Expert one-to-one tutors for the Foundation papers in both OCR Biology GCSEs
Book a Free ConsultationFoundation Tier OCR GCSE Biology tutoring from Leading Tuition prepares students for OCR’s Foundation papers in Gateway Biology A (J247) and Twenty First Century Biology B (J257). Each Foundation paper carries 90 marks and lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, and the tier awards grades 5 to 1. Our expert tutors teach the content both tiers share and drill it to full marks, working from OCR’s own specifications and grade boundaries.
Already know the exam code? Start with a Foundation Biology tutor.
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students at Foundation tier on both OCR papers, J247 and J257, planning every lesson around the specification the school has entered.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppOCR runs two Biology GCSEs side by side. J247 is the Gateway Science Suite, Biology A. J257 is the Twenty First Century Science Suite, Biology B. OCR’s combined-science GCSEs are separate qualifications, covered on our OCR GCSE Combined Science page. Their Foundation papers are not interchangeable, so the first job in any programme is to read the code on the school’s entry. OCR’s own pages for the two routes are here: J247 specification at a glance and J257 specification at a glance.
| J247 Gateway Biology A | J257 Twenty First Century Biology B | |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation papers | J247/01 Paper 1 and J247/02 Paper 2 | J257/01 Breadth in biology and J257/02 Depth in biology |
| Marks and time | 90 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes, 50% each | 90 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes, 50% each |
| Content examined | Paper 1: topics B1 to B3 and B7. Paper 2: topics B4 to B6 and B7, with assumed knowledge of B1 to B3 | Each paper: all eight chapters |
| Question styles | Section A is 15 marks of multiple choice. Section B is 75 marks and includes an extended six-mark Level of Response question | Breadth: short-answer questions; OCR says “Extended response questions are not found on the Breadth paper.” Depth: short-answer questions and at least two six-mark Level of Response questions |
| Assessment objectives (percent of the qualification) | AO1, AO2, AO3: 20, 20 and 10 on each paper | Breadth: 24, 18 and 8. Depth: 16, 22 and 12 |
Three points from that table shape how we plan. On J247, Paper 2 examines topics B4 to B6 with assumed knowledge of B1 to B3, so cell-level and organism-level material from the first half of the course comes back in the second paper and needs revisiting, not parking. On J257, both Foundation papers can examine any chapter, so no chapter can be left until late. And the extended writing differs: a J247 student practises a six-mark Level of Response answer for every paper, while a J257 student practises extended answers mainly for the Depth paper.
The J247 specification also says that the practical content examined in the written papers is “15%”. Its section on mathematics says the assessment of quantitative skills would include “at least 10% GCSE (or above) mathematical skills at the appropriate tier for biology”. We therefore keep practical methods and calculations in every block of sessions, rather than saving them for revision.
Both specifications use the same sentence about tiers. In OCR’s words: “Foundation Tier assesses grades 5 to 1 and Higher Tier assesses grades 9 to 4.” “An allowed grade 3 may be awarded on the Higher Tier option for learners who are a small number of marks below the grade 3/4 boundary.” “Learners must be entered for either the Foundation Tier or the Higher Tier.”
Two consequences follow from that wording. A Foundation student cannot be awarded a grade above 5, and a Foundation student cannot take one paper at each tier. The weightings of the three assessment objectives are identical at the two tiers: both specifications give 40% to AO1, 40% to AO2 and 20% to AO3. The tiers differ in the content examined and in how demanding the questions are, not in the balance of knowledge, application and analysis.
OCR’s June 2025 examiners’ report for J257/01 records that “Candidates appeared to have been entered for the correct tier and had sufficient time to answer questions to the best of their ability.” The entry decision belongs to the school, and we do not make it for a family. What we do is plan the tutoring around the tier the student is entered for, and say plainly what that tier’s papers can and cannot reach.
Unsure what the Foundation papers can reach?
