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England National Curriculum · Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) · Science · Biology

1 curriculum code

Science

Biology

UK-KS3-SCI-B — opens in a new tab

Biology
Pupils should be taught about:
Structure and function of living organisms
Cells and organisation
cells as the fundamental unit of living organisms, including how to observe, interpret and record cell structure using a light microscope
the functions of the cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole, mitochondria and chloroplasts
the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells
the role of diffusion in the movement of materials in and between cells
the structural adaptations of some unicellular organisms
the hierarchical organisation of multicellular organisms: from cells to tissues to organs to systems to organisms
The skeletal and muscular systems
the structure and functions of the human skeleton, to include support, protection, movement and making blood cells
biomechanics – the interaction between skeleton and muscles, including the measurement of force exerted by different muscles
the function of muscles and examples of antagonistic muscles
Nutrition and digestion
the content of a healthy human diet: carbohydrates, lipids (fats and oils), proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and water, and why each is needed
calculations of energy requirements in a healthy daily diet
the consequences of imbalances in the diet, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases
the tissues and organs of the human digestive system, including adaptations to function and how the digestive system digests food (enzymes simply as biological catalysts)
the importance of bacteria in the human digestive system
plants making carbohydrates in their leaves by photosynthesis and gaining mineral nutrients and water from the soil via their roots
Gas exchange systems
the structure and functions of the gas exchange system in humans, including adaptations to function
the mechanism of breathing to move air in and out of the lungs, using a pressure model to explain the movement of gases, including simple measurements of lung volume
the impact of exercise, asthma and smoking on the human gas exchange system
the role of leaf stomata in gas exchange in plants
Reproduction
reproduction in humans (as an example of a mammal), including the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, menstrual cycle (without details of hormones), gametes, fertilisation, gestation and birth, to include the effect of maternal lifestyle on the foetus through the placenta
reproduction in plants, including flower structure, wind and insect pollination, fertilisation, seed and fruit formation and dispersal, including quantitative investigation of some dispersal mechanisms
Health
the effects of recreational drugs (including substance misuse) on behaviour, health and life processes
Material cycles and energy
Photosynthesis
the reactants in, and products of, photosynthesis, and a word summary for photosynthesis
the dependence of almost all life on Earth on the ability of photosynthetic organisms, such as plants and algae, to use sunlight in photosynthesis to build organic molecules that are an essential energy store and to maintain levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
the adaptations of leaves for photosynthesis
Cellular respiration
aerobic and anaerobic respiration in living organisms, including the breakdown of organic molecules to enable all the other chemical processes necessary for life
a word summary for aerobic respiration
the process of anaerobic respiration in humans and micro-organisms, including fermentation, and a word summary for anaerobic respiration
the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration in terms of the reactants, the products formed and the implications for the organism
Interactions and interdependencies
Relationships in an ecosystem
the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, including food webs and insect pollinated crops
the importance of plant reproduction through insect pollination in human food security
how organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials
Genetics and evolution
Inheritance, chromosomes, DNA and genes
heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next
a simple model of chromosomes, genes and DNA in heredity, including the part played by Watson, Crick, Wilkins and Franklin in the development of the DNA model
differences between species
the variation between individuals within a species being continuous or discontinuous, to include measurement and graphical representation of variation
the variation between species and between individuals of the same species meaning some organisms compete more successfully, which can drive natural selection
changes in the environment which may leave individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction
the importance of maintaining biodiversity and the use of gene banks to preserve hereditary material

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