Pearson Edexcel & OCR A Level Biology Tuition
Specialist one-to-one online A Level Biology tuition with a current Pearson Edexcel Principal Examiner
Katrina Yerbury is a current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel GCE Biology, holds a senior examining role with OCR, and is a highly experienced Biology teacher and former Head of Biology at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education.
With more than 25 years of teaching experience, Katrina offers specialist online tuition for students studying Pearson Edexcel and OCR A Level Biology, including students aiming for A and A* grades.
Her tuition combines detailed subject teaching with extensive experience of assessment, helping students develop biological understanding, application skills, data analysis, written responses, practical understanding, and examination technique.
Katrina's rate for A Level Biology tuition is £87.50 per hour.
Pearson Edexcel & OCR A Level Biology
Katrina teaches students following the major Pearson Edexcel and OCR A Level Biology specifications, including:
Pearson Edexcel Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) – 9BN0
Pearson Edexcel Biology B – 9BI0
OCR Biology A – H420
OCR Biology B (Advancing Biology) – H422, for students currently following the specification
Tuition can support the full A Level course or focus on individual topics, examination preparation, practical and mathematical skills, scientific articles or advance material where applicable, past papers, or areas where a student is consistently losing marks.
Biology A and Biology B are distinct specifications, so families should provide the exact examination board and specification when enquiring. Katrina will tailor tutorials and examination practice to the course the student is actually studying.
How A Level Biology Tutorials Work
Lessons are live, one-to-one, and tailored to the student's A Level Biology specification, current level, and examination timetable.
Strong subject knowledge does not always translate automatically into strong examination results in Biology. Students must also apply knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, interpret experimental information and data, use precise biological terminology, handle mathematical material confidently, and construct responses that answer exactly what the question requires.
Katrina's tutorials can therefore combine:
Clear teaching and consolidation of difficult biological concepts
Identification and correction of misconceptions
Application of knowledge to unfamiliar examination contexts
Pearson Edexcel or OCR past-paper questions
Detailed feedback on written responses
Examination technique and command words
Data analysis and mathematical skills
Practical and investigative skills
Scientific article or advance-material preparation where applicable
Targeted support in areas where a student is losing marks
As a current Pearson Edexcel Principal Examiner with extensive OCR examining experience, Katrina brings detailed assessment expertise to her teaching while keeping the focus on genuine biological understanding and helping each student become a stronger, more independent Biology student.
A Strong Track Record in Biology
Katrina has more than 25 years of experience teaching Biology at GCSE, A Level, and International A Level.
At King Edward VI School, Katrina was a specialist A Level Biology teacher and her students' results were consistently amongst the strongest in a large Science department. She later held Head of Biology roles at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education.
Her recent results with high-attaining Biology students include:
2024 – Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology
100% A*–A
2023 – Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology
78% A*–A
89% A*–B
These results relate specifically to Katrina's International A Level students at Harrow School Online and demonstrate her wider track record teaching Biology at advanced level.
Students taught and mentored by Katrina have gone on to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, UCL, King's College London, and other leading universities.
About Katrina
Katrina is an experienced and highly qualified Biology teacher based in England, with over 25 years of teaching experience in leading independent and state schools.
She has held Head of Biology roles at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education and has a strong track record of supporting students to excellent results. Students she has taught and mentored have gone on to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, UCL, King's College London, and other leading universities.
Katrina is a Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel GCE and International A Level Biology, holds a senior examining role with OCR for A Level Biology, and is an examiner for Cambridge International.
She is fully DBS checked and registered with the DBS Update Service.
Academic Background
Katrina holds a BSc Hons in Biology and Geography from the University of Bristol, as well as a PGCE from the University of Bristol in Science (Biology) and Games.
As a student herself, Katrina attended Sherborne School for Girls where she achieved the highest grades at A Level, including an S Level in Geography, and was also awarded the Geography Prize.
Current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel International A Level and GCE Biology; Team Leader for OCR and Edexcel; Examiner for Cambridge International A Level Biology: Katrina has added skills content to the Biology IAL and Chemistry IAL textbooks published in 2019, and authored and reviewed content for public examinations and teaching materials.
Highgrove Education (most recent): Head of Biology, teaching students from Year 10 to Year 13. Katrina developed and delivered the Biology curriculum, including IAL and iGCSE Biology.
Harrow School Online: Head of Biology, guiding International A-Level students to exceptional outcomes. Her students regularly achieved top grades and won places at leading universities. In 2024, 100% of Katrina’s students achieved A*/A grades in their IALs.
King Edward VI School: Lead practitioner at this leading independent school (established in 1553), as a specialist A-level teacher for Biology, including responsibility for leading Biology Olympiad Competitions over her 16 year period working here. Katrina trained other teachers as part of her role as ITT/PGCE mentor. Her students’ results were consistently the highest at GCSE and A-level in the large science department.
Eltham College: Katrina taught Biology and Chemistry at this leading independent school from 2002 - 2005, with responsibility for practical biology at A-level.
Teaching Experience
Katrina’s teaching career spans leading UK independent schools and online programmes, with extensive experience teaching Pearson Edexcel and OCR A Level Biology, as well as Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology.
