Practical Vs Theory
Course overview
Gain practical and written scientific skills to make connections with all living things around you. Biology literally means the study of life and if that’s not important, what is? Studying this broad subject will allow you to discover your areas of interest and open the door to a fantastic range of interesting careers.
Entry Requirements
The standard requirement for A Levels at Stamford College is 5 GCSEs at Grade 5/C or above as a minimum for humanities subjects and 6/B in maths for all science subjects.
Each A Level subject has its own additional entry requirements, please see below:
Minimum grade 6/B or above in maths and 66 BB in Combined Science or Grade 6/B in maths and 6/B in Biology plus 6/B in Chemistry or Physics.
We will review each application on a case-by-case basis to ensure you get a place on the course most suitable for you. We offer an online interview which will explain the A Level programme and also allow for an informal chat with the tutor for each subject before an offer to study with us can be made to you.
Once enrolled one of the ways we make sure the course is right for you is through a very effective ‘6 weeks to success’ programme that operates from the first day you start your course. This includes support such as (but not limited to):
- Allowing you to change subject and course if you change your mind or find the course is not right for you in the first 6 weeks ‑subject to availability
- Moving you between A‑Levels and a Level 3 Diploma if you are finding your current level too hard — subject to availability
- One-to-one reviews with your academic tutor to ensure you are progressing and achieving well
Our course enquiries and admissions team can be contacted at enquiries@stamford.ac.uk should you have any further questions.
Potential Future Career
Example job roles:
- Doctor
- Clinical Molecular Geneticist
- Nature Conservation Officer
- Pharmacologist
- Physiotherapist
- Nurse
- Research Scientist
- Vet
- Secondary School Teacher
- Marine Biologist
- Dentist
Studying further degrees in:
- Biology
- Psychology
- Sport and Exercise Science
- Medicine
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Pathology
- Biochemistry
- Biomedicine
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Pharmacy
- Chemistry
Course Content
You will study the following units:
- Biological molecules
- Cells
- How organisms exchange substances with their environment
- Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms
- Energy transfers in and between organisms
- How organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments
- Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
- The control of gene expression



Learners benefit from a range of additional activities that broadens their experience and prepares them well for life after College.