Know what a species is.
Know the effects of the different
drug types on the body, and can give
examples.
Are able to label diagrams to compare
the cell structure of fungi, bacteria and
viruses.
Can describe the effects of some illegal
drugs on the body.
Can describe ways in which white
blood cells defend the body against
microorganisms.
Can describe changes that can lead to
extinction.
Can describe how antibiotics were first
discovered.
Know that a vaccine gives immunity
against a micro-organism.
Can describe the main function of the
blood.
Can explain how the lungs are adapted
for efficient gas exchange.
Are able to describe gas exchange
surfaces in fish and insects.
Level 7
C
Can explain the changes that occur
during breathing.
Can explain the effects of anaerobic
respiration on the body during and after
exercise.
Can explain how a biogas generator
works.
Are able to explain antagonistic muscle
action.
Can understand why organisms are
given a scientific name.
Are able to describe the main stages in
drug testing.
Are able to explain the importance of
biodiversity.
Can suggest reasons why some people
misuse drugs and describe some effects
of drug misuse on society.
Have a basic knowledge of the history of
genetic developments.
Can describe how a vaccine works.
Understand why new antibiotics need to
be developed.
Can apply Darwin’s theory of evolution
to explain how tigers evolved to have
stripes.
Can understand the importance of gene
banks.
Level 8
B/A/A*
GCSE
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