How to Make Sense of the SEC G3 Biology Syllabus in Singapore

SEC G3 Biology syllabus K325 is the official SEAB document that sets out what students in Singapore are examined on in G3 Biology for the Secondary Education Certificate. This guide explains the three papers, the 14 topics, the assessment objectives and how to use the document well.

Using this exam specification reference: Use this technical K325 reference for the three-paper assessment and prescribed Biology themes. The primary guide develops cells, human systems, ecosystems, inheritance, data interpretation and future study pathways. Confirm the correct code on the school timetable before selecting past papers or interpreting marks.

The syllabus is official, precise and dense.

It is easy to download it, scroll once and close it.

That is understandable. It reads like a technical document.

Once you know how it is organised, it becomes a useful map.

This guide is useful for families who need to:

understand the three G3 Biology papers and how they are weighted;
see all 14 topics in one place;
prepare calmly for the Paper 3 practical test; or
plan revision from the official document rather than guesswork.

At eduKateSG, we read the official syllabus before planning lessons, so that teaching follows what is actually examined.

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SEC G3 Biology Syllabus at a Glance

Syllabus code: K325
Code for reference (2026 and earlier): 6093, as shown on the SEAB listing page
Who takes it: school candidates taking Biology at G3 level in the Singapore-Cambridge SEC
Examination year of this document: 2027
Papers: three (Multiple Choice, Structured and Free-response, Practical)
Total examination time: 4 hours 35 minutes (the three papers together)
Weighting: Paper 1 30%, Paper 2 50%, Paper 3 20%
Calculator: an approved calculator may be used in all papers
Download: SEAB: 2027 SEC G3 Syllabuses for School Candidates

This guide is based on the SEAB syllabus document examined in 2027. SEAB can update syllabuses, so always check the latest version on the SEAB website.

What the Syllabus Is For

The syllabus puts less weight on memorising facts and more on understanding and applying scientific concepts.

It wants students to build skills of long-term value, and to use them in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

Its three aims are broad:

a worthwhile educational experience for every student, whether or not they study science later;
understanding and skills linked to the practices of science, including how living organisms work to sustain life; and
values such as curiosity, integrity, objectivity, resilience and healthy scepticism.

Three Practices of Science run through the course: ways of thinking and doing in science, the nature of scientific knowledge, and the links between science, technology, society and the environment.

The document does not set out a pathway before or after G3 Biology. It simply aims to deepen interest in Biology for future learning and work.

How the Examination Is Structured

Candidates enter for all three papers.

Paper 1: Multiple Choice

Duration: 1 hour
Marks: 40
Weighting: 30%
Format: 40 compulsory multiple-choice items

Paper 2: Structured and Free-response Questions

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Marks: 80
Weighting: 50%
Section A: 70 marks of compulsory structured questions; the last two are one free-response question and one data-based question, worth 20 marks together
Data-based question: 8–12 marks, interpreting, evaluating or solving problems from a stem of information
Section B: 10 marks; answer one of two free-response questions

Paper 3: Practical

Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Marks: 40
Weighting: 20%
Format: two to three compulsory practical questions, based mainly on Assessment Objective C
Planning: one or more questions may assess planning and draw on different sections of the syllabus
Data analysis: some questions may not need practical equipment or apparatus
Reference material: notebooks, textbooks and other information are not allowed

In practice, half of the weighting sits in Paper 2.

Paper 3 is a formal practical test. The apparatus and materials vary year on year, so steady lab practice matters more than memorising one set-up.

What the Syllabus Covers

The content is organised into four sections and 14 topics.

I. Cells and the Chemistry of Life

cell structure and organisation;
movement of substances: diffusion, osmosis and active transport; and
biological molecules and enzymes.

II. The Human Body: Maintaining Life

nutrition in humans;
transport in humans, including the heart, blood and coronary heart disease;
respiration in humans;
excretion in humans, including kidney dialysis;
homeostasis, co-ordination and response; and
infectious diseases, including influenza and pneumococcal disease.

III. Living Together: Plants, Animals and Ecosystems

nutrition and transport in flowering plants: photosynthesis, transpiration and translocation; and
organisms and their environment: energy flow, food webs, the carbon cycle, human effects and conservation.

IV. Continuity of Life

molecular genetics, from DNA to proteins and genetic engineering;
reproduction, including cell division and sexually transmitted diseases; and
inheritance, variation and natural selection.

The sections move outwards, from cells to the human body, to plants and ecosystems, and then to how life continues. Seven disciplinary ideas, such as structure and function, energy and heredity, link them together.

What the Examiners Are Looking For

Three assessment objectives describe what is rewarded.

A, Knowledge with Understanding: approximately 45% of the marks in Papers 1 and 2
B, Handling Information and Solving Problems: approximately 55% of the marks in Papers 1 and 2
C, Experimental Skills and Investigations: 100% of the marks in Paper 3

Objective A is about knowing and explaining: facts, concepts, scientific vocabulary, and apparatus with its safety.

Objective B is about using information: selecting it, changing it from one form to another, handling data, spotting patterns and drawing inferences, sometimes from material the student has not seen before.

Objective C is about doing science: following instructions, using apparatus, recording observations and evaluating results.

Within Paper 3, planning carries 15% and the other practical skill areas carry 85%.

More than half of the theory marks reward thinking with information, not recall alone.

