Skip to main content

Go to our other sites

Change language / country
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Cambridge Assessment International Education

Main navigation

  • About us

    About us

    • What we do
    • Our management team
    • Our regional teams
    • Our standards
    • Careers
    • Examiners
    • Our history
  • Why choose us

    Why choose us

    • Benefits of a Cambridge education
    • Where do Cambridge qualifications take you?
    • Support for schools
    • Information for parents and students
    • Find a Cambridge school
    • Join Cambridge
    • Cambridge Associates
    • The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
    spacer
    Material from Join Cambridge Welcome pack

    Join Cambridge

    Find out how to become a Cambridge school

  • Programmes &
    qualifications

    Programmes & qualifications

    • Cambridge Primary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Lower Secondary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Upper Secondary

      • Cambridge IGCSE
      • Cambridge O Level
    • Cambridge Advanced

      • Cambridge International AS & A Level
      • Cambridge Pre-U
      • Cambridge AICE Diploma
      • Cambridge IPQ
    • Other

      • Recognition and acceptance
      • Cambridge Global Perspectives
      • Bilingual education
  • Exam
    administration

    Exam administration

    • Cambridge Exams Officers' Guide

      • Phase 1 - Preparation
      • Phase 2 - Entries
      • Phase 3 - Coursework and Moderation
      • Phase 4 - Before the exam
      • Phase 5 - Exam day
      • Phase 6 - Results and certificates

    Other

      • What to expect on exam day
      • Results
      • Private candidates
  • Support & training
    for schools

    Support & training for schools

    Support and resources

    • Teaching and learning when school is closed
    • Teaching and Learning when school returns
    • Support for teachers
    • Support for new schools
    • Teaching Cambridge at your school
    • Endorsed resources
    • Communications toolkit

    Training and conferences

    • Training
    • Events and training calendar
    • Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications
    • Cambridge Schools Conference

    Other support

    • Resource Plus
    • Test Maker
    • Great teaching toolkit
  • Working with
    governments

    Working with governments

    • What we do
    • How we work
    • Our experience
    • Talk to us
  • News & blog

    News & blog

    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • eNewsletter sign up
    • Media contacts
    • What's new September 2020
    spacer
    Cambridge Outlook magazine front cover

    Cambridge Outlook magazine

    Keep up to date with news from Cambridge and its schools around the world.

  • Help

    Help

    • Novel coronavirus - Information for schools about the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak
    spacer
    spacer

Programmes & Qualifications

  • Syllabus overview
  • Past papers, examiner reports and specimen papers
  • Published resources
  • Home
  • Programmes and qualifications
  • Cambridge Upper Secondary
  • Cambridge O Level
  • Subjects
  • Cambridge O Level Biology (5090)

Cambridge O Level Biology (5090)

Cambridge O Level Biology helps learners to understand the biological world in which they live and take an informed interest in science and scientific developments. The syllabus includes the basic principles and concepts that are fundamental to the subject, some current applications of biology, and a strong emphasis on practical skills.

Learners also develop an understanding of the scientific skills essential for progression to Cambridge International AS & A Level, further education or a career related to science.

Cambridge Upper Secondary Science competition

Find out more about our competition for Cambridge IGCSE students aged 14-16.

Syllabuses

The syllabus year refers to the year in which the examination will be taken.

  • 2020-2021 Syllabus (PDF, 433KB)
  • 2022 Syllabus (PDF, 343KB)
  • 2023 - 2025 Syllabus (PDF, 470KB)

School Support Hub

We provide a wide range of support so that teachers can give their learners the best possible preparation for Cambridge programmes and qualifications. For teachers at registered Cambridge schools, support materials for specific syllabuses are available from the School Support Hub (username and password required).

Syllabus update

Sign up for updates about changes to the syllabuses you teach

  • We revise our qualifications regularly to make sure that they continue to meet the needs of learners, schools and higher education institutions around the world and reflect current thinking. We have updated this syllabus and all assessment materials so they are clearer and more consistent across the three sciences. This is helpful for teachers who are teaching more than one science syllabus, and students who will enjoy a more coherent experience across each science. Please see the 2023-2025 syllabus document for full details on the changes.

    What are the main changes to the syllabus?

    To support teachers and learners, we have:
    • updated the learning objectives to demonstrate the depth you should teach each topic. The wording looks different in many places, but the teaching content remains largely the same
    • updated the topic structure to make sure topics and sub-topics are clearly linked
    • removed and added topics; making sure that the teaching time is still within the guided learning hours
    • included a list of mathematical requirements to support teaching and learning.

    What are the main changes to the assessment?

    • We have removed Section B (optional questions) in Paper 2. There are no separate sections to the paper and all questions are compulsory.
    • We have increased the duration of Paper 3.
    • Paper 6 is now called Paper 4. This paper has a similar structure to Paper 3, making sure there is consistency between the two papers that assess practical skills.

    When do these changes take place?

    The updated syllabus is for examination from June 2023 onwards. Please see the 2023-2025 syllabus for full details.


    Support

    We are developing a comprehensive range of materials to help you teach the updated syllabus. These resources will be available from September 2020 onwards (before first teaching) through our School Support Hub and include:

    • Scheme of work
    • Learner guide
    • Teacher guide
    • Specimen Paper Answers
    • Resource Plus update
    • Example Candidate Responses (after first examination).

    Training

    Face-to-face and online training will be available. For up-to-date information, visit our Events and training calendar.

    Endorsed resources

    View the latest resource that is being developed by our Endorsement Partner for the Cambridge O Level Biology syllabus (5090).

    Cambridge O Level Physics (Hodder)

    Cambridge O Level Biology (Hodder Education)

    Written by renowned expert authors, our updated resources enable the learner to effectively navigate through the content of the revised Cambridge O Level Biology syllabus (5090).

    Read more on the Hodder Education website

About us

  • What we do
  • Help
  • Our social media channels

Useful links

  • Join Cambridge
  • Book a training course
  • Communications toolkit
  • Log in to secure sites
  • Careers

View Related Sites

  • School Support Hub
  • Cambridge Primary support site
  • Cambridge Lower Secondary support site
  • Cambridge International Direct
  • eSubmission
  • Online Learning – professional development
  • Assessment Specialist support site
  • Online Learning – student support

Copyright © UCLES 2020

  • Sitemap
  • ISO 9001 Certificate
  • Privacy and legal
  • Statement on Modern Slavery
  • Contact us
Back to top
We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept