Building on the success of BBO, it is now felt that introducing a widely-accessible competition for pre-GCE pupils would be appreciated by schools of all types.
1. To involve as many pupils as possible in a challenging and interesting biology competition.
Questions will be set on the school curriculum but the Biology Challenge will also reward those students whose knowledge of the subject has been increased by reading books and magazines, watching natural history programmes and taking notice of the news media for items of biological interest, students who are generally aware of our natural flora and fauna.
The Challenge will consist of two papers to maximise participation and provide flexibility. The two papers can be taken together or separately, whichever is more convenient to a school. Pupils do not even have to take both papers, a school may want to use the more demanding second paper for the pupils who achieved the highest scores from the first.
2. To act as a junior version of the British Biology Olympiad (BBO), raising its profile and encouraging participation.
Schools will be able to conduct the Challenge in whatever way best suits their pupils, ensuring that they enjoy participating and have a reasonable expectation of recognition for their achievements. As well as being able to submit their pupils' scores to the national competition schools will be encouraged to award their own prizes and to make use of certificates provided for them.
3. To encourage pupils in their interest in Biology before they make their crucial choice of subjects to study post-GCSE.
“I’m a great admirer of all that the BBO has achieved for school and college biology in the UK. The Challenge now provides a wonderful opportunity to extend this to a younger age group. I support it unreservedly.”
Professor Michael Reiss, Professor of Science Education at the Institute of Education.