1. AS/A2
Biology Teacher Courses
London and Manchester
October 2010 - March 2011
RS
HE
FI
TEAC
RST
www.teachersfirst.org.uk There’s always something
new to learn

2. Welcome to Teachers First
Welcome to the Teachers First programme of Biology courses for 2010/11. Our aim is to offer
a programme of one-day courses and conferences that support the teaching and learning of
Biology using active learning methods through paper-based and technological approaches.
The courses are specifically designed for all teachers, experienced as well as NQTs, who wish
to develop their subject knowledge through our specialist days and for those looking for new
strategies to stimulate and engage their students.
These workshops are also suitable for graduates who are completing their training in a school
environment under the school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) scheme. PGCE and final
year students would also find our courses very helpful.
We look forward to meeting you on one of our courses.
Kind Regards,
Christine Neary
Chrisine Neary
t
Conference Director.
Course contents:
A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time
AS/A2 Biology
Making connections and being an outstanding teacher in AS & A2 Biology and
Human Biology
Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human Biology
Stretch & challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology
AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June 2010 and implications for
moving ahead with the specification.
AQA AS/A2 Biology:Reflections on Practical Assessment and improving
student outcomes
Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology: a focus on the more challenging
areas
Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010 and the implications for
moving forward with the specification.
Leading Learning in Biology: a course for new, existing and aspiring subject
leaders in Biology

3. A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time
Course Features
Tutors: Margaret Baker and
New teachers or more experienced colleagues who are Alan Morris
about to have their first chance to teach A level biology
may feel uneasy when facing the challenge of more
able students or more academically stretching subject Margaret is Head of Science in a large FE college.
matter. This course will help to reassure you that with She has led a successful Biology Department and is
thorough planning and the confidence that this course responsible for the training and monitoring of A level
can offer, you will not only be able to cope but will enjoy teachers. Margaret is a well known author and also has a
the experience too. The course will be split between number of years experience as an examiner and external
didactic input, open question sessions and workshop moderator.
activities. It is a generic course and suitable for all Alan is Head of Biology and an Advanced Practitioner
biology specifications. in an FE College. He teaches on the PGCE course and
Margaret and Alan have a huge amount of experience observes practising teachers, this has increased his
in the biology classroom; they are still teaching A level awareness of the constraints and expectations placed
Biology and loving it!! on teachers today. He is also an author, and has had
experience as an examiner and external moderator.
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course
Venue and date
London, Wednesday 1 December 2010
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Content versus skill teaching
Which do you concentrate upon?
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Lesson planning
Think ‘key facts’
12.00pm: Making use of different learning styles
Be active
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Practical skills that work
2.45pm: Preparation for examination success-do’s and don’ts!
3.45pm: Day ends

4. Making connections and being an outstanding teacher in
AS & A2 Biology and Human Biology
Tutor: Richard Fosbery
Course Features Richard has been a Chief Examiner at A level for 15
years. He is an author of textbooks, revision guides,
study guides and CD based resources for GCSE and A
This course is for Biology teachers who are looking
level Biology.
for new ways to inspire their students with the
He has run many successful INSET courses to support
excitement of their subject. We will look at how the
GCE Biology including an online course for teachers
new specifications in Biology and Human Biology
overseas. Richard divides his time between teaching,
provide opportunities for students to make connections
writing and examining.
between topics and deepen their understanding.
The course will consider ways to challenge students’
understanding of biological topics and help to develop
their responses to the types of questions they will meet
Venue and date
at AS and A2.
London, Thursday 3rd March 2011
Delegates will be provided with a set of resources to use
with students to develop their skills in Course fee £195 plus VAT
• analysing, interpreting and evaluating
• writing answers to structured questions
• writing long answers and essays Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: The challenge for today: making connections
Groups will be set problems to work on during the day
10.20am: ‘Blood is thicker than water’
Start with haemoglobin and see how much biology you can bring in along the way
11.00am: Morning coffee (and time to work on today’s problems)
11.45am: ‘Good science, poor science – unpicking the claims made about our health’
Analysing and evaluating health data – critical reading of claims and counter claims
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: ‘The approximately 39 steps to success’
How to develop essay writing skills using a variety of topics, such as communication,
homeostasis and gene technologies.
2.30pm: ‘The appliance (and misappliance) of science’
Critically evaluating data on various aspects of modern biology.
3.15pm: Using practicals and demonstrations to encourage students to contribute ideas to class
discussion
3.30pm: Groups will report on the problems they were set at the beginning of the day
4.00pm: Day ends

5. Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human
Biology: Strategies for challenging and guiding students
to success at AS and A2
Course features
Tutor: Richard Fosbery
This course is for Biology teachers who are looking for
ways to develop their approach to challenging and
guiding their students through AS and A2. We will look Richard has been a Chief Examiner at A level for 15
at a range of activities that will help students gain the years. He is an author of textbooks, revision guides,
skills that they need to acquire good subject knowledge study guides and CD based resources for GCSE and A
and apply it effectively to familiar and unfamiliar level Biology.
contexts. He has run many successful INSET courses to support
Activities in the morning will focus on making the GCE Biology including an online course for teachers
transition from GCSE to AS and making and monitoring overseas. Richard divides his time between teaching,
progress through the AS course. The afternoon will be writing and examining.
devoted to How Science Works in the A2 units and case
studies in genomics and the opportunities they offer for
synoptic assessment.
Venues and dates
London, Wednesday 23 March 2011
Manchester, Wednesday 9 March 2011
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Variation is all
Consideration of a range of activities to engage students at the beginning of
the AS course
10.20am: Making the grade at AS Part 1. ‘GCSE was easier than this!’
Achieving progress through Unit 1 to match the AS standard
11.15am: Morning Coffee
11.30pm: Making the grade at AS Part 2. ‘Graphs with dramatic changes’
Group activities to develop students’ skills in data analysis and
interpretation.
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: Making the grade at A2 Part 1. ‘You never taught us about camels!’
Integrating How Science Works into teaching topics in Units 4 and 5.
2.30pm: Making the grade at A2 Part 2. ‘Telling the stories in the genes’
Group activities to develop students’ skills in applying information from the
different units to case studies in genomics.
3.15pm: Revision activities. ‘Revise with a friend’
A demonstration of a range of activities to help students with their revision.
3.45pm: Plenary
4.00pm: Day ends

6. AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June 2010 and
implications for moving ahead with the specification
Course features
Tutors: Graham Read and
This day is intended to give teachers the opportunity Ray Skwiercyznski
to reflect on the June 2010 examinations of this new
specification and to identify important issues which
could help to enhance student performance. In addition Graham has been a Senior Examiner for over 20 years.
it provides an opportunity to review the demands of the He is a Chief Examiner and has been involved in the
new A2 units and how they may be addressed. development of Biology specifications for the New AS
and A levels. This work includes the integration of How
Science Works into specifications, exam papers and
support material. A highly experienced teacher Graham
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD was until recently Head of Biology at a leading school in
containing detailed notes of the course the North West.
Ray is a very experienced Senior and Principal Examiner
Course fee £195 plus VAT for a major awarding body. He is Head of Biology at a
leading sixth form college in the North West where he is
also a member of the senior management team.
Venues and dates
London, Thursday 4 November 2010
Manchester, Tuesday 2 November 2010
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Unit 1: Biology and disease
Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010
Identifying important issues for learning and teaching
How has HSW affected what students need to know?
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Unit 2: The variety of living organisms
Reviewing examiners comments from summer 2010
Identifying important issues for learning and teaching.
Building on concepts across the units
12.30am: Lunch
1.30pm: Unit 4: Population and Environment
Mind the gap- moving from AS to A2
Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010
Identifying important issues for learning and teaching
How has HSW affected what the students need to know and the types of
questions they are asked?
2.30pm: Unit 5: Control in Cells and Organisms
Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010
How has HSW affected what the students need to know and the types of
questions they are asked?
3.15pm: Linking practical tasks to the A2
EMPAs and ISAs
3.45pm: Day ends

