Year 10 Assessment/Exam Resources

Click the button below for the resources provided by departments for the upcoming Year 10 Exam weeks that are taking place in January 2021.

Y10 Exam Resources

The sections below detail the curriculum for Year 10 students at QEHS.

Please use the following guide to help you decide the appropriate point of contact for any curriculum-related issues:

Nature of EnquiryContactPhone/Email
General questions about your child's work, progress, or homeworkSubject teachersBy note via your child or by contacting the main switchboard on 01434 610300
A concern about your child's progress or experience in a particular subjectCurriculum/Subject Leaders (see the Meet Our Staff page under the School Life menu)Contact the main switchboard on 01434 610300
General enquiries related to the curriculum, options, higher education applications or complex academic issues involving more than one subjectThe Sixth Form TeamTelephone the Sixth Form Office on 01434 610312 or email sixthform@qehs.net
Other matters not listed aboveReceptionPlease phone 01434 610300 and we will direct your enquiry to the appropriate person

GCSE Biology (exam board: AQA)

Autumn Term

Students will be learning about cell cycle, stem cells and cell transport. We will focus on mitosis and the uses of stem cells as a potential treatment for some medical conditions. Cell transport will include diffusion and osmosis. We will carry out required practical 7 which is linked to osmosis and carry out linked exam practice questions.

Assessment – Cell cycle, stem cells, and cell transport – 30 minute test in November.

Students will be learning about the organisation of living things in Topic 2. We will focus on tissues and organs in particular. We will study the digestive and circulatory systems to illustrate the organisation of cells into tissues and organs. We will also carry out research into the effects of lifestyle on these organ systems and how they may lead to a range of non-communicable diseases.

Spring Term

Students will be learning about plant tissues and organs. They will study processes such as transpiration and will carry out practical activities to measure the rate of transpiration.

Assessment – students will sit a Topic 2 test in exam week (January). 

Students will be also be learning about bioenergetics (Topic 4). This includes photosynthesis and respiration. There will be several opportunities for practical work as students investigate factors that affect both of these processes.

Assessment – bioenergetics written test in May.

Summer Term

Students will begin learning about Ecology (Topic 7), which covers ideas of community, biotic and abiotic factors and adaptations. Students will learn about the organisation of ecosystems including how materials are recycled naturally in the environment and how the process of decomposition works. This topic provides opportunities to carry out sampling techniques outside of the classroom.

Required practical 9 – measure population size in a habitat.

Required practical 10 – investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of decay of milk.

Autumn/Spring Term

Theme 1: Investigating small business (*Paper code: 1BS0/01)

Theme 1 comprises five topic areas:

  • Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship – students are introduced to the dynamic nature of business in relation to how and why business ideas come about. They also explore the impact of risk and reward on business activity and the role of entrepreneurship.
  • Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity – students will explore how new and small businesses identify opportunities through understanding customer needs and conducting market research. They will also focus on understanding the competition.
  • Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice – this topic focuses on making a business idea happen through identifying aims and objectives and concentrating on the financial aspects.
  • Topic 1.4 Making the business effective – students will explore a range of factors that impact on the success of the business, including location, the marketing mix and the business plan.
  • Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business – students are introduced to a range of factors, many of which are outside of the immediate control of the business, such as stakeholders, technology, legislation and the economy. Students will explore how businesses respond to these influences.

Assessment overview for Theme 1 (exam summer 2021)

The paper is divided into three sections:

  • Section A: 35 marks
  • Section B: 30 marks
  • Section C: 25 marks

The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions. Questions in Sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper.

Autumn Term

Topic 3 – Structure and Bonding

  • Ionic Bonding
  • Covalent Bonding
  • Giant Structures
  • Polymers and Nanoscience
  • Chromatography

Spring Term

Topic 4 – Metal Extraction and Quantitative Calculations

  • Relative Atomic and Formula Masses, Mole Calculations
  • Yield Calculations
  • Acid and Alkalis
  • Titrations
  • Gas Liquid and Thin Layer Chromatography
  • Reductions
  • Electrolysis – Salt, Aluminium and Fuel Cells

Summer Term

Topic 5 – Rate of Reaction

  • How is rate affected by concentration, temperature, particle size and catalysis
  • Reversible Reactions
  • Equilibria

Roll up to Year 11 (after Summer Half Term)

Topic 6 – Analysis

  • Chromatography
  • Gas Testing
  • Testing for Positive and Negative Ions (Triple Chemistry only)
  • Instrumental Analysis (Triple Chemistry only)

GCSE Computing (exam board: AQA)

Autumn Term

Students will spend the first term of the course covering the underlying theory of computing. Topics such as data representation, hardware, software, networking and logic will be covered, along with a look at the moral and ethical considerations in the world of technology. They will also look at relevant legislation.