She has held Head of Biology roles at two respected institutions and brings over two decades of experience teaching students aged 11 to 18.
These roles have provided Katrina with comprehensive expertise in both UK domestic and international A-Level curricula, enabling her to support students to excel, whichever qualification they pursue.
Oxbridge & Entrance Exam Preparation
Katrina has extensive experience preparing students for interviews at Oxford, Cambridge, and other competitive universities.
What Katrina's Biology Students Say
“To be honest, when I first came into the Sixth Form, I wasn’t particularly excited by Biology. But over the course of this year it has genuinely become one of my favourite subjects - and you have definitely had a key role to play in that. I love learning about the amazing world we live in and thank you for being so passionate about the subject and teaching it so well!
You’ve been a real inspiration to me and thank you for constantly finding new ways to make the lessons varied and interesting.
…. You’re an amazing teacher and your enthusiasm for Biology made A-level this year a really fun and engaging time in my life - and I’m certainly not going to be forgetting it any time soon. ”
— Emily
“Ms Yerbury finds creative ways to make every lesson feel fun! Her love for Biology comes through and this passion for the subject is what makes her a phenomenal teacher.”
“Always has a smile on her face; a kind and warm-hearted individual with the ability to add another dimension to our learning, super engaging!”
“The focus on how to tackle exam questions in live lessons has hugely improved my academic performance in biology. … Most of all, after sessions with Ms Yerbury, we always leave smiling.”
— Comments from Katrina’s students in anonymous end of year surveys
“I owe my top mark to Ms. Yerbury's strategic mind. She dedicated time to deconstructing mark schemes, showing me exactly how to earn every mark. Her focus on exam technique was as invaluable as her deep knowledge of biology. She has a fantastic ability to explain complex topics clearly and being taught by her was a genuine pleasure. The skills she teaches are invaluable, and her ability to connect with students makes her perfectly suited for one-on-one tuition. Any student would be lucky to have her as a tutor.”
— Natalie
“Thank you so much for all you’ve taught me these past two years. Your unwavering resilience and intelligence shone through your teaching, including our shared passion for the subject. Not only were our lessons well planned and productive, they also included elements of fun - and I now have some of the best memories to look back on.
I appreciate how much work you put into organising the lessons and am so grateful for the time you set aside to help us achieve our potential.
I have enjoyed my time in your class so much and thank you for helping to build a strong foundation of knowledge I can take with me in further studies. ”
— One of Katrina’s graduating A-level students
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Katrina is a current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel GCE Biology, alongside her role as Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology.
She has more than 25 years of Biology teaching experience and has held Head of Biology roles at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education.
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Yes. Katrina offers one-to-one online tuition for Pearson Edexcel A Level Biology A (Salters-Nuffield), specification 9BN0.
Tuition can support the full course or focus on difficult topics, examination technique, practical and mathematical skills, past-paper work, and preparation for the Paper 3 scientific article.
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Yes. Katrina also teaches Pearson Edexcel A Level Biology B (9BI0).
Biology A and Biology B are different specifications, so families should provide the exact course when enquiring. Katrina will tailor teaching, revision, and past-paper practice to the student's actual specification.
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Yes. Katrina has extensive experience supporting high-attaining Biology students, including students preparing for competitive university courses.
For students aiming for the highest grades, tuition can focus on precise biological understanding, applying knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, data analysis, mathematical skills, experimental interpretation, extended written responses, and examination technique.
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Yes. Past-paper questions can form an important part of Katrina's tutorials.
Students can work on interpreting unfamiliar information, responding accurately to command words, applying biological knowledge rather than simply recalling content, analysing data, improving written explanations, and identifying exactly where marks are being lost.
Katrina's current Principal Examiner role gives her extensive experience of assessment alongside her classroom teaching.
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Yes. Katrina teaches OCR A Level Biology A (H420) and has extensive experience with OCR assessment.
Tuition can cover the full specification or focus on individual modules, past papers, practical and mathematical skills, data analysis, examination technique, and particular areas where a student needs additional support.
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Yes. Katrina can support students currently studying OCR A Level Biology B (Advancing Biology), H422.
OCR is withdrawing this qualification, with the final A Level assessment opportunity in June 2028, so this tuition is particularly relevant to students already following the specification.
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Yes. Practical understanding, experimental interpretation, mathematical skills, and data analysis are important parts of A Level Biology across Pearson Edexcel and OCR specifications.
Tutorials can focus on understanding experimental design, interpreting results, evaluating procedures, handling biological data, and applying practical knowledge within written examination questions.
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Yes. Katrina has extensive experience teaching and mentoring high-attaining Biology students, including students who have progressed to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, King's College London, and other leading universities.
She also has experience preparing students for Oxford and Cambridge interviews.
Tuition remains focused on the student's A Level Biology requirements, while also helping them develop the deeper biological understanding and confidence useful for further study.
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Yes. Katrina is also a current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology and offers specialist tuition for the full IAL qualification.
Because International A Level Biology has a different modular structure from UK A Level Biology, students following the IAL should use our dedicated Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology tuition page for qualification-specific information.