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students and parents read OCR’s tier wording against the school’s entry, then build a Foundation programme for the grades 5 to 1 the papers award.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppOCR marks tier content inside the specification itself. The J247 tiering box reads: “Statements shown in bold type will only be tested in the Higher Tier papers.” “All other statements will be assessed in both Foundation and Higher Tier papers.” Printing in bold is therefore the board’s own marker, and the table below lists the statements printed in bold in the topic tables, with a plain-type statement from the same topic beside each. The wording in the middle column is quoted from the specification (OCR J247 specification, Version 4.0).
| Reference | Printed in bold, so examined only at Higher | A statement printed beside it in plain type, examined at both tiers |
|---|---|---|
| B1.2d | “recall a simple description of protein synthesis” | “B1.2b: describe DNA as being made up of two strands forming a double helix” |
| B1.2e | “explain simply how the structure of DNA affects the proteins made in protein synthesis” | “B1.2a: describe DNA as a polymer” |
| B1.4f | “explain the interaction of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration in limiting the rate of photosynthesis” | “B1.4e: explain the effect of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of photosynthesis” |
| B3.1g | “explain some of the difficulties of investigating brain function” | “B3.1f: describe the structure and function of the brain” |
| B3.1h | “explain some of the limitations in treating damage and disease in the brain and other parts of the nervous system” | “B3.1f: describe the structure and function of the brain” |
| B3.2b | “explain the roles of thyroxine and adrenaline in the body” | “B3.2a: describe the principles of hormonal coordination and control by the human endocrine system” |
| B3.2d | “explain the interactions of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone in the control of the menstrual cycle” | “B3.2c: describe the role of hormones in human reproduction including the control of the menstrual cycle” |
| B3.2f | “explain the use of hormones in modern reproductive technologies to treat infertility” | “B3.2e: explain the use of hormones in contraception and evaluate hormonal and non-hormonal methods of contraception” |
| B3.2i | “describe some of the different ways in which people use plant hormones to control plant growth” | “B3.2g: explain how plant hormones are important in the control and coordination of plant growth and development, with reference to the role of auxins in phototropisms and gravitropisms” |
| B3.3d | “explain how glucagon interacts with insulin to control blood sugar levels in the body” | “B3.3c: explain how insulin controls blood sugar levels in the body, and B3.3e: compare type 1 and type 2 diabetes and explain how they can be treated” |
| B3.3i | “describe the effect of ADH on the permeability of the kidney tubules” | “B3.3g: describe the function of the kidneys in maintaining the water balance of the body” |
| B3.3j | “explain the response of the body to different temperature and osmotic challenges” | “B3.3b: describe the function of the skin in the control of body temperature” |
| B5.1e | “describe how genetic variants may influence phenotype” | “B5.1d: recall that all variants arise from mutations” |
| B6.1d | “evaluate the evidence for the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of organisms, with reference to water and atmospheric gases” | “B6.1b: describe both positive and negative human interactions within ecosystems and explain their impact on biodiversity” |
| B6.2e | “describe the main steps in the process of genetic engineering” | “B6.2d: describe genetic engineering as a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism to introduce desirable characteristics” |
| B6.3i | “describe different ways plant diseases can be detected and identified, in the lab and in the field” | “B6.3g: describe physical plant defence responses to disease” |
| B6.3m | “describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced” | “B6.3l: explain the role of the immune system of the human body in defence against disease” |
| B6.3n | “describe some of the ways in which monoclonal antibodies can be used” | “B6.3k: describe the non-specific defence systems of the human body against pathogens” |
Want the Foundation half of each J247 topic taught to full marks?
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students on Gateway Biology A work through the plain-type statements topic by topic, with timed OCR questions marked on the published schemes.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppReference B3.2h is printed partly in bold. It reads “describe some of the variety of effects of plant hormones, relating to auxins, gibberellins and ethene”, followed by the effects listed as controlling growth, then controlling germination, fruit ripening, flower opening and shedding of leaves. The words “gibberellins and ethene” and “controlling germination, fruit ripening, flower opening and shedding of leaves” are in bold. So Foundation covers auxins and the control of growth, and Higher adds gibberellins, ethene and those further effects.
Some of the maths statements in the same specification are also in bold. BM1.1iii reads “calculate with numbers written in standard form”, that is, numbers of the form a × 10n. BM1.4v reads “understand and use inverse proportion – the inverse square law and light intensity in the context of factors affecting photosynthesis”. The plain-type statement BM1.1i, “demonstrate an understanding of number, size and scale and the quantitative relationship between units”, is examined at both tiers.
What this changes in our programme. For a J247 Foundation student we teach the plain-type half of each topic to full marks and leave the bold statements alone. In the hormone topic that means the principles of hormonal coordination, the role of hormones in the menstrual cycle, contraception, auxins, insulin and type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the kidney’s role in water balance. The statements on thyroxine and adrenaline (B3.2b), the interactions of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone (B3.2d), glucagon (B3.3d) and ADH (B3.3i) are printed in bold, so the Foundation papers do not test them. FSH is also named in the plain-type B3.2c, so it stays in a Foundation programme as one of the menstrual-cycle hormones.
