Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Biology Tuition
Specialist one-to-one online tuition for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology students, including those aiming for grades 8 and 9.
Katrina Yerbury is a highly experienced Biology teacher, former Head of Biology at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education, and a current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel International A Level and GCE Biology.
With more than 25 years of teaching experience, Katrina offers specialist online tuition for students studying Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology, including the 4BI1 specification.
Her tuition combines clear teaching of biological concepts with extensive experience of assessment, helping students improve their application of knowledge, data analysis, written responses, practical understanding, and examination technique.
Katrina also supports students studying Pearson Edexcel and AQA GCSE Biology.
Katrina's rate for GCSE and International GCSE Biology tuition is £75 per hour. Her availability is currently limited due to her examining duties.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology
Katrina teaches Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1), supporting students across the full specification as well as those who need targeted help with particular topics or examination skills.
The course includes:
The nature and variety of living organisms
Structures and functions in living organisms
Reproduction and inheritance
Ecology and the environment
Use of biological resources
Tuition can support the full International GCSE course or focus on difficult topics, revision, examination preparation, past papers, practical understanding, data interpretation, or areas where a student is consistently losing marks.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1) is an untiered qualification, so students across the ability range sit the same examinations. For students aiming for grades 8 or 9, this makes secure knowledge, precise biological terminology, and confident application to unfamiliar questions particularly important.
How IGCSE Biology Tutorials Work
Lessons are live, one-to-one, and tailored to the student's International GCSE Biology specification, current level, and examination timetable.
Knowing the Biology content does not always translate automatically into examination marks. Students also need to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, interpret experimental information and data, use precise biological terminology, and construct answers that address 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 contexts
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE past-paper questions
Detailed feedback on written responses
Examination technique and command words
Data analysis and mathematical skills
Practical and investigative skills
Targeted support in the areas where a student is losing marks
Katrina's extensive teaching and examining experience allows her to combine strong subject teaching with a detailed understanding of biological assessment, while keeping the focus on helping each student become a more confident and independent Biology student.
A Strong Track Record in Biology
Katrina has more than 25 years of experience teaching Biology from GCSE through to A Level and International A Level.
At King Edward VI School, her students' results were consistently amongst the strongest in a large Science department at both GCSE and A Level. She later held Head of Biology roles at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education, teaching students from Year 10 through to Year 13.
Her experience with high-attaining students extends through to International A Level. At Harrow School Online, 100% of Katrina's Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology students achieved A*–A in 2024.
Students taught and mentored by Katrina have gone on to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, UCL, King's College London, and other leading universities.
GCSE Biology Tuition
Although Katrina focuses primarily on Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology, she also teaches UK GCSE Biology.
She currently supports:
Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0)
AQA GCSE Biology (8461)
GCSE tuition can support Foundation or Higher Tier students, including students working towards the highest grades and those intending to continue with Biology at A Level.
As with IGCSE tuition, lessons can focus on subject knowledge, application, practical and mathematical skills, examination technique, and targeted past-paper practice.
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.
Teaching Experience
Katrina’s teaching career spans leading UK independent schools and online programmes, with extensive experience teaching A Level and 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.
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.
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
-
Yes. Katrina offers one-to-one online tuition for students studying Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1).
Tuition can support the full course or focus on particular topics, gaps in knowledge, practical and mathematical skills, examination technique, and targeted past-paper practice.
-
Yes. Katrina supports high-attaining students aiming for grades 8 and 9, including students who know much of the course content but are losing marks when applying their knowledge to unfamiliar questions.
Tutorials can focus on precise biological understanding, data analysis, mathematical and practical skills, written responses, and the examination technique needed to perform consistently at the top end of the qualification.
-
Katrina can support students across the full Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1) specification, including:
The nature and variety of living organisms
Structures and functions in living organisms
Reproduction and inheritance
Ecology and the environment
Use of biological resources
Students can work across the complete course or concentrate on particular areas where they need additional teaching, consolidation, or examination practice.
-
Yes. Past-paper questions can form an important part of Katrina’s tutorials.
Students can work on applying biological knowledge to unfamiliar situations, interpreting experimental information and data, using precise biological terminology, responding accurately to command words, and identifying why marks are being lost.
Katrina is a current Principal Examiner for Pearson Edexcel International A Level and GCE Biology, giving her extensive experience of biological assessment alongside more than 25 years of classroom teaching.
-
Katrina can support students following Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology routes, but families should provide the exact qualification and specification when enquiring.
Pearson Edexcel offers both linear and modular International GCSE Biology routes, with differences in how the course is assessed. Providing the exact specification allows tuition and examination practice to be matched to the student’s course.
-
Yes. Katrina offers online tuition for Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) as well as Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology.
Lessons can support the full course or focus on specific topics, examination preparation, practical skills, data analysis, and areas where the student is consistently losing marks.
-
Yes. Katrina also supports students studying AQA GCSE Biology (8461).
Tuition is tailored to the student’s actual examination board and specification, so families should provide the qualification and tier when booking.
-
Yes. Katrina can support students studying both Foundation and Higher Tier GCSE Biology.
For students aiming for the highest grades, tuition can focus particularly on applying knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, handling more demanding questions, mathematical and practical skills, and producing precise written answers.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1) is structured differently from UK GCSE qualifications, so families should always provide the exact course being studied.
-
Yes. One-to-one online tuition can work particularly well for home-educated and international students because teaching can be aligned directly with the student’s specification, examination timetable, and current stage of study.
Katrina has experience teaching students in both classroom and online environments, including at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education.
-
Yes. Katrina teaches Biology from GCSE and International GCSE through to A Level and International A Level.
For students intending to continue Biology in sixth form, tutorials can therefore focus not only on achieving a strong GCSE or IGCSE result, but also on building the biological understanding, data-handling skills, mathematical confidence, and written precision needed for more advanced study.
Katrina has more than 25 years of Biology teaching experience and has held Head of Biology roles at Harrow School Online and Highgrove Education.