How to Read the Syllabus Document

Read the parts in order:

Introduction: the shift from factual material to understanding and application
Aims: the three aims and the values the course hopes to build
Practices of Science: three ways science is practised, which shape how questions are framed
Assessment Objectives: what A, B and C mean, and their weightings
Scheme of Assessment: the three papers, durations, marks and question formats
Disciplinary Ideas of Biology: seven big ideas that link the topics
Content Structure and Subject Content: four sections and 14 topics, each with Content and Learning Outcomes
Summary of Key Quantities, Symbols and Units: the units students should use correctly
Practical Assessment: the skill areas tested in Paper 3
Glossary: what command words such as describe, explain and suggest ask for
Special Note: units, significant figures and the calculator rule

The learning outcomes under each topic are the most useful lines for revision.

Common Misunderstandings

Biology is mostly memorisation

The syllabus says the opposite. It deliberately reduces the emphasis on factual material, and about 55% of the theory marks go to handling information and solving problems.

The practical is a minor add-on

Paper 3 is a formal practical test of 1 hour 50 minutes, worth 20%. It can include planning and data analysis.

Every question in Paper 2 must be answered

Section A is compulsory. Section B offers a choice: answer one of two free-response questions.

Only textbook examples will be tested

The syllabus states that assessment tests skills in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. Some questions use information the student has not seen before.

Units do not matter in Biology

The Special Note warns that misuse of units and/or significant figures may be penalised.

How Students Can Use the Syllabus

1. Make a topic checklist

List the 14 topics and their content headings. Tick each one only when you can explain it without notes.

2. Turn learning outcomes into questions

Each topic lists what candidates should be able to do. Rewrite each line as a question and test yourself.

3. Learn the command words

Use the glossary to see how describe, explain and suggest ask for different answers.

4. Practise data-based questions

Paper 2 includes a data-based question worth 8–12 marks. Practise reading unfamiliar graphs and tables.

5. Treat lab sessions as revision

Paper 3 assesses planning, measurement, presentation of data and evaluation. Record results carefully every time.

6. Check units every time

Use the list of key quantities, symbols and units, and watch significant figures.

How Parents Can Help

download the 2027 syllabus and keep a copy at home;
ask your child to show you the topic checklist, not only the marks;
ask which of the three papers feels hardest, and why;
encourage short, regular revision rather than long weekend sessions;
check with the subject teacher about practical work and school assessments; and
keep the tone calm: the syllabus is a plan, not a threat.

How eduKateSG Uses the G3 Biology Syllabus

we wrote this guide to help families read an official document with confidence;
the same method guides our own planning: aims first, then the scheme of assessment, then the learning outcomes;
in our English and Mathematics classes, reading data and explaining clearly are skills that carry across subjects; and
if a family needs subject-specific Biology help, we will say honestly whether we are the right fit.

Getting Support

Every student starts from a different place.

Speak with us about your child’s level, subject and recent results. If our 3-pax classes are the right fit, we will explain how they work. If they are not, we will say so honestly.

Format: Premium 3-pax small-group tutorials, 1.5 hours weekly

The usual first step is a parent–student consultation.

What Parents Can Bring to the Consultation

Useful materials include:

a copy of the syllabus, or its code;
recent test papers and weighted assessments;
the latest report book;
the school’s assessment schedule; and
examples of questions the student finds difficult.

We are not only looking at the score.

We are looking for patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers are there in SEC G3 Biology?

There are three papers. Paper 1 is multiple choice (1 hour, 30%), Paper 2 is structured and free-response questions (1 hour 45 minutes, 50%) and Paper 3 is a practical test (1 hour 50 minutes, 20%).

Is there a practical examination in G3 Biology?

Yes. Paper 3 is a formal practical test with two to three compulsory questions, worth 40 marks and 20% of the total. Some data-analysis questions may not need apparatus.

Is a calculator allowed?

Yes. The syllabus states that an approved calculator may be used in all papers.

Are there any choices in the G3 Biology papers?

Only in Paper 2 Section B, where candidates answer one of two free-response questions. Every other question is compulsory.

Is the syllabus the same as what my child’s school teaches?

The syllabus sets out what can be examined. It does not specify the order or the year in which topics are taught, so ask the subject teacher about the school’s sequence.

Where do I download the G3 Biology syllabus?

From the SEAB page for 2027 SEC G3 Syllabuses for School Candidates. The listing shows K325 as the 2027 code and 6093 as the code for reference for 2026 and earlier.

Helpful Reading

The eduKateSG Syllabus Series

Plain-language guides to SEAB syllabuses, from PSLE to A-Level. More guides are being added.

Primary (PSLE)

Secondary (SEC)

Junior College (A-Level)

SEC G3 Biology Syllabus: A Map, Not a Mountain

The syllabus is not a textbook.

It is a map.

Three papers. Four sections. Fourteen topics.

Read it once properly, and every topic has a place.

Return to it each term, and gaps become easier to see.

Start with the checklist, then take one topic at a time.

Arrange a Parent–Student Consultation

Speak with us about your child’s level, recent results, learning gaps and the dates ahead.

Contact eduKate Singapore

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+65 8823 1234

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How Biology differs from Physics and Chemistry at G3

Compare K325 with separate Physics K323 and Chemistry K324 and keep the correct national practical requirements visible. Read the 2027 SEC syllabus comparison.

Related 2027 SEC science comparison: G3 Biology K325 versus Biotechnology K375 versus Exercise and Sports Science K354.

How to Make Sense of the SEC G3 Biology Syllabus in Singapore | K325 Papers, Topics and Marks