Studying J247? Plan the Foundation half of each topic.
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students on Gateway Biology A concentrate on the statements OCR examines at Foundation tier, topic by topic, with the practical method written out for each.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppJ257 is organised by chapter and by numbered outcomes, and its tiering box carries the same sentence as J247: “Statements shown in bold type will only be tested in the Higher Tier papers.” The overview page of the specification puts it as “Emboldened statements will only be assessed in Higher Tier papers.” The table lists those outcomes by chapter and outcome number, again with a plain-type outcome from the same section beside each (OCR J257 specification, Version 4.0).
| Reference | Printed in bold, so examined only at Higher | A statement printed beside it in plain type, examined at both tiers |
|---|---|---|
| B1.1, outcome 8 | “explain simply how the sequence of bases in DNA codes for the proteins made in protein synthesis, including the idea that each set of three nucleotides is the code for an amino acid” | “outcome 3: describe DNA as a polymer made up of nucleotides, forming two strands in a double helix” |
| B1.1, outcome 9 | “recall a simple description of protein synthesis, in which: a copy of a gene is made from messenger RNA (mRNA); the mRNA travels to a ribosome in the cytoplasm; the ribosome joins amino acids together in an order determined by the mRNA” | “outcome 5: explain the terms chromosome, gene, allele, variant, genotype and phenotype” |
| B1.1, outcome 10 | “recall that all genetic variants arise from mutations” | “outcome 5, as above” |
| B1.1, outcome 11 | “describe how genetic variants in coding DNA may influence phenotype by altering the activity of a protein” | “outcome 5, as above” |
| B1.1, outcome 12 | “describe how genetic variants in non-coding DNA may influence phenotype by altering how genes are expressed” | “outcome 5, as above” |
| B1.2, outcome 7 (part) | “and the modern-day use of genome sequencing” | “the first part of the same outcome: describe the development of our understanding of genetics including the work of Mendel” |
| B1.3, outcome 3 | “describe the main steps in the process of genetic engineering” | “outcome 2: describe genetic engineering as a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism to introduce desirable characteristics” |
| B2.4, outcome 4 | “describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced” | “outcome 2: describe and explain the aseptic techniques used in culturing organisms” |
| B2.4, outcome 5 | “describe some of the ways in which monoclonal antibodies can be used in diagnostic tests” | “outcome 1a: describe ways in which diseases, including plant diseases, can be detected and identified, in the lab and in the field” |
| B2.6, outcome 5 | “describe how monoclonal antibodies can be used to treat cancer” | “outcome 1: explain the use of medicines, including antibiotics, in the treatment of disease” |
| B3.1, outcome 5 | “use the inverse square law to explain changes in the rate of photosynthesis with distance from a light source” | “outcome 4a: explain the effect of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of photosynthesis” |
| B3.1, outcome 6 | “explain the interaction of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration in limiting the rate of photosynthesis, and use graphs depicting the effects” | “outcome 4a, as above” |
| B4.2, outcome 2c | “calculate with numbers written in standard form” | “outcome 2a: demonstrate an understanding of number, size and scale and the quantitative relationship between units” |
| B4.4, outcome 2 | “describe some of the variety of effects of plant hormones, relating to gibberellins and ethene” | “outcome 1a: explain how plant hormones are important in the control and coordination of plant growth and development, with reference to the role of auxins in phototropisms and gravitropisms” |
| B4.4, outcome 3 | “describe some of the different ways in which people use plant hormones to control plant growth” | “outcome 1a, as above” |
| B5.2, outcome 5 | “explain some of the difficulties of investigating brain function” | “outcome 4: describe the structure and function of the brain and roles of the cerebral cortex” |
| B5.3, outcome 2 | “explain the roles of thyroxine and adrenaline in the body, including thyroxine as an example of a negative feedback system” | “outcome 1: describe the principles of hormonal coordination and control by the human endocrine system” |
| B5.4, outcome 3 | “explain the response of the body to different temperature challenges, including receptors, processing, responses and negative feedback” | “outcome 2a: describe the function of the skin in the control of body temperature, including changes to sweating, hair erection and blood flow” |
| B5.4, outcome 6 | “describe the effect of ADH on the permeability of the kidney tubules” | “outcome 4: explain the effect on cells of osmotic changes in body fluids” |
| B5.4, outcome 7 | “explain the response of the body to different osmotic challenges, including receptors, processing, response, and negative feedback” | “outcome 1: explain the importance of maintaining a constant internal environment in response to internal and external change” |
| B5.5, outcome 2 | “explain the interactions of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone in the control of the menstrual cycle” | “outcome 1: describe the role of hormones in human reproduction, including the control of the menstrual cycle” |
| B5.5, outcome 4 | “explain the use of hormones in modern reproductive technologies to treat infertility” | “outcome 3: explain the use of hormones in contraception and evaluate hormonal and non-hormonal methods of contraception” |
| B5.6, outcome 2 | “explain how glucagon and insulin work together to control the blood sugar level in the body” | “outcome 1: explain how insulin controls the blood sugar level in the body” |
| B5.6, outcome 6 | “explain some of the limitations in treating damage and disease in the brain and other parts of the nervous system” | “outcome 3: compare type 1 and type 2 diabetes and explain how they can be treated” |
| B6.4, outcome 2 | “evaluate evidence for the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of organisms, with reference to water and atmospheric gases” | “outcome 1: describe both positive and negative human interactions within ecosystems and explain their impact on biodiversity” |
| B7, IaS4, outcome d | “distinguish between perceived and calculated risk” | “outcome c: suggest reasons for people’s willingness to accept the risk” |
Not sure which J257 chapters your child can leave aside?
