SEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology) is syllabus code K224, and its candidates sit Papers 1, 2, 5 and 6 — the Physics pair and the Biology pair — drawn from a six-paper suite, for a total of 100 marks. K224 is the pairing parents ask us about least often, and the one least often written up. Ancourage Academy teaches all three pairings, and this guide covers the paper selection, the paired session timing, why no separate practical paper exists at G2, and what skipping Chemistry means downstream. Our secondary science programmes group students by pairing.
Which Four Papers a K224 Candidate Sits
K224 candidates take Papers 1 and 2 for Physics and Papers 5 and 6 for Biology: SEAB writes six papers across the G2 science suite — two per science — and each syllabus code selects the four that match its two subjects, so K224 skips the Chemistry pair entirely.
| Paper | Science | Type | Marks | Sat by K224? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Physics | Multiple choice, 20 questions | 20 | Yes |
| Paper 2 | Physics | Structured | 30 | Yes |
| Paper 3 | Chemistry | Multiple choice, 20 questions | 20 | No |
| Paper 4 | Chemistry | Structured | 30 | No |
| Paper 5 | Biology | Multiple choice, 20 questions | 20 | Yes |
| Paper 6 | Biology | Structured | 30 | Yes |
The paper numbers are fixed to the science, not to the order sat. Whichever pairing a candidate is entered for, Paper 5 is always Biology multiple choice and Paper 6 is always Biology structured. The other pairings select differently: K223 (Physics, Chemistry) takes Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4, and K225 (Chemistry, Biology) takes Papers 3, 4, 5 and 6.
The four selected papers total 100 marks — 40 from multiple choice and 60 from structured questions, split evenly between the two sciences.
How the Paired Sessions Are Timed
SEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology), K224, pairs Physics Papers 1 and 2 in one session of 1 hour 15 minutes and Biology Papers 5 and 6 in another, with candidates advised not to spend more than 30 minutes on the multiple-choice Papers 1 and 5.
- Session A — Papers 1 and 2 (Physics): multiple choice then structured, sharing one 1 hour 15 minute clock.
- Session B — Papers 5 and 6 (Biology): the same structure, with the same 30-minute advisory on the multiple-choice half.
- The structured half is worth more in total. 30 marks against 20. The advised split gives each half the same rate — two-thirds of a mark a minute — so overrunning on multiple choice takes time from the bigger paper.
- Rehearse the pair. Practising Paper 6 in isolation never rehearses the pacing decision that decides the session.
Biology structured questions tend to reward longer written answers than Physics does, which makes the 30-minute advisory on Paper 5 more binding in Session B than its equivalent in Session A. Students who overrun on Biology multiple choice routinely leave extended-response marks on the table.
No Separate Practical Paper at G2
G2 science is examined without a standalone practical paper. Practical work is expected during the course, with at least four practical tasks expected from each component science’s own list — eight across Physics and Biology — and experimental skills and investigations are assessed within the written papers at approximately 10% of the marks.
It is worth being precise here, because the numbering invites a mistake. At G3, Combined Science includes a separate Paper 5 practical assessment under syllabuses K326, K327 and K328. At G2 there is no practical paper at all, and Paper 5 means something entirely different — it is the Biology multiple-choice paper.
For a K224 student the practical content is disproportionately important, because Biology experimental questions — variables, controls, sample size, interpretation of results — appear readily in structured papers. Our science practical preparation guide covers the skills, which transfer straight into written experimental questions.
Who the Physics and Biology Pairing Suits
K224 is the pairing we see least, and it suits a specific profile: a student with genuine strength in both a calculation-based science and a descriptive one, who does not want Chemistry.
- Two very different study methods. Physics rewards formula selection and worked calculation; Biology rewards precise terminology and structured explanation. A K224 student has to run both habits at once.
- Availability varies by school. Not every school offers this pairing — confirm with the school before planning around it.
- Chemistry is absent. This is the consequential part. Diplomas and later courses that assume a chemistry foundation — many life-science, pharmaceutical and health-science routes — will need that background built elsewhere.
- It is a full science subject. Two sciences examined at the G2 standard, not a reduced option.
Where the choice is still open, our guide to Combined Science versus Pure Science covers the wider decision, and the Sec 3 subject combination guide covers when it is made.
