OCR A Level Biology A (H420)
Exam structure at a glance for OCR A Level Biology A: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus the facts and links you need.
- Board
- OCR
- Specification code
- H420
- Level
- A level
- First teaching
- 2015
- First exams
- 2017
- Exam papers
- 3 · 6 h in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
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Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 01: Biological processes | 2 h 15 min | 100 | 37% | Written paper (100 marks). |
| Component 02: Biological diversity | 2 h 15 min | 100 | 37% | Written paper (100 marks). |
| Component 03: Unified biology | 1 h 30 min | 70 | 26% | Synoptic written paper. |
| Component 04: Practical Endorsement Endorsement | not stated | – | Reported separately | Teacher-assessed practical skills (at least 12 practical activities across PAG1-PAG12); reported separately as Pass/Not Classified. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole qualification. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Practical endorsement: reported separately as Pass or Not Classified; it does not count towards the A level grade.
- AS level: H020 (AS marks do not count towards the A level)
Not yet confirmed by us: Spec PDF could not be read by the fetcher (client error); calculator rule, spec version and PAG count not confirmed - figures from the specification-at-a-glance page.. Check the official documents.
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- First exam (GCSE and A level): Mon, 10 May 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- Special consideration deadline: Wed, 30 June 2027
A levels are linear: all exams are sat at the end of the two-year course. Source: JCQ key dates June 2027. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates and results day.
Specification, past papers and grade boundaries
- OCR: Specification at a glance (board website)
- OCR: Specification (PDF, board website)
- OCR: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- OCR: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: ocr.org.uk, ocr.org.uk.
More packs
Exam facts (paper names, times, marks, weightings, codes) are taken from each awarding body's own specification and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers, mark schemes or booklets are reproduced. Exam details checked against the board's specification on 2026-10-20. Always check the current specification on the board's website.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Ofqual and DfE pages on GOV.UK). Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.
Questions teachers ask
How long are the OCR A Level Biology A exams?
Component 01: 2 h 15 min; Component 02: 2 h 15 min; Component 03: 1 h 30 min.