Head of Department: Mr. D.A. Harkness
Staff: Mr.G.P. Blayney, Mr. D.McQ. Stewart
Technician: Mr. P. McLaughlin
Biology is the study of life and living organisms. The two main subject areas are Botany and Zoology, the study of plants and animals respectively. Increasingly we are studying Microbiology and Biochemistry leading to greater knowledge of the modern subject area Biotechnology. This is possibly the most controversial area of science today. The cloning of Dolly the sheep has led to the possibility of cloning Humans. This is an ethical problem, which will cause much discussion in the future.
The Biology Department has three well-equipped laboratories with a wide range of audio-visual equipment. All laboratories have been completely refurbished and re-equipped with the most up-to-date materials available. In particular each laboratory now has an interactive white board, which acts as a touch sensitive computer screen. This will allow us to widen the teaching experience in Biology. In addition we have a large greenhouse where we grow plants required for practical work and where pupils may carry out project work. Alongside the greenhouse is a small pond, which in addition to a larger pond in the school Wildlife and Conservation area is used for practical ecology work. An animal house allows us to keep a limited range of animals for experimental use.
All pupils in year 10 are taught Biology by a subject specialist to provide the best possible preparation for the GCSE course that follows.
In years 11 & 12 pupils opt to study each of the individual sciences. In GCSE Biology we examine the structure and function of plants and animals. In addition, major areas of the course look at pollution, food preservation and biotechnology, areas of great controversy in recent years.
Pupils who successfully complete GCSE Biology can opt to take up Advanced Level Biology. This is one of the most popular A Level options. We study the AQA 'A' course. This is now split into AS study in Year 13 and A2 study in year 14. Each year consists of two theory modules and one practical module. The content of the modules is essentially a repeat of GCSE but in much greater detail, with particular emphasis on the relationships between cell structure and function. In the new A Level system 25% of the total marks come from practical assessment.
Our pupils continue to achieve at the highest level. In the summer of 2004 Alan Kershaw represented Ireland in the International Biology Olympiad in Brisbane, Australia. He then went on to study Biology through Natural Sciences at Churchill College Cambridge where he was joined a year later by Michael Kerr and last year by Shaun Li.