How K224 Compares with the G3 Route
The G3 counterpart, K327, is a different examination: four papers including a practical assessment, 200 marks in total, at the former O-Level standard.
| Aspect | G2 Science, Physics and Biology (K224) | G3 route (K327) |
|---|---|---|
| Papers sat | Four, selected from a six-paper suite | Four, including a practical assessment |
| Total marks | 100 | 200 |
| Practical examination | None — assessed within the theory papers | Yes, a separate practical assessment |
| Session structure | Paired papers, 1h 15min per pair | Separate papers |
| Exam standard | Former N(A)-Level standard | Former O-Level standard |
| Counts for JC L1R4 | No | Yes |
Our G2 vs G3 subject levels guide covers how a level is set and reviewed under Full Subject-Based Banding, and the SEC replaces the O-Level for G3 subjects from 2027.
Where a K224 Grade Counts
G2 science grades sit on the SEC certificate and count for polytechnic and Polytechnic Foundation Programme routes, but junior college and Millennia Institute aggregates from 2028 must be built entirely from G3 subjects.
MOE's JC and MI admission criteria state that "All subjects used in aggregate score computation for JC and MI admissions must be taken at G3." Beyond the aggregate, individual diploma courses set their own minimum entry requirements, and some assume specific science content — which is where the absence of Chemistry in K224 needs checking against the intended course rather than assumed away. Our post-secondary pathways guide sets out the routes.
Revising Two Sciences That Reward Different Habits
For K224, revise Physics by problem type and Biology by precise terminology, alternate timed paired sessions weekly and track the two sciences separately — the revision problem is not volume; it is that the two halves need different methods, and students tend to apply the method of their stronger science to both.
- Physics: work by problem type. A formula sheet plus twenty worked problems per topic beats re-reading notes.
- Biology: work by terminology. Precise vocabulary is the marking currency, and vague paraphrase loses marks that the student believes they earned.
- Weekly: one timed pair, alternating Session A and Session B, with a hard stop on the multiple-choice half.
- Track the sciences separately. A middling overall mark often hides one strong and one weak half.
- Drill experimental questions in both. Around a tenth of the marks sit there and are commonly left unrevised. Our guide to using past-year papers effectively sets out an error-analysis routine.
Where science sits near a promotion threshold, our guide to your school's own promotion criteria explains how subject marks are counted, and a trial class (usually $18) begins with a timed paired session.
Common Questions About SEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology)
What is the syllabus code for G2 Science with Physics and Biology?
It is K224, listed by SEAB among the G2 Cambridge subjects as "Science (Physics, Biology)". The other two G2 science pairings are K223, Science (Physics, Chemistry), and K225, Science (Chemistry, Biology).
Which papers does a K224 candidate take?
Papers 1, 2, 5 and 6. SEAB writes six papers across the G2 science suite, two for each of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and each code selects the four matching its sciences. K224 takes the Physics pair (Papers 1 and 2) and the Biology pair (Papers 5 and 6), totalling 100 marks. Papers 3 and 4, which are Chemistry, are not sat.
How are the G2 science papers timed?
In pairs. For K224, Papers 1 and 2 are sat in one session of 1 hour 15 minutes, and Papers 5 and 6 in another session of the same length (the Chemistry pair, Papers 3 and 4, is sat by K223 and K225 candidates instead). Candidates are advised not to spend more than 30 minutes on the multiple-choice half of each pair. Because the structured half carries 30 marks against 20, overrunning on multiple choice is the most common way to lose marks.
Does K224 include a practical examination?
No. There is no standalone practical paper at G2. Practical work is expected during the course, with at least four practical tasks expected from each component science’s own list — eight across Physics and Biology — and experimental skills and investigations are assessed inside the written papers at approximately 10% of the marks. Note that Paper 5 at G2 is the Biology multiple-choice paper, not a practical assessment.
Does not taking Chemistry at G2 close off later options?
It can, and it is worth checking rather than assuming. K224 covers Physics and Biology only, so any diploma or later course that assumes a chemistry foundation — common in pharmaceutical, life-science and several health-science routes — would need that background built another way. Individual diploma courses set their own minimum entry requirements alongside the aggregate, so check the specific course.