7. Stretch & Challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology
Course features
Tutors: Graham Read and
This course will explore the requirements of the new A* Ray Skwiercyznski
for the AQA Biology specification.
The course will appeal to any teachers and centres that
have able students. The day will focus firstly on what Graham has been a Senior Examiner for over 20 years.
students have to be able to do to obtain an A*. This will He is a Chief Examiner and has been involved in the
be followed by suggestions for strategies to achieve development of Biology specifications for the New AS
stretch and challenge when teaching able students with and A levels. This work includes the integration of How
a view to obtaining an A*. Science Works into specifications, exam papers and
support material. A highly experienced teacher Graham
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD was until recently Head of Biology at a leading school in
containing detailed notes of the course the North West.
Venues and dates Ray is a very experienced Senior and Principal Examiner
for a major awarding body. He is Head of Biology at a
London, Tuesday 30 November 2010 leading sixth form college in the North West where he is
Manchester, Thursday 25 November 2010 also a member of the senior management team.
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Session 1 What is the A* and what is the importance of AS?
This session will look at the requirements of the A* award and the criteria on which it is
based. Examples will be used to illustrate the types of questions with which A* students
will be presented. The links between AS, A2 and A* will be explored, especially the
importance of synopsis and How Science Works.
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Session 2 What are the challenges for A* students at AS?
This session will explore the elements of Units 1, 2 and 3 in which able students should
excel. This will include the longer responses linked to a comprehension passage in Unit 1,
the long How Science Works question in Unit 2 and demonstrating an understanding of
scientific methodology in Unit 3. The emphasis will be on the skills students will require.
12.45pm: Lunch
1.45pm: Session 3
Unit 4 will be challenging for all students. There will be a long How Science Works
question and a lot of data handling questions that use novel contexts. What will
separate A* students from the others? The types of questions used will be examined,
together with strategies to develop the critical and analytical skills of students. Some
other questions require students to display their factual knowledge in longer written
responses. How should A* students approach these questions? This Unit will also form
a large part of the preparation for Unit 6, where the written paper will provide stiff
challenges even to the best students. Examples will be used to suggest how they might
be prepared for this challenge.
2.45pm: Session 4
Synopsis runs throughout AS and A2 AQA Biology. The most able students will acquire
a good knowledge of ‘facts’ during their study but this will not be enough to get an
A*. Their most important asset will be a grasp of concepts and ‘big pictures’ in Biology.
Strategies will be suggested to help these students to develop this broader view. In Unit
5, they will be asked to write a synoptic essay. What will set an A* essay apart from the
others?
3.45pm: Day ends

8. AS/A2 AQA Biology: Reflections on Practical Assessment
and Improving Student Outcomes
Course features
Tutor: Michael Blakemore
The course will include reflections from both Biology and
Human Biology. The two subjects share considerable
overlap in their approach, in the nature of assessment, Michael is a Principal Examiner for a major awarding
and in marking guidelines or mark schemes. Any lessons body who has produced specimen and examination
that can be learned from one subject can equally be material for the ISA and EMPA, as well as for Biology
applied to the other. and Human Biology.
The programme will include a variety of activities to
illustrate common weaknesses and to offer ideas or
ways for improving performance.
Venues and dates
London, Friday 3 December 2010
Manchester, Thursday 11 November 2010
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: ISA and EMPA
Pros and cons
Shared experience
Results profile at AS and at A2
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.30am: How centres perform
How well do centres prepare candidates for the different Stages or Tasks?
Have centres learned from their experience at AS?
Are candidates better prepared for A2?
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: How candidates perform at AS
Tables
Graphs
Written Test Section A (and EMPA Task 1) – individual investigation skills
Written Test Section B – using other peoples’ data
2.45pm: How candidates perform at A2
(Tables)
Statistics
Written Test Section A (and EMPA Task 1) – individual investigation skills
Written Test Section B – using other peoples’ data
3.45pm: Day ends

9. Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology:
A focus on the more challenging areas
Course features
Tutor: Frank Sochacki
This course is intended to give teachers the opportunity
to reflect on the first two years of the new specification.
It will help in identifying the differences between AS Frank Sochacki is Head of Biology at an independent
and A2 and how this affects planned teaching. There school in Canterbury. He has taught A level Biology for
will be a discussion that highlights areas of the new 25 years and has been an A level examiner for 17 years.
specification that candidates find difficult and delegates He is now a Principle Examiner of Biology at AS level.
will have the chance to review progress so far. The Frank is co-author of the new OCR-endorsed textbook
provision of suitable practical work that supports written specifically to accompany the new specification
learning and teaching will also be addressed. and has contributed to the accompanying Student Cafe
CD and the Teachers Guide CD. Frank has already run
many successful INSET courses introducing the new
specification
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course Venue and date
London, Tuesday 14 December 2010
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Introduction and Aims of the Day
10.15am: What areas do students find challenging in the AS/A2 course?
Feedback from the examinations
Feedback from teaching experience what do teachers find difficult to teach?
11.15am: Morning coffee
11.30am: How can we approach these problem areas?
An opportunity to discuss what works in practice and what may not work so
well
12.30am: Lunch
1.15pm: Incorporating A2 concepts making it A2
Stretch and challenge
Synoptic work
2.15pm: Incorporating additional skills; quality of written communication
How science works
Practical skills
Use of ICT
3.30pm: Afternoon tea
3.45pm: Further Questions and Plenary
4.00pm: Day ends

10. Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010 and the
implications for moving forward with the specification
Course features
Tutor: Ed Lees
This day is intended to give teachers the opportunity
to reflect on the June 2010 examinations of this new
specification and to identify important issues which Ed is an experienced INSET presenter having worked
could help to enhance student performance. In addition extensively both in this country and abroad. He has over
it provides an opportunity to review the demands of 35 years experience as an examiner and moderator and
Unit 6 and how they may be addressed. is currently a Principal Examiner and Moderator with a
major examination board. Having been involved in the
preparation of the new A-level specification he has also
been appointed to a senior position for implementation.
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD More recently he has become Assistant Manager of
containing detailed notes of the course a local teacher training consortium and runs his own
consultancy.
Venue and date
London, Wednesday 13 October 2010
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Using feedback to improve student performance
Unit 1 – Lifestyle, Transport, Genes and Health
Reviewing examiners’ comments from Jan and June 2010
Identifying important issues for teaching & learning
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Unit 2 – Development, Plants and the Environment
Reviewing examiners’ comments from Jan and June 2010
Identifying important issues for teaching & learning
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: Unit 3 – A visit/issue report
Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010
Strategies for preparing students for Unit 3
2.30pm: Looking forward to Unit 6
Reviewing import principles for investigations
Preparing students to undertake individual investigations
Managing individual investigations
Graphical and statistical requirements
3.30pm: Plenary
3.45pm: Day ends

11. Leading Learning in Biology
A course for new, existing and aspiring subject leaders
Course features
Tutors: Margaret Baker and
This course has been specifically designed for aspir- Alan Morris
ing Heads of Biology and existing heads who strive to
improve the success of their department. The course
identifies successful strategies focusing on curriculum vi- Margaret is Head of Science in a large FE college.
sion, raising attainment, self evaluation, monitoring and She has led a successful Biology Department and is
resources. There will also be an opportunity to consider responsible for the training and monitoring of A level
effective use of technical help and risk assessments. teachers. Margaret is a well known author and also has a
number of years experience as an examiner and external
moderator.
Alan is Head of Biology and an Advanced Practitioner
in an FE College. He teaches on the PGCE course and
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD observes practising teachers, this has increased his
containing detailed notes of the course awareness of the constraints and expectations placed
on teachers today. He is also an author, and has had
experience as an examiner and external moderator.
Venue and date
London, Wednesday 9 February 2011
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Day-to-day running of the department
Running meetings effectively
Effective use of technical help
Risk assessments
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Getting the best out of people
Managing and selecting colleagues
Working with management
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: Monitoring and evaluation
Collecting and using information from observations and student surveys
Acting upon strengths and weaknesses
Planning and development
2.30pm: Raising standards in the department
Increasing the challenge
Retention
3.15pm: Issues surrounding inspection
3.45pm: Day ends

12. Teacher Day Booking Form
)0844 800 5292 20844 800 5295 8bookings@teachersfirst.org.uk
Or return the booking form to us at the address given below. We will then confirm your booking and issue an invoice.
Payment is required 2 weeks before the date of the workshop.
Course details will be sent out to you about 10 days before the course, after the receipt of payment.
Please telephone us if you have not received them by this time.
Further information on this and other events can be found on our website www.teachersfirst.org.uk
Teacher Courses Venue Date Course fee per Number of
head (plus VAT) places required
A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time London 01/12/10 £195
Making connections and being an outstanding teacher
London 03/03/11 £195
in AS & A2 Biology and Human Biology
London 23/03/11 £195
Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human
Biology
Manchester 09/03/11 £195
AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June London 04/11/10 £195
2010 and implications for moving ahead with the
specification. Manchester 02/11/10 £195
London 30/11/10 £195
Stretch & Challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology
Manchester 25/11/10 £195
London 03/12/10 £195
AQA AS/A2 Biology: Reflections on Practical
Assessment and improving Student Outcomes
Manchester 11/11/10 £195
Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology: a focus on
London 14/12/10 £195
the more challenging areas
Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010
and the implications for moving forward with the London 13/10/10 £195
specification.
Leading learning in Biology :a course for new, existing
London 09/02/11 £195
and aspiring subject leaders in Biology
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There’s always something
Teachers First LLP, PO Box 659, Stockport, SK2 7WF. new to learn
Teachers First reserves the right to amend the programme where circumstances dictate.