End of topic tests: approx. end of October, December.

Spring Term

Students will start to look at programming tools and techniques. They will learn psuedo-code and put it into practice with a range of programming languages and environments. This will be in preparation for the controlled assessment in the summer term.

Internal assessment/mock exam: January

Summer Term

Students will complete the 20-hour Non-Examined Assessment programming project (NEA).

Internal assessment: NEA in May to July.

Autumn Term

Course Introduction: Students will be introduced to safe practice, development of contemporary dance technique and developing physical and interpretive skills for technique and performance.

  • Unit 3 – Performance in a Duo/Group (20%)
  • Unit 1 – Dance Appreciation (20%)

Students prepare a duo/group dance lasting 3 minutes that has three clear links to professional work 1.

  • Unit 2 – Set Dance (20%)

Learn and rehearse a set dance lasting 1 minute.

All work in these units will focus on physical, technical and mental skills necessary for effective performance. Also covered are expressive skills in performance and understanding how to achieve high quality performance. There is a focus on knowledge and understanding of health, fitness and safe working practice.

Spring Term

  • Unit 4 – Choreography (40%) & Unit 1 – Dance Appreciation (20%)

Task A Solo Composition (15%) linked to professional work 2. Students learn three motifs from professional work 2 and develop these into a solo composition lasting approximately 1 minute.

This term will focus on the critical appreciation of professional work and the students will be required to conduct research, investigating potential ideas and improvise from the initial stimulus.

  • Unit 4 – Choreography (40%)

Task B – Solo/Group Composition (25%) Introduction

Students select a stimulus from a prescribed list and develop it into either a group choreography lasting 2 ½ – 3 minutes or a solo choreography lasting 1 ½ – 2 minutes.

Summer Term

  • Unit 4 – Choreography (40%)

Task B – Solo/Group Composition (25%) Introduction

Students continue to work on the development of their choreography.

GCSE Design and Technology – exam board Edexcel

Summer Term (Year 9 roll up to Year 10)

Half Term 1 (June to July)

The students will begin the course by completing a baseline test. This will cover all knowledge learnt previously. This will include some mathematical questions.

Year 10 is dedicated to teaching the content of Component 1 (Core Unit)

Project: Designers and Designing

The students will be involved in an iterative designing process while learning about famous designers and their work to influence their designs. They will also build on their skills of technical and presentation drawings.

Autumn Term

Half Term 2 (September to October)

Project: Wood Joint Box

The students will be involved in a focused practical task to learn about and practice a wide range of woodworking and joining techniques. They will also gain knowledge of different timbers/manufactured boards and discover their properties and applications. Students will enhance their practical work using a range of wood finishing processes.

There will also be an introductory element into sheet metal working processes as well as using some basic CAD/CAM.

Internal Common Assessment: Timbers and their applications and properties. Practical work assessed. Wood joints drawing task.

Half Term 3 (November to December)

Project: Night Light Project

The students are involved in theory and practical lessons to design and manufacture a night light. Students gain a knowledge and understanding of basic electronic components and their function and will demonstrate practical activities including drilling PCBs and soldering. Students will also be involved in using CAD and CAM to produce a laser cut casing for their electronic circuit. Theory lessons covering the properties and applications of card and paper will be delivered to the students. Basic programming skills round off this particular project.

Project: Levers and Mechanisms

Students will then complete a theory based project about mechanical systems. Included in the module are topics such as levers and linkages, cams, pulleys, gears and gear ratios. Alongside this they will also learn a number of mathematical calculations associated with levers and mechanisms

Internal Common Assessment: Knowledge of resistors, transistors, LEDs and other common components. Mathematical calculations associated with the movements.

Spring Term

Half Term 4 (January to February)

Project: Core Materials and Sources of Power

This half term the students are taught a module of theory lessons about core materials. Topics will include metals, shape memory alloys, reactive glass, nanomaterials, textiles and a range of composite materials including carbon fibre and concrete. In addition to the core materials student will also learn about different sources of power.

Internal Common Assessment: A range of in class tests will be used to check the students understanding of the topics covered.

Half Term 5 (February to April)

Students will then learn about the impacts of new technology focusing on the environment and sustainability, this includes topics such as carbon and ecological footprint, life cycles and sustainability, Fair trade, green designs, recycling and reusing and other associated topics.

Internal Common Assessment: A range of in class tests will be used to check the students understanding of the topics covered.

Summer Term

Half Term 6 (April to May)

Students will then move on to learn about the wider impact of new technology focusing on Society and industry. This will include topics such as levels of production, enterprise, people and workforce in design and technology. This will lead on to the implications of designers on society and the economy and the ethical issues designers much consider.

Internal Common Assessment: A range of in class tests will be used to check the students understanding of the topics covered.

