Top Resources for A-Level & GCSE Biology Revision
Let’s be real—revising for A-Level and GCSE Biology can sometimes feel like you’re wading through treacle. Between the Krebs Cycle, DNA replication, maths and practical skills. exam technique and everything in between, it’s enough to make anyone's head spin. But fear not! I’m here to guide you to some fantastic resources that will turn your biology revision from yawn to yes, I actually understand this!
Here’s a roundup of some of the best resources to help you tackle Biology, so you can ace your exams and still have time to binge-watch David Attenborough documentaries (that counts as revision right?). I’ll be adding to this regularly so check back soon for some new revision ideas and share your favourites with me in the comments!
1. Seneca Learning – For the Visual Learners
Great for: A-Level and GCSE
Cost: Free (with optional premium features)
If PowerPoint presentations bore you to tears but you need some help learning the factual information in Biology, Seneca may be for you. It combines bite-sized revision notes with fun quizzes and animations that will help you make sense of the information. It’s exam board specific and claims to have smart learning algorithms that are proven to make you remember topics better. If you get a question wrong, it’ll show you the content again but in a different format. Clever! They’ve also hand-selected the best GIFs and memes on the internet so revision makes you laugh instead of feeling stressed. The interactive format can really help the information stick in your brain.
💡Pro tip: Don’t just mindlessly click through—engage with the material, and maybe even shout out the answers like you’re on University Challenge. (Is it just me that does this?!) Make sure you’re not just using Seneca too…. it can sometimes be light on the detail and application needed for that elusive A* so combine it with other revision methods.
2. BBC Bitesize – The OG Revision Site
Great for: GCSE (but useful for A-Level refreshers too)
Cost: Free
Ah, BBC Bitesize—the revision site that’s been there for us all since the dawn of time. Like your comfiest pyjamas, it's reliable, easy to navigate, and covers all the key topics in a clear, concise way. Plus, it’s specification-specific and packed with videos, quizzes, and diagrams to help you understand and remember the content. It's like the ultimate revision safety net. Need a quick refresher on the nitrogen cycle? Bitesize has your back. I’d use it to make flashcards on key content, test myself with the quizzes and
🚨Warning: Make sure you do something active with your revision and don’t just sit reading the information without it actually going in. Try reading it out loud, making flashcards or even teaching a family member about the content afterwards.
3. past paper questions – A Goldmine of Marks
Great for: A-Level and GCSE
Cost: Free (unless you print everything out… then, sorry, ink’s expensive)
Past papers are like the hidden cheat code to exams. Seriously, if you’re not using these, what are you even doing? They not only give you a sense of what to expect in the exam, but they also help you understand how questions are structured, which is crucial. Make sure you mark your answers with the official mark schemes—don’t rely on your pet hamster to tell you if you got question 3b right. Pay close attention to the phrasing and bold/underlined words on the mark scheme and the examiner’s comments. They’ll tell you where students went wrong and how to make sure you are specific enough to get the marks.
Websites such as Physics and Maths Tutor, Cognito and Save My Exams have past paper questions in handy topic-specific packs. Or of course, your exam board’s official website will have all of the past papers and mark schemes too.
💡Pro tip: Do your past paper questions under timed conditions. Work on around 1 minute per mark for GCSE or 1.25 minutes per mark for A-Level. Lock your phone away and don’t check your notes or the mark scheme until you’ve finished. Yes, it's uncomfortable, but you’ll get a more accurate, useful reflection of how you’re doing this way.
4. YouTube Channels/TikTok – Biology with a Side of LOLs
Great for: A-Level and GCSE
Cost: Free
If you’re a visual learner or you just love a good procrastination session, YouTube and TikTok can be an absolute gem. For A-Level, there are some great channels with specification-specific content, memory hacks and exam technique. Try Miss Estruch Biology, Biology With Olivia, Primrose Kitten, BioRach, Mr Murray, Biology with Carol. Channels like "CrashCourse Biology" and "Amoeba Sisters" break down complex topics with a healthy dose of humour and so don’t even feel like revision!
Tik Tok can also be super useful for bitesize chunks of revision and exam technique. But watch out that you don’t fall down a scroll hole!
🚨 Caution: Not every video is reliable, so stick to reputable channels and make sure it’s specific to your exam board if you can. And know yourself here…if you know that you’re going to get distracted and end up watching cat videos for hours on end rather than revising, stick to something else.
5. Quizlet & Anki – Flashcards, but for the digital age
Great for: A-Level and GCSE
Cost: Free (with paid upgrade options)
If you love a good flashcard session, Quizlet and Anki are your new BFFs. Whether you want to learn definitions, diagrams, or processes like the back of your hand, these apps let you create digital flashcards, and you can even use sets made by other students. It’s active learning at its finest, without lugging a huge deck of flashcards around all of the time. On the bus, waiting for your friends, at school, at home…they’re always there and waiting. The paid versions also use AI to help you study, by using techniques like spaced repetition to make sure you’re embedding and remembering older content all of the time.
💡Pro tip: Use the “test” function to challenge yourself once you’re feeling confident. The smugness of getting 100% is worth it.
6. CGP Revision Guides – The Kings of Corny Jokes & revision notes
Great for: GCSE (and some A-Level content)
Cost: £5-£10
CGP guides are a classic revision resource, with their quirky little jokes sprinkled between seriously solid content. They break down complex topics into digestible chunks, perfect for last-minute cramming… erm, I mean, thoughtful and thorough revision. But don’t underestimate them - they’re great, concise guides to refer back to, saving you time writing out revision notes yourself. I like their accompanying workbooks too - they follow along with the revision guides meaning that there’s always some exam style questions to test yourself with after a study session. For GCSE Biology, there’s all sorts of more specific guides depending on what you need - for example a Grade 8-9 targeted workbook or a set of 10 minute mini-tests on required practicals. For A-level, I love their ‘Essential Maths Skills’ for A-level Biology guide. It makes revising the maths content really straightforward and contains plenty of practice questions too. Finally, the CGP guides are always SUPER affordable and really good value. You know you’re getting something that’s good quality.
🚨 Caution: Make sure you include active recall in your study session - just reading a revision guide doesn’t work for most people. Try making flashcards, testing yourself on the content or teaching it to someone else.
7. Ready made flashcards & notes - why make your own?
Great for: A-Level Biology
Cost: Variable
If you’re an AQA A-Level Biology student, you need Biology with Olivia and Miss Estruch in your life. Why am I recommending other tutors you ask? Because I want you to get as much help as possible to achieve your goals in Biology of course! Colleagues, not competition. Olivia’s ‘model answer notes’ are a really excellent resource crafted from hours of exam questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports. They’re concise, organised in a super accessible question and answer format and visually, really appealing, meaning you don’t have to worry about making hours of notes and can just move straight into learning the content. Miss Estruch sells lots of really useful resources including ready made flashcards, mind maps and even study planners.
🚨 Caution: There’s less out there for the other exam boards unfortunately. But watch this space OCR students…
Revision doesn’t have to be boring…
So there you have it—these are the top Biology resources that will help you conquer A-Level and GCSE exams without falling asleep at your desk. The key is to mix it up—use a variety of resources, test yourself regularly, and focus on areas where you struggle the most.
Need a little extra help mastering those tricky topics? Every week in my small group tuition, we cover a key topic in depth and I teach you all the exam technique you need to write full mark answers in your exams. If that sounds like it would be useful, hit the contact button, or better yet, drop me an email at caroline@biosheps.co.uk—let’s chat!
What are your favourite resources for revising GCSE and A-Level Biology? Let me know in the comments!