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help Foundation students on Twenty First Century Biology B read the specification by type, so that teaching time goes to what the Foundation papers can examine.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppDo not confuse two different markers. Several J257 outcomes end with the label “(separate science only)”. The specification’s tiering box names bold as the marker of Higher-only content, and the label is a different marker. It appears on outcomes printed in plain type, such as B5.2 outcome 4 on the structure and function of the brain, and on outcomes printed in bold, such as B5.2 outcome 5. Only bold marks Higher-only content, so we read the type and not the label.
Some outcomes need reading closely because Foundation and Higher share part of them. In B1.2 outcome 7, the Foundation part is the development of our understanding of genetics including the work of Mendel, and the bold addition is “and the modern-day use of genome sequencing”. In B4.4, the section is headed “separate science only”, outcome 1a on auxins is plain type, and outcomes 2 and 3 on gibberellins, ethene and the uses of plant hormones are bold. Standard form appears at B4.2 outcome 2c, again as a × 10n statement, and again only at Higher.
What this changes in our programme. J257 Foundation papers can draw on every chapter, so the Higher-only list is our pruning tool: protein synthesis steps, genetic variants in coding and non-coding DNA, the steps of genetic engineering, monoclonal antibodies, the inverse square law, the interactions of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone (B5.5 outcome 2) and the kidney’s response to osmotic challenge are removed from a Foundation scheme of work. The freed sessions go to the statements in plain type, including the practical content and the shared calculation, such as cross-sectional areas of bacterial cultures using πr2, which OCR prints in B2.4 outcome 3 without bold.
Studying J257? Plan the Foundation half of each chapter.
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students on Twenty First Century Biology B prepare for both the Breadth and Depth papers at Foundation tier, chapter by chapter.
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OCR publishes boundaries for each series in a single document. For the Foundation tier the overall total is 180 marks, being the two 90-mark papers added together, and the Foundation columns show “n/a” for grades 9 to 6. The tables below give the overall boundaries for grades 5 to 1 in every June series from 2023 to 2026, each linked to the board’s own document.
| Series | Grade 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 2 | Grade 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 105 | 90 | 66 | 43 | 20 |
| June 2024 | 111 | 94 | 69 | 45 | 21 |
| June 2025 | 109 | 90 | 66 | 42 | 18 |
| June 2026 | 112 | 93 | 68 | 43 | 18 |
| Lowest to highest | 105 to 112 | 90 to 94 | 66 to 69 | 42 to 45 | 18 to 21 |
| Series | Grade 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 2 | Grade 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 104 | 87 | 64 | 42 | 20 |
| June 2024 | 109 | 96 | 75 | 55 | 35 |
| June 2025 | 116 | 101 | 80 | 59 | 39 |
| June 2026 | 112 | 91 | 71 | 52 | 33 |
| Lowest to highest | 104 to 116 | 87 to 101 | 64 to 80 | 42 to 59 | 20 to 39 |
The working behind the ranges is simple subtraction and division by 180. On J247 the grade 5 boundary moved between 105 and 112, a spread of 7 marks (58.3% to 62.2% of 180). The grade 4 boundary moved between 90 and 94, a spread of 4 marks (50.0% to 52.2% of 180). On J257 the grade 5 boundary moved between 104 and 116, a spread of 12 marks (57.8% to 64.4%), and the grade 4 boundary moved between 87 and 101, a spread of 14 marks (48.3% to 56.1%). The J257 grade 1 boundary moved from 20 to 39, against 18 to 21 on J247.