Autumn Term

Component 1: Devising (40%)

Students begin the course by learning about stylised theatre skills which they will go on to use in each practical element of the course. This will involve a series of workshops, culminating in a piece of theatre devised by the group to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the techniques they’ve used. This will feed into their assessment week in October.

After autumn half term the students will be given their stimulus material and allocated their final component 1 groups. The early stages of this component will involve whole class exploration and research, and as the groups are formed students will take on responsibility for their progress and area of interest. This will involve self-evaluation and compromise as well as a real creative and practical challenge. The assessment includes a portfolio which can be either written or recorded, which will document their process and evaluate the success of the final performance piece.

Spring Term

Component 1: Devising (40%)

Students will continue to work in their groups to refine and rehearse their devised performances. Work on the portfolios will continue during lessons and for homework. Extra rehearsals at lunchtimes and after school are strongly recommended. Rooms can be booked in advance through the department.

Component 3: Written Exam (40%)

We will arrange a theatre visit for students so that they can complete a mock evaluation in preparation for their component 3 exam.

Summer Term

Component 1: Devising (40%)

Students will perform their devised plays and complete the first draft of their portfolios. This will conclude the class time on component 1. This work is internally marked by the drama teachers in the department and will be moderated later in the year by an external moderator.

Component 2: Performing Exam (20%)

Students will begin preparation for their performance exam. This will involve being allocated a new group and a scripted play to study.

Component 3: Written Exam (40%)

Students will begin preparatory work on the set text, DNA by Dennis Kelly. This will involve reading the play and practical workshops.

Year 10 English Language and Literature Curriculum

This is an integrated course.  Throughout their study, students will have the opportunity to practise English Language skills and English Literature skills separately, and also have the opportunity to use literary texts as a springboard for English Language skills, where appropriate.

There are two examination papers for both GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature

Spring Term (Post May Half-Term)

Dystopian Texts

Students will study a range of dystopian texts which enable them to access a range of English Language skills required for GCSE English Language Paper 1. Within this unit students will study relevant poetry linked to the ‘dystopian’ theme to enable connections to be made across language and literature, which introduces students to GCSE English Literature Paper 2.

Autumn Term:

Imaginative Writing:  Students will study the ‘monologue’ form and its characteristic features, and write their own monologue.  This unit focusses on the skills required for GCSE English Language Section B.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth:  Students will study ‘Macbeth’ in preparation for GCSE English Literature Paper 1 Section A and will be introduced to specific analytical skills required for this area of the course and also to key contextual knowledge that supports a wider appreciation of themes and ideas raised in the text.  Within this unit are related themes which enable students to appreciate the universal quality of Shakespeare’s play in a modern world.  The latter is a springboard for GCSE English Language skills – Papers 1 and 2. Towards the end of this unit, students will study the ‘traditional’ narrative form for GCSE English Language Section B and they will have the opportunity to practise their own imaginative writing skills

January Year 10 Examination:

English Literature: GCSE Paper 1 Section A: ‘Macbeth’ both Section A and Section B.  For Section B, students will be provided with a range of themes to study, one of which will be questioned in the Y10 exam.  There will also be a 50 short answer ‘Quiz’ paper on core terminology and context.  This knowledge is also utilised in both Section A and Section B.

English Language: Paper 1 Section B: Imaginative Writing.  Students have the choice to write a narrative in either monologue or ‘traditional’ form.

Spring Term:

Introduction to Poetry

Students study four poems from the cluster of fifteen poems in the ‘Time and Place’ Edexcel GCSE English Literature Anthology.  Students will learn how to compare, analyse and integrate contextual knowledge within a given response.  Students will be provided with a scaffolded framework to introduce them to the structural requirements of the comparative question for GCSE English Literature Paper 2 Section B and C

Introduction to Nineteenth Century Literature

Students will re-visit core GCSE English Language Reading knowledge and skills learned previously in the course and develop further through a study a range of 19th Century texts for the purposes of GCSE English Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 Section A.  Students will also re-visit and develop Imaginative Writing skills (Paper 1 section B) using the nineteenth century texts as a springboard.

Modern Texts

Students will study a post-1945 text in preparation for GCSE English Literature Section B.  The text is chosen by individual teachers, though all tasks and assessments are consistent across all teaching groups. Throughout this unit students will learn key contextual knowledge related to the studied text and will practice core analytical skills and develop their own stylistic response to examination style questions.  Integrated within this unit are GCSE English Language skills, with a focus on Paper 2 Sections A and B (Transactional Writing).

Summer Term:

The above unit will continue throughout the summer term.

Students will study another 4 poems from the Edexcel Poetry Anthology and produce a comparative response based on two poems.

GCSE English Language Paper 1 Section B: Imaginative Writing will be re-visited towards the end of the summer term

Autumn Term

Students will develop their understanding of the formal elements of art and design. They will explore analyse and research the theme as part of Unit 1 Portfolio (60% of GCSE). Contextual work will include research on contemporary artists.

