Edexcel | GCSE Biology | Paper 1 | 2025 predictions

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Get ready to smash your Edexcel GCSE Biology Paper 1 with our 2025 Predicted Papers! 🧪📚

Last year, we nearly predicted EVERY single topic correctly! 🔥🎯 And this year, we’ve analysed all the trends and patterns again to bring you:

✅ Exam-style questions designed to match the real thing 📝
✅ Mark schemes so you know exactly how to score top marks ✅
✅ NEW for 2025 🎥 FREE video walkthroughs showing you how to write answers the way examiners love! 🏆

Want even MORE support? 🎯 Join our Masterclasses to get:
🌟 Access to our Revision Accelerator Course over the school holidays 🚀
🌟 Live exam prep sessions the night before your exam for that final confidence boost! 🎧📢

We’ve done the hard work, but don’t forget—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💡💪

Ready to boost your grade? Grab your predicted papers & masterclass spot

You’ve got this! 🌟💖

Table of Contents

• Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Higher | …

• Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Higher | …

• Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Foundati …

• Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Foundati …

Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Higher | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide

Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Biology Higher Paper 1! 🔬✨ We’ve carefully analysed trends, but remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💡📚

🦠 Cell Structure & Specialised Cells

✅ Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic cells – key differences (nucleus, organelles)
✅ Specialised cells & adaptations:

• Sperm cell – tail for swimming, mitochondria for energy

• Nerve cell – long with branches to send signals quickly

• Root hair cell – large surface area for water absorption
  ✅ Functions of cell organelles – nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, etc.

⚡ Enzymes

✅ Lock and key theory – enzyme fits perfectly with its substrate
✅ Factors affecting enzyme activity:

• Temperature & pH – too high or too low can denature enzymes

• Substrate concentration – increases rate until saturation point
  ✅ Digestive enzymes:

• Amylase → starch → glucose

• Protease → protein → amino acids

• Lipase → fats → fatty acids + glycerol

🧠 The Brain & Imaging

✅ Key parts of the brain & functions:

• Cerebrum – thinking, memory, emotions

• Cerebellum – balance and coordination

• Medulla – heartbeat and breathing
  ✅ Brain imaging techniques:

• MRI scans – detect brain damage & diseases

• CT scans – 3D images of the brain structure

🔬 Microscopy

✅ Light vs. Electron microscopes – resolution, magnification, and what they show
✅ How to calculate magnification:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ How to prepare a slide – staining cells to see structures clearly

🧬 Inheritance, Sex Determination & Sex-Linkage

✅ Chromosomes:

• XX = female

• XY = male (Y chromosome determines male characteristics)
  ✅ Sex-linked conditions – some genes (e.g. for colour blindness & haemophilia) are carried on the X chromosome
  ✅ How to use Punnett squares to predict inheritance

🦴 Fossils & Human Evolution

✅ How fossils form:

• Mineral replacement

• Preserved in ice, amber, or peat
  ✅ Human evolution:

• Homo habilis – first tool users

• Homo erectus – walked upright

• Homo sapiens – modern humans
  ✅ Fossil evidence shows how species have changed over time

🐶 Selective Breeding

✅ Humans choose parents with desirable traits
✅ Used for:

• Farming – high-yield crops, disease-resistant livestock

• Pets – dogs with gentle temperaments
  ✅ Risks – inbreeding causes health problems & reduces genetic variation

🧬 Cloning

✅ Types of cloning:

• Tissue culture – growing plants from a few cells

• Embryo transplants – splitting an embryo to produce clones

• Adult cell cloning – nucleus transfer (e.g. Dolly the sheep)
  ✅ Advantages & risks:

• Good for conservation & medicine

• Reduces genetic diversity

🌱 Sexual & Asexual Reproduction

✅ Sexual reproduction – genetic variation, slower process
✅ Asexual reproduction – identical offspring, fast process
✅ Examples:

• Bacteria & fungi reproduce asexually

• Plants can do both! (e.g. strawberries use runners)

🦠 Aseptic Technique Practical

✅ Why it’s important: Prevents contamination from bacteria
✅ Steps:

• Sterilise equipment (flaming inoculating loop)

• Seal Petri dish (to prevent unwanted bacteria growth)

• Incubate at 25°C (prevents harmful bacterial growth)

💊 Drug Trials

✅ Stages of drug testing:

1. Preclinical trials – tested on cells & animals

2. Clinical trials (Phase 1-3) – tested on humans

3. Double-blind trials – patients don’t know if they have the real drug or a placebo
   ✅ Why blind trials are important? – Removes bias and increases reliability

🦠 Monoclonal Antibodies

✅ How they are made:

• Fuse a B-lymphocyte (white blood cell) with a tumour cell

• Creates a hybridoma cell that produces monoclonal antibodies
  ✅ Uses of monoclonal antibodies:

• Treating cancer

• Pregnancy tests

• Detecting diseases

🦟 Malaria

✅ Caused by a protist (Plasmodium), spread by mosquitoes
✅ How to prevent malaria:

• Using mosquito nets

• Draining stagnant water

• Using antimalarial drugs

💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!

