3 sessions available Foundation & Higher

Edexcel GCSE Biology Past Papers

Download free Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology (1BI0) past papers, mark schemes, and examiner reports. Access both Foundation and Higher tier papers including question papers (QP) and mark schemes (MS).

24+ papers
Mark schemes included
Examiner reports

1BI0 Paper Components

Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) consists of 4 papers per tier: 1BI0 Paper 1F (Paper 1 Foundation), 1BI0 Paper 2F (Paper 2 Foundation), 1BI0 Paper 1H (Paper 1 Higher), 1BI0 Paper 2H (Paper 2 Higher). Each tier (Foundation and Higher) has separate papers targeting different grade ranges.

Paper 1F
1F
Paper 1 Foundation
1.5 hours
Paper 2F
2F
Paper 2 Foundation
2 hours
Paper 1H
1H
Paper 1 Higher
1.5 hours
Paper 2H
2H
Paper 2 Higher
2 hours

1BI0 Past Papers by Year

Latest

2024

1

1 exam session

8 papers available

View papers
1 year ago

2023

1

1 exam session

8 papers available

View papers
2 years ago

2022

1

1 exam session

8 papers available

View papers

1BI0 Exam Structure & Assessment

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology (1BI0) consists of Foundation and Higher tiers, each with two written examination papers.

1BI0 Assessment Tiers

Foundation Tier
Grades 1-5
1BI0 Papers 1F and 2F
Higher Tier
Grades 4-9
1BI0 Papers 1H and 2H

1BI0 Paper Details

1BI0 Paper 1 Paper 1

Topics 1-5: Key concepts, Cells and control, Genetics, Natural selection, Health and disease. 1 hour 45 minutes, 60 marks (50%).

1BI0 Paper 2 Paper 2

Topics 6-9: Plant structures, Animal coordination, Ecosystems, Material cycling. 1 hour 45 minutes, 60 marks (50%).

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1BI0 Tip: Practice interpreting graphs and experimental data. Higher tier requires deeper understanding of biological mechanisms.

Related Sciences Subjects

1CH0

Chemistry

3 sessions • 24 files

1PH0

Physics

3 sessions • 24 files

View all Edexcel GCSE subjects →

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) assessed?
Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology (1BI0) consists of Foundation and Higher tiers, each with two written examination papers. Both tiers are externally assessed through written examinations sat at the end of the course; there is no coursework component. Practice interpreting graphs and experimental data. Higher tier requires deeper understanding of biological mechanisms.
Should I sit Foundation or Higher tier for Biology?
Your school decides which tier you sit, usually based on mock results and ongoing coursework. Foundation tier targets grades 1-5 and is the right choice if grade 5 would be a strong outcome; Higher tier targets grades 4-9 and is right when grade 6+ is realistic. If you sit Higher and underperform you can drop below grade 3 to "unclassified", so borderline candidates often play it safe with Foundation. Practise past papers from both tiers if you're undecided, then discuss with your teacher.
When are exam results and grade boundaries released?
Pearson Edexcel releases GCSE results in late August each year — typically on the third Thursday of August. Grade thresholds (the raw-mark cut-offs for each grade band) are published on the same day on the Pearson Edexcel website; they vary year to year and tier to tier to keep grades comparable across sessions. The 1BI0 grade boundaries archive on the Pearson site lets you check what raw mark scored what grade in each historical session.
Are these Edexcel 1BI0 past papers free and complete?
Yes — every Edexcel-published question paper, mark scheme and examiner report from 2022-2024 is included here as a direct link to the official Pearson PDF. The papers are © Pearson Education Ltd; LumiExams organises and links to them as free educational material, but does not own the documents. For the very latest exam-officer guidance, grade-boundary tables and specification updates, refer to the Pearson Edexcel website.
Edexcel GCSE vs Edexcel IGCSE Biology — what's the difference?
Edexcel GCSE (subject codes starting with "1", e.g. 1BI0) is the UK domestic GCSE used by schools in England and Wales. Edexcel International GCSE (IGCSE, codes starting with "4", e.g. 4BI0) is the international version used worldwide. Both are Pearson qualifications and both can be tiered or untiered depending on the subject, but the specifications, exam dates and grade-boundary calibration differ. UK universities accept either.

Official Edexcel resources for 1BI0

LumiExams mirrors and organises Pearson's published past-paper PDFs. For specification documents, the latest exam-officer notices, and authoritative grade-boundary tables, refer to the official sources below.

Pearson Edexcel GCSE qualifications
Official specifications, sample materials and assessment guidance for every Edexcel GCSE subject including 1BI0.
qualifications.pearson.com ↗
Edexcel grade boundaries archive
Raw-mark-to-grade thresholds for every GCSE session, separated by tier. Useful for converting historical paper marks into a grade.
qualifications.pearson.com ↗
BBC Bitesize — Edexcel Biology
Free topic-by-topic revision content from the BBC, organised against the Edexcel 1BI0 specification.
bbc.co.uk/bitesize ↗
Ofqual — exam regulator
UK regulator of all GCSE qualifications, including Edexcel. Publishes policy on grading, malpractice, and inter-board calibration.
gov.uk/ofqual ↗