Spring Term

Students will embark on the research aspect of their second themed project based on either Lost and Found or Structures (portfolio).

Summer Term

Students continue to develop their second project through design ideas and experimentation (portfolio).

Autumn Term

  • Key Stage 3 Revision
  • Me, my family and friends
  • Relationships with family and friends
  • Marriage/partnership
  • Technology in everyday life
  • Social media
  • Mobile technology

Spring Term

  • Free-time activities
  • Music
  • Cinema and TV
  • Food and eating out
  • Sport
  • Customs and festivals in French-speaking countries/communities

Summer Term

  • Home, town, neighbourhood and region
  • Social issues
  • Charity/voluntary work
  • Healthy/unhealthy living

Autumn Term

Students will study the following topics:

Development Dynamics: Students will learn about the scale of inequality and how it can be reduced. They will apply what they have learned to India, which is the main case study for this topic. Students will explore the factors that have allowed the country to develop and investigate the positive and negative impacts of such rapid growth. They then undergo an in-depth study of India and explore the opportunities and challenges this brings. 

Coastal change and conflict: Students explore why there are a variety of distinctive coastal landscapes in the UK and learn about the processes which have created them. They learn how distinctive coastal landscapes are modified by human activity interacting with physical processes. Students explore the challenges for coastal landscapes and communities, and why there is conflict about how to manage them.

Revision will be undertaken towards the end of the term in preparation for the Year 10 exams after Christmas.

Spring Term

Students will study the following topics:

The UK’s evolving human landscapes: Students will learn why places and people are changing in the UK. Newcastle upon Tyne will be the main case study for this topic and students will investigate the growth of Newcastle over time and also the decline and regeneration that has occurred in some parts of the city.

River processes and pressures: Students will learn how river landscapes contrast between the upper courses, mid-courses and lower courses of rivers and why channel characteristics change along the course of a named UK river.

Summer Term

Students will study the following topics:

River processes and pressures: Students will study the causes of flooding and conduct a piece of physical fieldwork on the Cockshaw Burn in Hexham which will assess the flood risk of this area. They will then present and analyse the primary and secondary data they have collected in order to draw conclusions. The final stage will get them to evaluate their enquiry process and identify problems and improvements which they could implement in order to improve their investigation.  

Hazardous earth – Tectonics: Students learn why the causes and impacts of tectonic activity and management of tectonic hazards vary with location. They will learn about the following:

  • The earth’s layered structure, and how the physical properties of each layer are key to plate tectonics,
  • The different plate boundaries, each with characteristic volcanic and earthquake hazards
  • Tectonic hazards affect people, and are managed, differently at contrasting locations. Students will study the 2010 Haiti earthquake and then compare it to the Japanese Tohuku earthquake in 2011.

In Year 10, German and Spanish cover aspects within the following topic headings plus grammar, though in a different order according to each language:

  • Me, my family and friends, relationships with family and friends
  • Home, town, neighbourhood and region, weather
  • My studies
  • Free time, including music, cinema, eating out, sport
  • Healthy/unhealthy living
  • Life at school
  • Customs and festivals
  • Travel and tourism
  • Education post-16

There are no internal assessments other than calendared assessment weeks, and there is no controlled assessment.

Autumn Term

Students will develop their skill set by learning a range of new graphic techniques and processes under the title assignment of ‘Pop’. They will work on Photoshop and use the project as introduction to the extensive programme. They will present their work in a sketchbook and will use this essential resource as a reference throughout their GCSE studies.

Spring Term

Students will start their second unit of work entitled ‘Altered Image’ in which students will use a mix of both hand-rendered and Photoshop-manipulated designs. They will study the work of other designers and illustrators to help them develop their ideas.

Summer Term

Students will complete their second unit by creating a set of designs for album art work for a chosen band or musician.

Students will start their most sustained project as part of their coursework, entitled ‘Rebrand’. Students must create a new identity for a brand of their own choice.

OCR Cambridge National in Health and Social Care (exam board: OCR)

In Year 10 students will complete two units of work:

  • Unit R021: Essential values of care for use with individuals in care setting – Assessed via external exam, set by exam board (25% – 60 marks)
  • Unit R022: Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings – Assessed via centre-assessed coursework (25% – 60 marks)

Two remaining units are completed in Year 11 (50%)

Autumn Term

Students begin the health and social care course by studying Unit R022: Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings.

Students explore different types of communication. They learn about the importance of effective communication to connect with individuals using care services, and they develop their understanding of how the way they communicate impacts on an individual’s care.