🔥 These topics are predicted, but the exam could include anything—so revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers and use mark schemes to learn how examiners award points!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel confident! 🎧📢

💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your mental health matters more. Take breaks, eat well, and remember—you are so much more than your grades! 💪✨

👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot

Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Higher | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide

Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Biology Higher Paper 1! 🔬✨ These topics are likely to appear, but remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💪📚

🦠 Cell Structure & Specialised Cells

✅ Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells – key differences (nucleus, organelles)
✅ Specialised cells & adaptations:

• Sperm cell – tail for movement, mitochondria for energy

• Nerve cell – long with branches for fast signal transmission

• Root hair cell – large surface area for water absorption
  ✅ Functions of organelles – nucleus (DNA), mitochondria (energy), ribosomes (protein synthesis)

⚡ Enzymes

✅ Lock and Key Theory – enzyme fits perfectly with its substrate
✅ Factors affecting enzyme activity:

• Temperature & pH – too high or too low can denature enzymes

• Substrate concentration – increases reaction rate until enzymes become saturated
  ✅ Digestive enzymes:

• Amylase → starch → glucose

• Protease → protein → amino acids

• Lipase → fats → fatty acids + glycerol

🔬 Microscopy

✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes – resolution, magnification, and what they show
✅ How to calculate magnification:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ How to prepare a slide – staining cells to see structures clearly

🧬 Inheritance & Sex Determination

✅ Chromosomes:

• XX = female

• XY = male (Y chromosome triggers male characteristics)
  ✅ Dominant vs. Recessive Alleles – dominant only needs one copy to be expressed
  ✅ Using Punnett Squares to predict inheritance of traits

🧬 Gene Therapy

✅ What is it? – Replacing faulty genes with healthy ones to treat genetic diseases
✅ Examples:

• Treating cystic fibrosis by inserting a normal CFTR gene

• Used in cancer treatment to target cancer cells
  ✅ Challenges & risks:

• Difficult to insert genes in the right place

• Expensive and still being developed

🦴 Fossils & Human Evolution

✅ How fossils form:

• Mineral replacement

• Preserved in ice, amber, or peat
  ✅ Human evolution:

• Homo habilis – early tool users

• Homo erectus – walked upright

• Homo sapiens – modern humans
  ✅ Fossil evidence shows how species have changed over time

🐶 Selective Breeding

✅ Humans choose parents with desirable traits
✅ Used for:

• Farming – high-yield crops, disease-resistant livestock

• Pets – dogs with gentle temperaments
  ✅ Risks:

• Inbreeding can cause genetic disorders

• Reduced genetic variation makes species more vulnerable to disease

💊 Drug Development

✅ Stages of Drug Testing:

1. Preclinical trials – tested on cells & animals

2. Clinical trials (Phase 1-3) – tested on humans

3. Double-blind trials – some patients get the real drug, others get a placebo
   ✅ Why blind trials are important? – Removes bias and increases reliability

🦟 Malaria

✅ Caused by a protist (Plasmodium), spread by mosquitoes
✅ Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, muscle pain
✅ How to prevent malaria:

• Using mosquito nets

• Draining stagnant water

• Using antimalarial drugs

💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!

🔥 These topics are predicted, but the exam could include anything—so revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers and use mark schemes to learn how examiners award points!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel confident! 🎧📢

💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your mental health matters more. Take breaks, eat well, and remember—you are so much more than your grades! 💪✨

👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot

Edexcel | GCSE Combined Science Biology | Foundation | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide

Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Biology Foundation Paper 1! 🔬✨ These are key topics we think might come up, so make sure you’re confident with them! But remember—revise everything to be fully prepared! 💪📚

🦠 Specialised Cells

✅ Cells are adapted for specific functions
✅ Examples:

• Sperm cell – has a tail to swim to the egg, lots of mitochondria for energy

• Nerve cell – long to send electrical signals quickly

• Root hair cell – large surface area to absorb more water and minerals
  ✅ Why do we need specialised cells? – Different jobs in the body require different structures

🔬 Microscopes & Magnification (Including Practical Techniques)

✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes – electron microscopes have higher magnification and resolution
✅ Magnification formula:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
✅ Practical techniques:

• Place a thin specimen on a slide

• Add stain (e.g. iodine) to highlight structures

• Lower coverslip carefully to avoid air bubbles

🧬 DNA & Inheritance (Including Sex-Determination & Inherited Diseases)

✅ DNA carries genetic information – found in the nucleus in chromosomes
✅ Sex-determination:

• XX = female

• XY = male (Y chromosome triggers male characteristics)
  ✅ Inherited diseases:

• Cystic fibrosis – caused by a faulty recessive allele (needs two copies to be inherited)

• Polydactyly – caused by a dominant allele (only needs one copy)

🦴 Fossils & Evolution

✅ How fossils form:

• Hard parts of organisms (bones, shells) are replaced by minerals over time

• Some fossils are trapped in ice, amber, or peat
  ✅ Why are fossils important? – They provide evidence of how life has changed over time
  ✅ Evolution by natural selection:

