Teaching the AQA A-Level Biology Required Practicals with Confidence

Most students think the required practicals are all about memorising the 12 experiments.
But here’s the secret: the real assessment focus is hidden in a single, often-overlooked table in the specification: the apparatus and techniques table.

Understanding that table (and helping students master it) can be the difference between missed marks and full marks in the exam.

Why the Apparatus and Techniques Table Matters

When exams roll around, questions rarely ask students to describe an experiment they’ve done.
Instead, they focus on skills — how to use equipment, take measurements, control variables, and evaluate results.

That’s why I always tell my students to:

• Print the apparatus and techniques table from the specification

• Stick it at the front of their folder or lab book

• Learn it actively, not just glance at it once before mocks

You can build this into your lessons easily:

✅ Turn the table into a quick starter quiz each week

✅ Get students to make flashcards with one skill per card

✅ Use my Active Recall Workbook for ready-made practical skills questions

👉 This helps them recall techniques confidently — not just remember “the enzyme practical.”

Structuring the 12 Required Practicals Without the Chaos

One of the biggest teacher stress points?
Trying to fit every required practical into a packed timetable and make sure students actually understand them.

Here’s the 3-lesson structure I use for each practical:

1. Prep Lesson

   • Introduce the science behind the practical

   • Model any new skills (pipetting, calibration, safety steps)

   • Let students practise skills in a low-stakes way

2. Practical Lesson

   • Students collect data independently or in pairs

   • You observe, support, and check technique

3. Follow-Up Lesson

   • Analyse and discuss results together

   • Write up the practical (some parts can be set for homework)

   • Reflect on errors, accuracy, and reliability

This structure keeps things manageable and meaningful — students know why they’re doing each step, not just how.

Free Teacher Pack for All 12 Required Practicals

To make life easier, I’ve created a free teacher pack that supports you before every required practical.

It includes:

✔️ Full equipment lists

✔️ Step-by-step methods

✔️ Example data and presentation formats

✔️ Top tips and common mistakes

✔️ A risk assessment template

You can download it completely free to use with your classes.

👉 Download the Required Practicals Teacher Pack here 

What’s Coming Next: Practical Videos for Teachers

I’m also filming every single required practical — each one focused on the teacher’s perspective:

• Key teaching points

• Top student mistakes

• Quick demonstrations you can show in class

These videos will help you head into the lab confident, organised, and ready.

The Takeaway

If you only do one thing after reading this, print out that apparatus and techniques table and make it a regular feature of your lessons.

Because while experiments are memorable, it’s those techniques that earn marks in the exam.
Help your students master them — and you’ll see a real difference in their confidence and results.

Listen & Learn More

🎧 Listen to the full episode: Teaching the AQA A-Level Biology Required Practicals with Confidence

Available on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , and YouTube 

☕ You bring the coffee, I’ll bring the Teach & Tell.