Students will develop a range of study skills in order to produce coursework for internal assessment. Students are assessed throughout the course via different methods of assessment including:

  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Factsheets
  • Practical Analysis
  • Posters
  • Leaflets
  • Role play scenarios

Spring Term 

Students will complete Unit 2 in the Spring Term and move to Unit R021: Essential values of care for use with individuals in care settings

Students learn about the rights of individuals and the values of care required when working in a health, social care or early years environment. Through role play and case studies they gain understanding of how to apply these values so that individuals’ dignity is maintained.

Summer Term

Students will complete Unit R021 and prepare for the final external exam assessment in the summer term.

External Assessment – May/June – date and assessment set by examination board.

Autumn/Spring Term

Paper 1: Understanding the Modern World

Section A: Russia 1894-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship

This period study focuses on the development of Russia during a turbulent half century of change. It was a period of autocracy and communism – the fall of the Tsardom and the rise and consolidation of communism. Students will study the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of these two developments and the role ideas played in influencing change. Students will also look at the role of key individuals and groups in shaping change and the impact the developments had on them.

Part One: The End of Tsardom

  • Russia’s economy and society: industrialisation; living and working conditions in cities and villages.
  • Nicholas II’s autocracy and the court: growth of revolutionary opposition; the 1905 Revolution and October Manifesto; the impact of, and reactions to, attempts to reform Russia up to 1914; the Dumas and political stalemate; Stolypin’s policies – land reform, industry and use of oppression.
  • The First World War: the impact of military defeats on Tsarist government; social and economic effects of war on cities and the countryside; unpopularity of the Romanovs, including the role of Rasputin; the Tsar’s abdication.

Part Two: Lenin’s New Society

  • The Provisional Government: its failure to deal with Russia’s social, economic and military problems; Lenin and Trotsky; the growth of Bolshevik organisation; the October/November Revolution.
  • The impact of Lenin’s dictatorship: the end of the First World War; the Cheka; the Red Army; causes, nature and consequences of the Civil War and Bolshevik success; propaganda.
  • Social and economic developments: War Communism; the Kronstadt Rising; the New Economic Policy (NEP); the achievements of Lenin and Trotsky.

Part Three: Stalin’s USSR

  • Stalin the dictator: the power struggle to succeed Lenin; the control of the Communist part over government; the Terror and the Purges; the army; secret police; labour camps; censorship; the cult of personality; propaganda.
  • Stalin’s modernisation of the USSR: collectivisation; the Five Year Plans; social and economic consequences for Kulaks, city dwellers, women, professional and industrial workers; the extent of modernisation.
  • Impact of the Second World War: Stalin’s wartime leadership; political, economic and social problems caused by the Great Patriotic War up to 1945.

Spring/Summer Term

Section B: Conflict and Tension between East and West, 1945-1972

This wider world depth study enables you to understand the complex and diverse interests of different states and individuals and the ideologies they represented. It considers revolutionary movements during this time. It focuses on the causes and events of the Cold War and seeks to show how and why conflict occurred and why it proved difficult to resolve the tensions which arose during the Cold War. This study also considers the role of key individuals and groups in shaping change and how they were affected by and influenced international relations.

Part One: The Origins of the Cold War

  • The end of the Second World War: Yalta and Potsdam Conferences; the division of Germany; contrasting attitudes and ideologies of the USA and the USSR, including the aims of Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, Attlee and Truman; effect of the dropping of the atom bomb on post-war superpower relations.
  • The Iron Curtain and the evolution of East-West rivalry: Soviet expansion in East Europe; US policies; the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, their purpose and Stalin’s reaction; Cominform; Comecon; Yugoslavia; the Berlin Blockade and Airlift.

Part Two: The Development of the Cold War

  • The significance of events in Asia for superpower relations: USSR’s support for Mao Tse-tung and Communist revolution in China, and the military campaigns waged by North Korea against the UN and by the Vietcong against France and the USA.
  • Military rivalries: the arms race; membership and purposes of NATO and the Warsaw Pact; the space race, including Sputnik, ICBMs, Polaris, Gagarin, Apollo.
  • The ‘Thaw’: Hungary, the protest movement and the reforms of Nagy; Soviet fears, how they reacted and the effects on the Cold War; the U2 Crisis and its effects on the Paris Peace Summit and the peace process.

Part Three: Transformation of the Cold War

  • Berlin Wall: reasons for its construction and Kennedy’s response.
  • Tensions over Cuba: Castro’s revolution, the Bay of Pigs and the missile crisis: the roles of Castro, Khrushchev, Kennedy; fears of the USA and reaction to missiles on Cuba; dangers and results of crisis.
  • Czechoslovakia: Dubeck and the Prague Spring movement; USSR’s response to the reforms; the effects the Prague Spring had on East-West relations, including the Warsaw Pact; the Brezhnev Doctrine.
  • Easing of tension: sources of tension, including the Soviets’ record on human rights; the reasons for Détente and for SALT 1; the part played by key individuals Brezhnev and Nixon.

