IGCSE Biology,
organised for memory.
Cambridge 0610 / 0970 and Edexcel IGCSE Biology coaching that turns an overwhelming content load into structured memory — with every topic framed around the four-mark and six-mark questions that actually appear on the real paper.
The most content-dense of the three sciences. Coverage of all 21 syllabus sections from characteristics of living things through human impact on the environment.
Biology is a memory game. We teach the system.
IGCSE Biology is the science where hardworking students are most likely to plateau at grade 6. The content is enormous — 21 syllabus sections, hundreds of specific technical terms, and a mark scheme that rewards exact wording rather than general understanding. Students who try to "understand" it without also memorising it rarely exceed B.
What the top grades actually demand
Paper 4 Extended questions are scored against precise examiner keywords. "Oxygen" is accepted. "Air" is not. "Semi-permeable membrane" is accepted. "A layer that lets water through" is not. Most of our coaching is helping students convert everyday vocabulary into the specific terminology the mark scheme wants.
Our approach
We teach Biology using a memory-efficient framework — spaced retrieval, topic maps and keyword drilling — that our students find reduces the felt content load by about 40%. By the final mocks, every Times Edu Biology student has seen every topic revisited at least three times.
The full content we cover in 1:1 lessons.
Every Times Edu Biology mentor maps lessons directly to the official syllabus objectives below — so nothing on the exam is a surprise.
Cells & Organisation
Animal and plant cells, tissues, organs and systems.
Movement In & Out of Cells
Diffusion, osmosis, active transport.
Biomolecules
Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, enzymes and food tests.
Plant Nutrition
Photosynthesis, leaf structure, mineral requirements.
Human Systems
Digestion, circulation, respiration, excretion and nervous.
Reproduction
Asexual, sexual, fertilisation, pregnancy and STDs.
Inheritance & Variation
Chromosomes, DNA, monohybrid crosses, natural selection.
Ecology & Human Impact
Food chains, nutrient cycles, pollution and conservation.
The papers your child will actually sit.
Knowing exactly what each paper demands — and how it is marked — is half the battle. Here is the full breakdown.
Extended Theory
Six-mark structured questions across all 21 syllabus sections. Essential for grades above C.
Multiple Choice
Forty multiple-choice questions covering breadth of the Extended syllabus.
Alternative to Practical
Experimental interpretation, data analysis and biological drawing.
Practical Test
In-centre practical — observation, measurement and biological drawings.
Why even strong students lose grades here.
These are the three traps we see most often in diagnostic sessions with new IGCSE Biology students — and they are all fixable.
Wrong vocabulary
The mark scheme rewards exact terminology. Students who say "air" instead of "oxygen" lose the mark every time. We drill the keyword list weekly.
Skipping diagrams
Labelled diagrams for heart, nephron, kidney, digestive system and flower structures appear every year. Students who can draw them from memory save huge time under exam pressure.
Genetic crosses
Monohybrid Punnett squares are worth 6+ marks per paper but are rarely taught with enough practice. We drill at least two per week from week 3 onwards.
From diagnostic to final grade.
Biology was my weakest subject at mocks. Times Edu rebuilt the entire syllabus with me over ten weeks. I walked into the final paper and actually recognised every question. Finished with an A*.
The questions we always get about Biology.
Have a specific question about your child's situation? Book a free 60-minute diagnostic and our specialist will answer every one.
There is so much content — is it too late to catch up if we start in January?
No. We regularly take on students in January for a May sitting and still deliver A*/A outcomes. The key is ruthless prioritisation — we cover the highest-yield topics first and revisit everything at least twice. Book a diagnostic and we will show you a realistic week-by-week plan.
My child can explain topics verbally but loses marks on exam answers. Why?
Almost always a keyword issue. The IGCSE Biology mark scheme is specific about which exact terms earn which marks — and classroom teaching rarely drills that specificity. We fix this in the first 3–4 weeks of coaching.
How does Biology compare to Chemistry in terms of difficulty?
Biology is less maths-heavy than Chemistry or Physics, but it carries more content. Students who are good memorisers find Biology easier; students who prefer systems and patterns find Chemistry easier. Both are equally achievable at A* with the right coaching.
Do you cover the Paper 5 practical exam?
Yes. Most international schools in Vietnam use Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical) which we drill intensively. For students sitting Paper 5 we provide observation and biological drawing practice at our Landmark 81 centre.
Ready to turn IGCSE Biology into an A*?
Your child's free 60-minute Biology diagnostic includes a full topic-by-topic gap analysis, a realistic grade prediction and a personalised roadmap to final exams. Worth $60 — free for the first 50 families this intake.