Biology

Our Biology Department aims to enthuse young people with an appreciation of the living world, and our place within it, through a multitude of experiences.

What we study in Biology
We teach Biology from Junior 7 and have tailored our lessons around the Curriculum for Excellence and place a strong focus on pupils' engagement in the learning experience.

In S3 and S4 we teach Standard Grade Biology, which is an excellent introduction course with its wide variety of experience through seven topics. In 2011, 88% of our Standard Grade pupils achieved a Credit pass, with 61% at Grade 1.

We also offer Higher Human Biology to our Senior pupils. This is an enjoyable and relevant course, particularly for pupils going on to study biomedical sciences, medicine or veterinary medicine. We present a large number of Higher candidates every year; this year 81% of our candidates achieved a pass.

For S6 pupils, we offer Advanced Higher Biology, which is an introduction to university level biology within the school environment. This year, two of our four Advanced Higher candidates achieved a Grade A pass.

Beyond the classroom
Some of the excursions and opportunities pupils have participated in recently include:

♦ Beatson Cancer Research Laboratories Open Evening
♦ Educational projects at Edinburgh Zoo
♦ Advanced Higher Biology field studies trip to Lochranza, Isle of Arran
♦ The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Summer School at Edinburgh Zoo

Also, this term we have secured three places at the conference on food production at the Scottish Agricultural College.

Meet the staff

Mrs Hoyle, Head of Biology
Mrs Hoyle graduated with an Honours degree in Zoology from the University of Glasgow. She has been teaching at Craigholme for 23 years, and has been Head of Biology for 11 years. She is an SQA marker for Advanced Higher Biology Investigation Reports.

Mrs Hoyle has taken part in many school trips, including visiting the French and Austrian Alps, the S2 outdoor education week to Raasay, the Junior School trip to Normandy, and drama trips to London and Stratford. She manages all costumes for the school’s drama productions, and plays the flute in the school orchestra.

Mrs Hoyle is also a keen runner, and assists Miss Mathieson with training the girls for the Glasgow Women’s 10K. In her free time, she has re-discovered her love of classic sailing boats and takes holidays crewing around the West Coast of Scotland when she can.

Mrs Sweeney, Teacher of Biology Mrs Sweeney has been at Craigholme for 11 years and thoroughly enjoys teaching J7 and S1 Science, S2 to S6 Biology, PSHE and RME. Life at Craigholme is never dull and other areas she is involved in include: lighting for drama productions, Health & Safety, Assessment & Reporting and RME Co-ordinator for the school. Mrs Sweeney has had many great experiences with Craigholme from visits to Edinburgh Zoo, the wind farm and hydroelectric power station, the Modern Languages trip to the Black Forest and a host of social, cake-eating events! However, her passion remains teaching Biology to the girls.

Useful links
These are some of our favourite websites for pupils:

For Standard Grade revision: BBC Bitesize 
For Higher and Advanced Higher cell biology: Centre of the Cell and Cells Alive 
For Higher Human Biology — the brain and nervous system: BBC Science