Cambridge Nationals Creative iMedia (exam board: OCR)

Autumn Term

R082 – Creating Digital Graphics

On completion of this unit, students will understand the purpose and properties of digital graphics, and know where and how they are used. They will be able to plan the creation of digital graphics, create new digital graphics using a range of editing techniques and review a completed graphic against a specific brief.

Internal Assessment: a range of coursework submission deadlines across the term.

Spring Term

R082 – Creating Digital Graphics

Students will complete final improvements to this unit.

R092 – Games Design

On completion of this unit, learners will be aware of different types of digital games creation software, hardware and peripherals. They will be able to plan a digital game, create and edit the digital game and test the digital game with a client or focus group, identifying any areas for improvement.

Internal Assessment: a range of coursework submission deadlines across the term.

Summer Term

Students will work to complete unit RO92 Games Design.

Internal Assessment: a range of coursework submission deadlines across the term including final submission for R092.

Autumn Term

Half Term 1

  • Cambridge Latin Course Book 2a – Romans in Britain. Changing lifestyle and fashions; attitudes to an invading culture; grammar and vocabulary foundation for GCSE.

Half Term 2

  • Cambridge Latin Course Book 2b – Alexandria. The cultures of Rome, Greece and Egypt meet and mingle, sometimes with explosive consequences.

Spring Term

Half Term 3

  • Myths, legends and historical passages including:
    • The Trojan War: Greeks besiege the Romans to claim back the world’s most beautiful woman
    • Romulus and Remus: brother kills brother before founding the city of Rome
    • Julius Caesar’s assassination: a general and politician becomes successful – too successful – and is murdered by his own government

Half Term 4

  • Grammar continues to be studied using legends and histories.
  • Vocabulary drawn from GCSE prescribed list to equip pupils for future assessment.
  • Basic aspects of writing in Latin incorporated to provide fuller understanding of grammar.

Summer Term

Half Term 5

  • Myth and history form basis for grammar – materials taken from equivalent of GCSE foundation tier.
  • Source work introduced, chosen from a variety of topics – religion, entertainment, military life etc.

Half Term 6

  • Source work continues
  • Prescribed Literature introduced for GCSE

Autumn Term

Pupils will be assessed throughout the term with small assessments, homeworks and tests in assessment weeks.

The foundation classes will cover:
Sequences and proof, trial and improvement, coordinates and linear graphs, quadratics and other non linear graphs, ratio and proportion, angles and measurement (estimation and using scales)

The higher classes will cover:
Equations of circles, direct proportion, inverse proportion, quadratic simultaneous equations, algebraic fractions, trail and improvement, angles, triangles, polygons, construction, compound shapes and 3D objects.

Spring Term

The foundation classes will cover:
Using different units, triangles, constructions, applied algebra within shapes, perimeter, area, volume, circles and cylinders.

The higher classes will cover:
Enlargement, circles, cylinders, cones and spheres, dimensional analysis, gradients, area under a curve, transformations, congruency and similarity.

Summer Term

The pupils will sit a cumulative exam at the end of Year 10. Students will do a problem solving week at the end of Year 10.

The foundation classes will cover:
All transformations, Vectors, congruency and similarity, speed, distance and time and density.

The higher classes will cover:
Constructions, loci, Pythagoras, trigonometry, trigonometric graphs, the sine rule, the cosine rule, circle theorems and transforming graphs.

GCSE Music (exam board: Edexcel)

Autumn Term

The syllabus requires students to learn eight set works. We tackle the first two before Christmas. These are the Bach and the Beethoven. Compositions based on those two pieces are also started. The course follows the preparation of compositions leading to two fully completed compositions for each student. One is a free brief, the second is set at the start of Year 11 by the exam board. Students are asked to play their instrument individually to the teacher and the class as a starting point for developing one solo piece and one ensemble piece. The highest marks can be achieved by playing a Grade 5 level piece in Year 11. It is still possible to do very well in performance with slightly easier pieces, and many students will be working at Grade 4 level across the country for this (by the time they get to Year 11).

Spring Term

Students start with revision and then a test on on the Bach and Beethoven. We then continue with ‘Killer Queen’ and a piece by Purcell. Compositions continue to explore these new pieces. Students will by now have a secure piece to work up into their first main piece of coursework. We do keep the older pieces alive by re-testing them in part with every new set work test – so the ‘Killer Queen’ test will also have some questions on the Bach and Beethoven.

Summer Term

The set works for this term are ‘Defying Gravity’ and Star Wars. Composition continues and the students will now have a firm solo piece in mind for performance. This is often tied into a grade piece with a private instrumental teacher, but not necessarily so. It is really important that the solo piece is learnt before the summer as we polish it and record it in November. Several ‘second’ composition starters will have been created in readiness for the release of the brief by the exam board. The last few weeks of the year are devoted to finishing the first draft of their first proper composition for GCSE and a concert to friends and family in the Winter Gardens.

