A-Level Biology 2026: What Teachers Should Focus on for Paper 1 and Paper 2

Every year, around this time, A-Level Biology teachers start asking the same question:

What should we be prioritising before the exams?

Now, let's be clear from the outset.

This is not about predicting the exam.

No one can do that.

But what we can do is look carefully at historical patterns, identify topics that have been under-assessed in recent years, and use that information to make more strategic decisions about revision.

Each year, I analyse every AQA A-Level Biology paper in detail. I map every mark back to the specification, track how frequently topics appear, monitor when they were last assessed, and look for patterns in mark allocation over time.

The goal isn't to guess what's coming up.

It's to help teachers prioritise revision effectively without adding to their workload.

Here are the topics that stand out most strongly for 2026.

Paper 1 Revision Priorities

Nucleic Acids

One of the most striking patterns in the data is the treatment of nucleic acids.

In both 2024 and 2025, this topic accounted for just one clear mark.

Historically, however, nucleic acids have typically been worth anywhere between three and ten marks.

When a topic receives such limited assessment for two consecutive years, it naturally becomes an area worth paying attention to.

I'd be making sure students are confident with:

• DNA structure
• RNA structure
• DNA replication
• Links between structure and function

This is also a topic that could easily appear within an extended response or essay-style question.

Water

Water is a relatively small specification point, but it hasn't received significant standalone attention for several years.

Students often underestimate it because the content appears straightforward.

However, it's a classic example of a topic that lends itself well to short-answer questions requiring precise biological explanations.

Make sure students can confidently explain the properties of water and link them directly to biological function.

Mitosis and the Cell Cycle

There is an interesting pattern emerging around cell division.

Recent papers have focused heavily on meiosis and aspects of the cell cycle, but mitosis has received comparatively little direct attention.

That doesn't guarantee anything, but it does make mitosis an area I would revisit carefully during revision.

Students should be secure on:

• The stages of mitosis
• Chromosome behaviour
• Growth and repair
• Differences between mitosis and meiosis

Transport Across Cell Membranes

Although transport across membranes appeared recently, it was assessed relatively lightly and often through application-based questions.

This is a topic that frequently returns because it underpins so much of the course.

I'd ensure students are secure with:

• Diffusion
• Facilitated diffusion
• Active transport
• Co-transport

More importantly, they need to be able to apply these concepts in unfamiliar contexts.

Gas Exchange

Gas exchange remains one of the most consistently assessed topics across AQA papers.

What changes each year is often the context.

Recent papers have focused on plant gas exchange, meaning students should be comfortable comparing different exchange systems across a range of organisms.

For example:

• Fish
• Insects
• Mammals
• Plants

Comparative questions are particularly common.

Mass Transport

Mass transport is another topic that frequently generates application and data analysis questions.

Areas I'd be revisiting include:

• The structure of the heart
• The cardiac cycle
• Blood vessels
• Transport systems in plants

This topic often appears in questions requiring students to interpret data rather than simply recall information.

Paper 2 Revision Priorities

Photosynthesis

One of the clearest Paper 2 trends relates to the balance between photosynthesis and respiration.

Where respiration has featured more prominently in recent years, photosynthesis may be worth revisiting carefully.

Students should be confident with:

• Light-dependent reactions
• Light-independent reactions
• The relationship between the two stages
• Application of photosynthesis to unfamiliar scenarios

As always, application is more important than memorisation.

Blood Glucose Control

Blood glucose regulation remains one of the most reliable topics on Paper 2.

It's frequently assessed through:

• Data interpretation
• Application questions
• Extended explanations

Students should be comfortable explaining the roles of:

• Insulin
• Glucagon
• Adrenaline
• Negative feedback mechanisms

Inheritance

Inheritance continues to appear regularly and remains an area where students often lose marks unnecessarily.

Key areas to focus on include:

• Genetic crosses
• Probability calculations
• Chi-squared tests
• Interpreting unfamiliar genetic data

Gene Technologies

Gene technologies remain a high-value area of the specification.

Rather than simply memorising processes, students need to understand how techniques are applied and be able to evaluate them in unfamiliar contexts.

The Maths Skills Students Need Most

Across both papers, certain mathematical skills continue to cause difficulties.

The biggest areas I'd prioritise are:

• Serial dilutions
• Uncertainty calculations
• Logarithms

These aren't isolated skills.

They're embedded throughout the course and often appear within application-based questions.

The most effective approach is to integrate them into revision rather than treating them as separate topics.

Practical Skills Worth Revisiting

Practical skills continue to contribute significantly to AO2 and AO3 marks.

Particular areas worth revisiting include:

• Serial dilutions
• Biochemical tests
• Colorimetry

Students rarely lose marks because they can't recall a practical method.

They lose marks because they struggle to interpret data, evaluate procedures, or apply practical knowledge to unfamiliar situations.

How to Use This Analysis Without Creating More Work

The most important thing to remember is that this analysis should not lead to a complete rewrite of your revision programme.

Instead, use it to refine what you're already doing.

Focus revision lessons around these areas.

Select exam questions that target these topics.

Build in opportunities for modelling, retrieval, and application.

The goal isn't to do more.

It's to be more strategic with the time you already have.

Final Thoughts

Past paper analysis is never about prediction.

It's about identifying patterns, spotting potential gaps, and helping students feel as prepared as possible.

For me, the standout areas for 2026 are:

Paper 1

• Nucleic acids
• Water
• Mitosis
• Transport across cell membranes
• Gas exchange
• Mass transport

Paper 2

• Photosynthesis
• Blood glucose control
• Inheritance
• Gene technologies

And across both papers:

• Serial dilutions
• Uncertainty calculations
• Logarithms
• Biochemical tests
• Colorimetry

Use the data to guide your revision, not dictate it.

That's where it becomes most valuable.

Want the Full Breakdown?

This blog is based on an episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, where I dive into my full AQA A-Level Biology past paper analysis for 2026.

In the episode, I walk through:

• The Paper 1 topics that stand out from the data
• The Paper 2 areas I'd be prioritising
• The maths skills students consistently struggle with
• Practical skills that frequently contribute to AO2 and AO3 marks
• How to use past paper analysis strategically without rewriting your entire revision programme

If you're teaching A-Level Biology this year and want a data-driven approach to revision planning, this episode will help you focus your time where it matters most.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode here

👉 Watch the full video analysis here

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Frequently Asked Questions About AQA A-Level Biology 2026

Can you predict the AQA A-Level Biology exam?

No. Nobody can accurately predict an exam paper. However, analysing historical patterns can help identify topics that have been under-assessed and may therefore be worth prioritising during revision.

Which AQA Biology topics should students focus on for 2026?

Based on recent exam trends, teachers may wish to prioritise topics such as nucleic acids, mitosis, transport across cell membranes, photosynthesis, blood glucose control, inheritance, and gene technologies alongside core mathematical and practical skills.

Is nucleic acids likely to come up in AQA Biology 2026?

Nucleic acids have received very little assessment weighting in recent years compared to historical patterns. While this does not guarantee increased coverage, it is a topic many teachers will want students to revise thoroughly.

What maths skills are important for A-Level Biology?

Students should be confident with serial dilutions, uncertainty calculations, logarithms, percentages, ratios, and standard form. These skills are often embedded within biology questions rather than assessed separately.

Which practical skills should students revise for AQA Biology?

Biochemical tests, colorimetry, serial dilutions, microscopy, and required practical application skills are all important areas to revisit before the exams.

How should teachers use past paper analysis?

Past paper analysis is best used to prioritise revision and identify areas that may need additional attention. It should support revision planning rather than replace comprehensive specification coverage.

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