The component boundaries behave differently from the totals. OCR’s own document explains that “‘Grades’ at component level don’t automatically add up to the same grade at qualification level.” The grade 4 values for each Foundation component, out of 90, were as follows.
| Foundation component | Grade 4 boundary, out of 90, June 2023 / 2024 / 2025 / 2026 | Range |
|---|---|---|
| J247/01 Paper 1 | 45 / 47 / 42 / 46 | 42 to 47 |
| J247/02 Paper 2 | 45 / 47 / 48 / 47 | 45 to 48 |
| J257/01 Breadth in biology | 48 / 44 / 49 / 47 | 44 to 49 |
| J257/02 Depth in biology | 39 / 52 / 52 / 44 | 39 to 52 |
The widest movement is on J257 Depth in biology, where grade 4 ran from 39 marks in June 2023 to 52 marks in both June 2024 and June 2025. For OCR’s paper-by-paper boundary table on both specifications, see our OCR GCSE Biology page.
What this changes in our programme. We never quote a single mark as “the” grade 4. A J247 student is given a band of 90 to 94 out of 180 and aims for the top of it on every mock; a J257 student is given 87 to 101 and aims higher still, because the board has set the boundary at either end of that band within four series. Mock papers are marked on OCR’s own mark schemes and reported as a mark and a distance from the band, never as a promised grade. If a student sits at the top of the Foundation range and the school judges that grade 6 is within reach, the conversation moves to the entry decision, which belongs to the school. Our Higher Tier OCR GCSE Biology page sets out the other tier.
A mark target for your child’s paper.
Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help Foundation students work to the mark band for their own exam code, with mocks marked on OCR’s published mark schemes.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppThe examiners’ reports for the June 2025 series name the questions that appeared on both a Foundation and a Higher paper. The wording below is each report’s own.
| Foundation paper | Questions the June 2025 examiners’ report says were shared with the Higher paper |
|---|---|
| J247/01 Paper 1 | Question 23 and Question 24 |
| J247/02 Paper 2 | Questions 14 and 15 (multiple choice) and Questions 22 and 23 |
| J257/01 Breadth in biology | Questions 9 and 10 |
| J257/02 Depth in biology | The whole of Questions 8 and 9, common with J257/04 |
What this changes in our programme. OCR publishes the question papers for these series, so each of these questions is available to practise in full. We set them as stretch work late in a block, after the tier-specific questions are secure, and mark them against the published scheme.
Each report carries a list of what candidates who did less well tended to do. The list is the board’s evidence about this tier’s weak points, which makes it the most direct source for a tutor’s drill list. The table sets each finding beside what a session does about it.
| Paper | What the June 2025 examiners’ report records | What a session does about it |
|---|---|---|
| J247/01 | Candidates “found it challenging to describe and identify the parts of DNA” (Question 16(a)(b)) and “seemed to lack understanding on enzyme action” (Question 18(b)(c)). | Labelled DNA diagrams drawn from memory, then enzyme-action sentences built with the active site, substrate and temperature in the right order. |
| J247/01 | Candidates “found it difficult to describe how to focus cells under a light microscope” (Question 24(b)). The report also says “Showing workings out is essential and best practice.” | The focusing sequence rehearsed aloud as numbered steps, and every calculation written out line by line. |
| J247/01 | Candidates “found it difficult to extract information to draw conclusions” in the Level of Response question on thermoregulation (Question 20(a)). | Six-mark practice: underline the data given, then write a conclusion that uses it. |
| J247/02 | Candidates “were unsure of which numbers to use in the mathematical questions” (Question 18(b)(iv), Question 23(b)) and “were unable to draw conclusions from data” (Question 16(b)(iii) and Question 16(c)(i)). | A habit of circling the quantities in the question before any arithmetic, then a one-sentence conclusion that quotes two values. |
| J247/02 | Candidates “found suggesting a method using a quadrat to find the number of dandelions challenging” (Question 23(a)). | The quadrat method written as a sequence: random placement, repeated counts, a mean, then scaling to the whole area. |
| J257/01 | Candidates “did not use scientific terminology, e.g. used the word amount rather than mass or volume” (Question 10(d)) and “demonstrated limited knowledge of practical work” (Question 4(b)(iii) and 9(d)). | A word bank per topic that replaces vague words with the measured quantity, and a short written method for each practical. |
| J257/02 | Candidates “re-wrote the question before beginning their answer” (Question 6(b)(iv)) and “did not attempt to answer questions which may have had an unfamiliar context” (Question 4(d)(iii) and Question 9(d)). | Unfamiliar-context questions attempted every time, with the first line of the answer required to add a fact the question did not give. |
The same reports also record what candidates who did well did. The J257/02 report says they showed their working for calculations, “which allowed marks to be given for correct working even when the final answer was incorrect.” The J247/02 report says candidates “seemed more confident when selecting responses from a list, and frequently performed better on these than the questions that involved free writing.” Both findings turn into routines in our sessions: written working on every calculation, and extra free-writing practice, because that is where marks were lost.
