0610_m26_er — 2026 March Biology 0610 Examiner Report

0610_m26_er — 2026 March Biology 0610 Examiner Report · Cambridge CAIE IGCSE

Loading document...

0610_m26_er.pdf

0610_m26_er — 2026 March Biology 0610 Examiner Report

This examiner report covers Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) from the 2026 March session. Written by the principal examiner, it provides detailed commentary on candidate performance across all paper components — highlighting the most common mistakes, misconceptions, and what distinguished top-scoring answers from weaker ones. This is one of the most valuable revision tools available, yet most students never read it.

Also referenced as: 0610_m26_er · 0610/f/m/26 · 0610 Feb/March 2026

This examiner report covers all paper components for Biology (0610) in this session. Read it after completing each question paper to understand where the cohort gained and lost marks, and how your approach compares to the examiner's expectations.

Examiner reports are the highest-value revision resource most students overlook. For Biology (0610), read each section of this report alongside the corresponding question paper. Note which questions had the lowest success rate — these are the topics you should prioritise. The examiner often explains exactly what was required for full marks, giving you a template for structuring your own answers.

Examiner Insights

Based on analysis of 6 official Cambridge documents (2023, 2025)

Confusing excretion with egestion

“A significant number of candidates incorrectly believed that undigested food is removed by excretion. Egestion is the process that removes undigested food. Excretion is the removal of waste products of metabolism.”— Paper 1, March 2023

How to fix: Excretion = removal of waste products of METABOLISM (e.g. CO₂ from respiration, urea from amino acid breakdown) via lungs and kidneys. Egestion = removal of UNDIGESTED food via the anus. These are completely different processes. The anus is NOT an excretory organ.

Enzyme misconceptions — pH 7, heat 'kills', shape matching

“A significant number of candidates were unable to explain the specific role of the enzyme in converting the substrate to a product and what happens to the enzyme after it has been used.”— Paper 4, May/June 2025

How to fix: Common wrong beliefs: (1) 'All enzymes work best at pH 7' — FALSE, pepsin works best at pH 2. (2) 'Heat kills enzymes' — enzymes are not alive; heat DENATURES them (changes the shape of the active site). (3) 'Substrate and active site are the same shape' — the substrate is COMPLEMENTARY to the active site, not identical.

Food test procedures incomplete or wrong

“Benedict's test was often incomplete as it was common for the heating step to be left out.”— Paper 4, May/June 2025

How to fix: Memorise all food tests: Benedict's (add reagent + HEAT in water bath → orange/red for reducing sugar). Biuret (add NaOH then CuSO₄ → purple for protein). Iodine solution (→ blue-black for starch). Ethanol emulsion test (dissolve in ethanol, add to water → white emulsion for fats). DCPIP (decolourises with vitamin C).

View full exam guide for Biology (0610) →