Biology

Science|New Zealand Curriculum

About Biology

Biology is the scientific study of living things, and the interconnectedness of life forms and the environment.

This page contains resources and tools to help support: 

  • internal and external assessment (exams)
  • teachers delivering this subject
  • learners taking this subject.

Changes to Biology

Biology is no longer available at NCEA Level 1. Chemistry and Biology, a new subject on the New Zealand Curriculum, is now available at Level 1.

Go to the Chemistry and Biology (Level 1 only) subject page

Assessor Support

See how our online resources and workshops can support and improve your assessment practice.

Assessor Support home

Biology standards

Level 2 standards

Biology achievement standards

Find Level 2 standards

Level 3 standards

Biology achievement standards

Find Level 3 standards

NZ Scholarship standard

Find NZ Scholarship standards

Exemplars, reports, past exams and assessment schedules

Level 2

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 2

Level 3

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Past exams, exemplars and assessment schedule

NZ Scholarship

Cut scores

Past scores for exams for all levels

Get cut scores

Past digital assessments

Access digital exams

Find past assessments

Assessment specifications

Level 2

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 2

Level 3

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Get the latest assessment specifications

NZ Scholarship

Assessor support materials for internal assessment

Internal exemplars

See exemplars for internally assessed Biology standards

Go to exemplars

National moderator's report

Annual reports on issues and trends in assessment

View moderator's report

Clarifications

Updates on assessment and moderations

Find Biology clarifications

Request clarification form

Teachers can request clarification of a standard with this form

Open request clarification form

Remote assessment matrix

Guidance for teachers if learning and assessment needs to be completed remotely

Remote assessment matrix [PDF, 74KB]

Alternative evidence gathering templates

Templates for student results when direct assessment is not possible

Get templates

Biology resources on Pūtake

Online learning modules available for this subject

Go to resources

Tools

Level 1 assessment matrix

Use the Chemistry and Biology matrix on NCEA.education with new standards in 2024

Go to the matrix

Level 2 and 3 assessment matrix

Use this Biology matrix for Level 2 and 3 standards

Download matrix [DOCX, 55 KB]

Career guidance

Career information and tools to help your students on careers.govt.nz

Go to careers.govt.nz

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