How hard is A Level Biology

[goosebumps]

My DD is Year 11 and was thinking she'd like to be a primary school teacher but now thinking of nursing. We don't want to rule anything out by picking the wrong A 'Levels and she won't consider a college course. She's thinking she should pick biology but is doing Combined Science with possibly a 5/6 grade if she works hard. How does the combined science grading work (i.e will it show that the 6 is biology?) and if she's allowed onto A'level how hard is it to get a C grade. Thank you.

I’d also have said applied science or health and social care, rather than biology. What other subjects does she want to do?

She's thinking of sociology or psychology and history perhaps. She's better at the essay type subjects I think.

Not sure what the entry requirements are for nursing but I’d definitely swerve Biology. As pp said upthread all the medics do Biology so the grade boundaries are insane - but also the content is enormous.

Sociology is a fascinating subject. Psychology often counts as a science with a lot of degrees.

Hi OP, I’d look at the entry requirements for nursing for unis she might be interested in. I think you’d find a BTEC is acceptable to many. For fullness of information there is also an argument that the types of skills you gain at A level will set up up better for uni. My DD did A level biology and an applied science BTEC and I am a uni lecturer. I’m trying to remember DD’s GCSE grade though…she did combined science and it was either 6 or 7. She was just really passionate about biology though and did work incredibly hard.

Lots of nursing students have first work as HCAs for years then do an access course to get into uni.

Some are sponsored by their workplace

Lots of the younger ones straight out of A levels drop out once they realise what the job entails

So much content in A level bio. All the medic types find it easy so if you struggle (in comparison) there's huge downside risk to results. One or two bad questions can make a huge difference to the final grade. Mark scheme is very specific

Agree with the others. Encourage her to pick subjects she loves for A level, that’s the way to do well and open further doors.

DD is predicted 7-8 in biology GCSE and tbh I’m still worried about biology A level. We might have to get a tutor. She’s much better at physics (9 in her mocks) but hates it so there’s no point pursuing!

My daughter applied to sixth form thinking she would do biology (got an 8 in her triple science). She then decided against it as looking at 'what would I do if my plans for a creative career doesn't pan out' and social anthropology was what she came up with, so did Psychology (and History and Art) instead. Seeing friends take Biology and she was very glad she didn't! They in turn, were quite happy they didn't do essay intense History.
While it is wise to project ahead somewhat - no point imagining yourself being a writer for example but only taking stem subjects - I agree with @clary. My DD enjoyed Psychology, it was a new subject and she found it interesting and relatively easy. Art was her passion (though A level art can suck the joy out of creating), and loved History but found it tough going. But perseverance is her strength and she achieved A stars in all.
But, as it often happens, along the way changed her direction from art to an academic subject and is now applying for Sociology.
So good she is thinking ahead, but she should do what she is good at and interested in. A levels are both a means to an end but at this tender age also an exploration of subjects that may lead to something she hasn't thought of yet.