Autumn Term

Half Term 1 (September – October)

Unit 1 and Unit 2 are taught throughout the year and often overlap.

Unit 1 looks at three musicals and focuses on how the performers and other practitioners (Director, Choreographer, Composer etc.) work together to produce musicals.

Unit 2 explores the students’ skills and helps them build those skills with regular exposure to technique and exercises specific to Dance, Acting and Singing.

Students audit their skills and identify targets to make progress across short periods of time, and in the longer term. Regular video sessions of work in progress supports students in their development.

This term Unit 1 focuses on the show Billy Elliot, leading to an internal performance of Billy Elliot.

Half Term 2 (November – December)

Continuing work on both units and completing booklet tasks, normally writing up their experience of practical workshops, and analysing the intention behind the original scenes we study.

Spring Term

Half Term 3 (January – February)

Students continue to monitor their self-set targets for Unit 2, and start to study West Side Story. Several key scenes are worked on in a practical setting, and these are recorded for evidence.

Half Term 4 (March – April)

Continuing to work on West Side Story, the main focus is the America scene with dialogue, song and dance combined. This is a formal assessment opportunity.

Summer Term

Half Term 5 (April – May)

Unit 2 targets are monitored again, with milestone lessons analysed for progress by the students themselves. Throughout this booklet (online booklet) students keep in mind their original long term goals and create short-term targets to help them meet those goals.

Unit 1 continues with work on the musical RENT. Several scenes are looked at from a practical point of view, with students learning small extracts.

Half Term 6 (May – July)

Unit 2 targets should be drawing to a close and a final audit is worked towards.

Unit 1 continues with work towards a performance of ‘La Vie Bohème’.

This is the most likely formal submission for evidence of student skills in all three disciplines: Acting, Dance, and Singing.

Unit 1 logbooks (on paper, and therefore must be kept safe throughout the course) are a main focus as we start to collate written evidence of student understanding of how the separate roles in the industry work together. This is highly structured in the booklets, and students are well trained in the completion of these.

Autumn Term

As part of the Core PE Programme students will complete units of work in the following activities, building on the skills and knowledge developed as part of the Year 9 programme:

Girls and Boys

  • Netball/Basketball
  • Hockey
  • Rugby
  • Table Tennis

In these activities students will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the rules of the activity, as well as working to extend and develop their level of skill and tactical game play. Students will continue to develop their leadership skills from Year 9, taking a variety of roles within the lesson. Students will complete an internal assessment at the end of each unit of work.

Spring Term

As part of the Core PE Programme students will complete units of work in the following activities:

Girls and Boys

  • Football
  • Trampolining
  • Fitness
  • Volleyball

In these activities students will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the rules of the activity, as well as working to extend and develop their level of skill and tactical game play. Students will complete an internal assessment at the end of each unit of work.

Summer Term

As part of the Core PE Programme students will complete units of work in the following activities:

Girls and Boys

  • Rounders/Cricket
  • Athletics
  • Rounders
  • Frisbee
  • Tennis

In these activities students will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the rules of the activity, as well as working to extend and develop their level of skill and tactical game play. Students will complete an internal assessment at the end of each unit of work.

GCSE Physical Education (exam board: OCR)

A student’s GCSE PE overall grade is made up from three components:

Students will complete three theory and two practical PE lessons per fortnight. In practical lessons students will cover a range of sporting activities and be assessed against specific criteria. This will provide evidence towards Component 03: Performance in physical education (NEA). Students will use their performance grade of three activities taken from the two approved lists* (one from the ‘individual’ list/one from the ‘team’ list/one other from either list)

In Year 10 students study Component 01: Physical factors affecting performance. This includes two key topic overviews:

1.1 Applied anatomy and physiology

1.1.a. The structure and function of the skeletal system

1.1.b. The structure and function of the muscular system

1.1.c. Movement analysis

1.1.d. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems

1.1.e. Effects of exercise on body systems

1.2 Physical training.

1.2.a. Components of fitness

1.2.b. Applying the principles of training

1.3.c. Preventing injury in physical activity and training

AQA GCSE Physics – 8463

Autumn Term

Students will learn about electricity, including electric circuits and mains electricity.

Spring Term

Students will move on to the topic of the particle model of solids, liquids and gases.

Summer Term

Students will learn about atomic structure, including radioactive decay, fission and fusion.

PSHE: Programme of Study

The Government’s review of Personal, Social, Health and Economic education concluded in March 2013, stating that the subject would remain non-statutory and that no new programmes of study would be published. The Department for Education (DfE) has, however, stated in section 2.5 of the national curriculum framework that ‘All schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice’.