• Mutations cause variation

• Organisms with the best adaptations survive and reproduce

• Over time, these traits become more common in the population

🧠 The Nervous System

✅ How it works:

• Stimulus (e.g. touching something hot) is detected by a receptor

• Signal travels through sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone

• Effector (e.g. muscle) responds, moving hand away
  ✅ Why are reflexes important? – They are fast and automatic to protect us from harm

🌱 Selective Breeding & Genetic Modification

✅ Selective breeding:

• Humans choose parents with desirable traits to breed together

• Used for faster-growing crops, disease-resistant animals, pets with certain features

• Risk: inbreeding can lead to health problems

✅ Genetic modification (GM):

• Changing an organism’s DNA to give it new traits

• Example: Making crops resistant to pests

• Benefits: Better yields, disease resistance

• Concerns: Ethical issues, long-term effects on the environment

💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!

🔥 These topics are predicted, but remember—revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers to get used to the types of questions that come up!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel exam-ready! 🎧📢

💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exam stress is real, but your grades do not define your worth. Take breaks, eat well, and believe in yourself—you’ve got this! 💪✨

👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot here

Edexcel | GCSE Separate Science Biology | Foundation | Paper 1 | 2025 Predicted Topics & Revision Guide

Here are our 2025 predictions for Edexcel GCSE Separate Science Biology Foundation Paper 1! 🔬✨ We’ve carefully selected key topics, but remember—revise everything just in case! 💪📚

🦠 Specialised Cells

✅ Cells have adaptations to help them do their job
✅ Examples:

• Sperm cell – tail for swimming, lots of mitochondria for energy

• Nerve cell – long to quickly send electrical signals

• Root hair cell – large surface area for absorbing water and minerals
  ✅ Why do we need specialised cells? – Different jobs in the body require different structures

🔬 Microscopes & Magnification (Including Practical Techniques)

✅ Light vs. Electron Microscopes:

• Light microscopes – lower magnification, can view living cells

• Electron microscopes – much higher magnification, shows more detail but can only view dead specimens
  ✅ Magnification formula:
  Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size
  ✅ Practical steps:

• Place a thin specimen on a slide

• Add stain (e.g. iodine) to highlight cell structures

• Lower the coverslip carefully to avoid air bubbles

🧬 DNA & Inheritance (Including Sex-Determination & Inherited Diseases)

✅ DNA stores genetic information – found in chromosomes in the nucleus
✅ Sex determination:

• XX = female

• XY = male (the Y chromosome determines male traits)
  ✅ Inherited diseases:

• Cystic fibrosis – caused by a recessive allele (needs two copies to be inherited)

• Polydactyly – caused by a dominant allele (only needs one copy)

🦴 Fossils & Evolution

✅ How fossils form:

• Hard parts (bones, shells) are replaced by minerals

• Some fossils are trapped in ice, amber, or peat
  ✅ Why are fossils important? – They show how species have changed over time
  ✅ Evolution by natural selection:

• Mutations create variation

• The best-adapted organisms survive and reproduce

• Over generations, new species can develop

🧠 The Nervous System

✅ How it works:

• Receptors detect a stimulus (e.g. touching something hot)

• Signal travels through sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone

• The effector (muscle or gland) responds
  ✅ Why are reflexes important? – They are fast and automatic to protect us from harm

🌱 Selective Breeding & Genetic Modification

✅ Selective breeding:

• Humans choose parents with desirable traits

• Used for bigger crops, disease-resistant animals, friendly pets

• Risk: inbreeding can cause health problems

✅ Genetic modification (GM):

• Changing an organism’s DNA to improve it

• Example: GM crops that resist pests

• Benefits: Higher yields, disease resistance

• Concerns: Ethical issues, unknown long-term effects

🥩 Food Tests (Separate Science Only)

✅ Benedict’s test (sugars): Turns blue → brick red if sugar is present
✅ Iodine test (starch): Turns brown/orange → blue/black if starch is present
✅ Biuret test (protein): Turns blue → purple if protein is present
✅ Sudan III (lipids): Forms a red layer on top if lipids (fats) are present

🌿 Plant Diseases & Aseptic Technique (Separate Science Only)

✅ Plant diseases:

• Caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses & pests

• Examples: Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), rose black spot, aphid infestations
  ✅ How to identify plant diseases:

• Discolouration, spots, stunted growth

• Using testing kits & lab analysis
  ✅ Aseptic technique practical:

• Prevents contamination of bacteria cultures

• Steps:

  • Sterilise equipment (e.g. flame the inoculating loop)

  • Seal Petri dish to prevent other bacteria from getting in

  • Incubate at 25°C (prevents growth of harmful bacteria)

💡 Final Advice & Masterclasses!

🔥 These topics are predicted, but remember—revise everything!
🔥 Practise past papers to get used to the types of questions that come up!
🔥 Need extra support? Join our Masterclasses! We’ve got revision boosters and live exam prep sessions the night before to help you feel exam-ready! 🎧📢

💙 Most importantly, look after yourself! Exams are important, but your grades do not define your worth. Take breaks, eat well, and believe in yourself—you’ve got this! 💪✨

👉 Get your predicted papers & masterclass spot