Slide 1
Biology
- Year 11 2027 · Year 12 2028
- 2 units · Board Developed · contributes to the ATAR
- New Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025): first taught to Year 11 in 2027, first HSC examination in 2028
- Units
- 2 units for each of the Preliminary and HSC courses (Board Developed)
- Exclusions
- Biology Life Skills
- Group
- Science elective — Choose from this group
Syllabus in use · New syllabus (2025) — first taught 2027
The new Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025) is implemented from 2027, replacing the Biology Stage 6 Syllabus (2017). The Year 11 2027 cohort will be the first to study this new syllabus; the first HSC examination under the new syllabus will be held in 2028. The course structure below reflects the new syllabus as published by NESA.
Course description
Biology explores the diversity of life from a molecular to a biological systems level. The course examines the interactions between living things and the environments in which they live, and the application of biology in finding solutions to health and sustainability issues in a changing world.
A depth study is undertaken in both Year 11 and Year 12, and students develop skills in Working Scientifically, including questioning and predicting, planning and conducting investigations, and processing, analysing and communicating data and information.
Course structure
Year 11 Preliminary · 2027
- Cells as the basis of life (40 indicative hours)
- Cells to systems (40 indicative hours)
- Evolution and ecosystems (40 indicative hours)
- A depth study (10 hours, included above) and at least one fieldwork exercise
Year 12 HSC · 2028
- Heredity (30 indicative hours)
- Diseases (30 indicative hours)
- Biodiversity (30 indicative hours)
- Biotechnology (30 indicative hours)
- A depth study (10 hours, included above)
Students who should consider this course
This course suits students considering study or careers in nursing, dental health, biomedical science, pathology, environmental science, marine science, agriculture or related health and life-science fields. Students may study a maximum of 6 units of Science in Year 11 and 7 units in Year 12.
School-based assessment components
| Component | Weighting % |
|---|---|
| Skills in Working Scientifically | 60 |
| Knowledge and understanding of course content | 40 |
Component weightings shown are those of the outgoing 2017 syllabus. The Academy will confirm the school-based assessment components for the new Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025) in line with NESA’s requirements.
HSC examination
Under the new Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025), the HSC examination is a written paper worth 100 marks, with 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time. NESA-approved calculators may be used. Section I consists of objective-response questions worth 20 marks; Section II is worth 80 marks with 20 to 25 items, at least two of which are worth 7 to 9 marks. Questions assessing Working Scientifically outcomes are integrated throughout, and the Year 11 course is assumed knowledge.
Subject presentation
Slide 2
What is Biology?
- The study of living things — from molecules and cells to whole organisms, ecosystems and the biosphere.
- Builds directly on what you learned in Science 7–10.
- You investigate phenomena, make predictions and solve problems related to health, sustainability and biotechnology.
- You generate and analyse data, evaluate results and make ethical, evidence-based decisions.
Slide 3
What you will learn to do
- Understand the complex interactions between living things, and how human actions affect the environment.
- Apply biology to investigate phenomena, make predictions and address real-world problems.
- Explore how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of Knowing, Being and Doing give social and cultural context to biology.
- Develop critical thinking, ethical decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Slide 4
Year 11 — three focus areas (120 hours)
- Cells as the basis of life — 40 hours
- Cells to systems — 40 hours
- Evolution and ecosystems — 40 hours
- Includes 10 hours of depth study and at least one fieldwork exercise.
- All Year 11 content is assumed knowledge for Year 12 and the HSC examination.
Slide 5
Year 12 — four focus areas (120 hours)
- Heredity — 30 hours
- Diseases — 30 hours
- Biodiversity — 30 hours
- Biotechnology — 30 hours
- Includes 10 hours of depth study.
Slide 6
Working Scientifically — the skills that run through everything
- Questioning and predicting
- Planning scientific investigations
- Conducting scientific investigations
- Processing data and information
- Analysing data and information
- Problem-solving
- Communicating
Slide 7
Investigations, depth studies and fieldwork
- Practical investigations: laboratory experiments, computer simulations and modelling, and fieldwork.
- Secondary-source investigations: extracting, analysing and presenting data from published sources.
- Depth study: a targeted investigation in which you pursue your own interest within one or more focus areas — at least one in Year 11 and one in Year 12, completed individually or collaboratively.
- Fieldwork: at least one exercise in Year 11 — in the school grounds, a local area or further afield — and it may be combined with your depth study.
Slide 8
How you are assessed
- Your HSC mark is 50% school-based assessment and 50% the external HSC examination.
- School-based tasks assess both Working Scientifically skills and knowledge and understanding of content, and include your depth study.
- HSC examination: written paper, 100 marks, 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time, NESA-approved calculators allowed.
- Section I — 20 marks of objective-response questions.
- Section II — 80 marks across 20–25 items, at least two worth 7–9 marks. Questions may use stimulus material.
Slide 9
Where Biology can lead
- Nursing, midwifery and allied health
- Dental health and dentistry
- Biomedical science, pathology and laboratory work
- Medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy (with further study)
- Environmental science, marine science and conservation
- Agriculture, veterinary science and biotechnology
- Science teaching and science communication
Slide 10
Is Biology for you?
- You are curious about how living things work and why they behave as they do.
- You enjoy practical work — experiments, fieldwork and collecting your own data.
- You are willing to learn precise scientific terminology and write clear, structured explanations.
- You are considering a health, science or environmental career.
- Speak to the Head of Science with any questions before you make your selection.
Prepared from the NESA Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025), NSW Curriculum website.