Course information
Throughout this challenging International GCSE, students will learn what makes up a human body and how it functions throughout the course of a lifetime. Scientific facts will be detailed and explained throughout the course, enabling students to understand not only the science behind complex topics such as the reproductive system, but also how this relates to the world we live in.
While studying each of the modules detailed below, students will be encouraged to read widely and practise a number of experiments that can either be carried out at home within a supervised environment. Although not essential to exam success, these practical experiments may prove useful, helping students with practical methodology and the recording of data.
The lessons are planned so that all the material and preparation required for the final examination papers are in the following five course modules:
Module 1: Cell Processes
- Cells, Tissues and Organs
- Movement of Substances into and out of Cells
- Respiration and Enzymes
Module 2: Human Physiology A
- Nutrition
- The Circulatory System
- Heart Disease and Exercise
- Breathing and Gas Exchange
Module 3: Human Physiology B
- Homeostasis and Excretion
- Sensory Receptors
- The Nervous System
- Bones, Muscles and Joints
- Hormones, Drugs, Liver, and Kidney Failure
Module 4: Reproduction and Heredity
- Reproduction
- Chromosomes, Genes and Nucleic Acids
- Cell Division
- Genes and Inheritance
- Gene Technology
Module 5: Microorganisms, Disease and Environment
- Pathogens and Disease
- Defence against Disease
This Oxford Home Schooling course is designed to prepare home learners for the Edexcel International GCSE Human Biology specification 4HB1.
Study the structure and function of the human body. Apply now!
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Exams and Assessment
The course is assessed by two written papers.
Both papers are 1 hour and 45 minutes long, are marked out of 90. Each accounts for 50% of the total mark in the examination.
Both papers examine the entire subject content for the specification and include:
• multiple choice questions
• short answer questions
• calculations
• extended open-response questions
Course duration and study time
When you enrol with Oxford Home Schooling we will agree on an intended examination date with you. Your support will last all the way up to this examination date, regardless of whether you decide to do the course in 9 months or 30.
The recommended number of study hours for this course is 200 hours.
Online Course? Paper-based? Somewhere in between? It’s your choice!
All of our International GCSE Human Biology students receive:
- Traditional printed learning materials
- Access to our online resources with on-the-go access to all your regular lessons
- Unmatched support by a fully-qualified teacher online and by phone
Course price
Our International GCSE Human Biology course fee is £395.
You may pay using our interest-free easy payment scheme. Pay a £79 deposit followed by eight monthly instalments of £39.50.
Multiple courses attract a discount. See our pricing page for further details.
You will receive support from a fully-qualified tutor holding either a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a degree in education.
This support includes:
- marking all assignments for the course
- written answers to specific study problems
- telephone contact
- a mock exam paper
- the option to buy extra one-to-one tutor time if needed
When you begin this course, you will agree an examination date or dates with your Student Adviser. Your support period lasts up to this examination date.
Meet Our Tutors
I have a wealth of experience in the private tuition sector and really enjoy working with individual students. I also work as an A Level examiner. This provides me with a thorough insight into exam mark schemes and enables me to support students both throughout the courses as well as during revision preparation time.
I have travelled to Africa several times and find it a paradise for an animal lover such as myself. I worked both in conservation and taught in a Ugandan orphanage.
I enjoy teaching and have a genuine interest in the sciences. I am keen to work with you to help you achieve your goals.
Louise Robson
What’s next?
With an International GCSE Human Biology, students should have a number of options to choose from. In most cases they continue their studies to A level, before going on to study a science-related course at university.
Other students may find a BTEC more appealing, with Health and Social Care being a particular favourite of those with a solid Human Biology IGCSE grade.
Although not so often, there are some students who choose instead to use their International GCSE as a springboard into the world of work. Apprenticeships are popular amongst this group, as are the full-time, entry level positions offered by a number of employers, particularly in health and social care.
Supported by Online Videos
In association with Twig World, The International GCSE Human Biology is enriched by extensive links to appropriate films (and other supporting material), lesson by lesson. The student hops from the course materials to the films and back again.
To access the films, students need a password, supplied at enrolment. Students also need internet access and an e-mail account to benefit from this extraordinary resource which is offered as a “free” extra to students on the relevant courses.
Books
FAQs
Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling?
- Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational trust that prides itself on
- treating every student as an individual
- customer service
- course quality.
- We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
- We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
- We make it easy for you to home-educate your children with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.
- Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals.
- Oxford Home Schooling is part of a not-for-profit trust so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your child’s tuition or on improving our courses.
What is an International GCSE?
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) qualifications are comparable to the UK GCSE specifications, with appropriate international content and assessment that will enable successful progression for learners.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are studied in over 80 countries worldwide and in independent schools in the UK. Available in 37 subjects, they are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs and accepted by universities globally. Aimed at learners aged 14 to 16, they provide the skills and knowledge needed to progress to A Levels, International A Levels, onto university and into employment.
Full details of Pearson Edexcel’s International GCSEs can be found here
When can I enrol?
You can enrol and start any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam and to give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully. Our cut-off dates for enrolment can be found here.
Once you have enrolled, you will get access to your course online immediately and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.
When will I sit my exam?
The Human Biology IGCSE exams are held in the Summer or the Autumn examination series. The Summer series typically runs from mid-May to late June and the Autumn series is in November.
How and when do I book an exam?
The final date for booking summer exams with the exam board without incurring late entry fees is the 21st of February. You should book your place at an exam centre well in advance of this date. Start looking once the autumn term begins.
All the information you need to book an exam centre can be found in our Exams Hub. Here you will find
- detailed instructions on how to approach exam centres with no online booking system
- the entry codes needed to book exams
- our map of examination centres where our students have taken exams in recent years.
Tutors & Exams offers discounts to Oxford Home Schooling students and has nine current exam venues across the UK: Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.
Our exam centre map also shows many centres that can offer exam places and often discounts as well.
Pearson Edexcel also publishes a list of exam centres that accept private candidates. This won’t list every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.
How much does a Human Biology IGCSE examination cost?
Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They will vary depending on which centre you choose. Generally speaking, dedicated examination services will be more expensive than a local school or college. Prices range from £100 to £350 pounds.
Can I enrol for both the Biology and Human Biology IGCSE courses?
Yes, you can. Whilst there is some overlap between the two syllabuses this is not a combination which the examination board has prohibited. There are some topics which are required by both specifications.
Which is easier, Biology or Human Biology?
These two (I)GCSEs are designed to be equally difficult. But, depending on your study background, one or other might appear easier.
Study the structure and function of the human body. Apply now!
Need more information? Enquire Now!