The first session confirms the exam code and reads the specification’s topic list against the student’s school notes. From there the programme follows the evidence on this page. Higher-only statements are set aside. Plain-type statements are taught and tested topic by topic, with the practical method for each topic written out. Past-paper questions from OCR’s published papers are timed in blocks, then marked on the board’s own mark schemes. The examiners’ weak-point list becomes a standing set of drills, and the overlap questions are saved for the end of each block.
Families who want the wider picture can read about our GCSE Biology tutoring across all boards, or our Foundation Tier OCR GCSE Maths tutoring, since the J247 specification sets a minimum share of mathematical skills in the Biology papers. Parents often ask how other families rate the tutoring: Leading Tuition is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026.
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Our expert GCSE Biology tutors help students at Foundation tier on J247 and J257, building each programme around the student’s own school, exam code and mark target.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppSources: OCR GCSE (9-1) Biology A (Gateway Science) J247 and Biology B (Twenty First Century Science) J257 specifications, Version 4.0; OCR GCSE grade boundary documents for the four June series from 2023 to 2026; OCR examiners’ reports for the June 2025 series. All read on 31 October 2026 at ocr.org.uk.
Ask the school which OCR Biology GCSE it enters, or read the code on the entry paperwork or the front of a past paper. OCR’s J247 is Gateway Science Suite Biology A, with Foundation papers called Paper 1 and Paper 2. OCR’s J257 is Twenty First Century Science Suite Biology B, with Foundation components called Breadth in biology (01) and Depth in biology (02). Both Foundation routes carry 90 marks per paper and last 1 hour 45 minutes, but the content split and the question styles differ.
OCR’s specifications say Foundation Tier assesses grades 5 to 1 and Higher Tier assesses grades 9 to 4. They also say an allowed grade 3 may be awarded on the Higher Tier option for learners who are a small number of marks below the grade 3/4 boundary. Learners must be entered for either the Foundation Tier or the Higher Tier, so a student cannot mix one Foundation paper with one Higher paper.
Across the four June series from 2023 to 2026, the overall grade 4 boundary out of 180 ran from 90 to 94 on J247 and from 87 to 101 on J257. That is 50.0% to 52.2% of 180 on J247 and 48.3% to 56.1% of 180 on J257. The June 2026 boundaries were 93 on J247 and 91 on J257. Boundaries move with each paper, so a target is best set as a band.
OCR’s June 2026 table gives a Foundation grade 5 overall boundary of 112 out of 180 on both J247 and J257. The grade 4 boundaries were 93 on J247 and 91 on J257. OCR’s document also says: ‘Grades’ at component level don’t automatically add up to the same grade at qualification level. The overall column is the one that matters for a qualification grade.
OCR’s June 2025 examiners’ reports name shared questions. J247/01 shared Question 23 and Question 24 with Higher. J247/02 shared Questions 14 and 15 and Questions 22 and 23. J257/01 shared Questions 9 and 10, and for J257/02 the whole of Questions 8 and 9 were common with the Higher paper J257/04. We use those published questions as practice.
No. In both specifications OCR prints the standard form statement in bold, which OCR says marks content tested only in the Higher Tier papers. In J247 it is BM1.1iii and in J257 it is outcome 2c of B4.2. The plain-type statement beside it, about number, size and scale and the quantitative relationship between units, is examined at both tiers, so unit conversions stay in a Foundation programme.
It depends on the specification. OCR’s J247 specification describes an extended six-mark Level of Response question in Section B of each paper, and the June 2025 report for J247/01 discusses one on thermoregulation (Question 20(a)). OCR’s J257 specification says extended response questions are not found on the Breadth paper, and that the Depth paper has at least two such questions, each worth 6 marks.
Book a free consultation to talk through J247 or J257, the Foundation papers and a mark target. Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026.
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