In the absence of a new programme of study from the DfE, the PSHE Association, in consultation with a wide variety of agencies and PSHE practitioners, has produced this programme of study based on the needs of today’s pupils and schools. The programme of study identifies the key concepts and skills that underpin PSHE education and helps schools to fulfil their statutory responsibility to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.

Subject Content

The three overlapping and linked ‘Core Themes’ are: (Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, Living in the Wider World).

It is important to recognise that many decisions about both health and lifestyle are made in a social context or are influenced by the attitudes, values and beliefs of significant others.

While factual knowledge is of course very important, schools have limited curriculum time and we therefore recommend that co-ordinators use local data and their knowledge of their own pupils’ needs, to prioritise the topics that are most relevant to their pupils.

Copyright PSHE Association 2013

Core Theme 1: Health & Wellbeing

Students have the opportunity to learn:

  • to evaluate the extent to which their self-confidence and self-esteem are affected by the judgments of others
  • to make effective use of constructive feedback and differentiating between helpful feedback and unhelpful criticism
  • the characteristics of emotional and mental health and the causes, symptoms and treatments of some mental and emotional health disorders (including stress, anxiety and depression)
  • strategies for managing mental health including stress, anxiety, depression, self harm and suicide, and sources of help and support
  • where and how to obtain health information, advice and support (including sexual health services)
  • to take increased responsibility for monitoring their own health (including testicular and breast self-examination)
  • how lifestyle choices affect a foetus
  • about STIs, including HIV/AIDS, how to protect themselves and others from infection and how to respond if they feel they or others are at risk
  • to recognize and manage feelings about, and influences on, their body image including the media’s portrayal of idealized and artificial body shapes
  • about health risks and issues related to this, including cosmetic procedures
  • how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures
  • how to find sources of emergency help and how to give basic and emergency first aid in appropriate contexts
  • about personal safety and protection, reducing risk and minimising harm in different settings (including social settings, the street, on roads and during travel)
  • the short and long-term consequences of substance use and misuse for the health and mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals, families and communities, including the health risks related to second-hand smoke
  • understand the terms ‘habit’, ‘dependence’ and ‘addiction’ in relation to substance use and to whom to talk if they have concerns
  • the wider risks and consequences of legal and illegal substance use including on their personal safety, career, relationships and future lifestyle

Core Theme 2: Relationships

Students have the opportunity to learn:

  • strategies to manage strong emotions and feelings
  • the characteristics and benefits of positive, strong, supportive, equal relationships
  • parenting skills and qualities and their central importance to family life (including the implications of young parenthood)
  • to recognise when a relationship is unhealthy or abusive (including the unacceptability of both emotional and physical abuse or violence including rape) and strategies to manage this or get help
  • managing changes in personal relationships including the ending of relationships
  • to develop an awareness of exploitation, bullying and harassment in relationships (including the unique challenges posed by online bullying and the unacceptability of physical, emotional, sexual abuse in all types of teenage relationships, including in group settings such as gangs) and how to respond
  • about the concept of consent in relevant, age-appropriate contexts building on Key Stage 3
  • about impact of domestic abuse (including sources of help and support)
  • the impact of separation, divorce and bereavement on families and the need to adapt to changing circumstances
  • about statutory and voluntary organisations that support relationships experiencing difficulties or in crisis, such as relationship breakdown, separation, divorce, or bereavement
  • how to access such organisations and other sources of information, advice and support
  • about diversity in sexual attraction and developing sexuality, including sources of support and reassurance and how to access them
  • how to negotiate the agreement, or withholding of consent, to engage in different degrees of sexual activity
  • how to ascertain and respect others’ right to agree or withhold consent to engage in different degrees of sexual activity
  • to recognise the impact of drugs and alcohol on choices and sexual behaviour
  • to manage unwanted attention in a variety of contexts (including harassment and stalking)
  • to understand and respect others’ faith and cultural expectations concerning relationships and sexual activity
  • to assess readiness for sex
  • about accessing and the correct use of contraception, negotiating condom use, reinforcing and building on learning in Key Stage 3
  • to understand the consequences of unintended pregnancy and of teenage parenthood (in the context of learning about parenting skills and qualities and their importance to family life)
  • the reasons why parents choose to adopt or to place children for adoption
  • about abortion, including the current legal position and the range of beliefs, opinions and myths about it
  • the pathways available in the event of unintended pregnancy, the possible physical and emotional reactions and responses people may have to each option and who to talk to for accurate, impartial advice and support
  • that fertility decreases with age
  • to understand the role of sex in the media and its impact on sexuality (including pornography and related sexual ethics such as consent, negotiation, boundaries, respect, gender norms, sexual ‘norms’, trust, communication, pleasure, orgasms, rights, empowerment, sexism, feminism)
  • the role peers can play in supporting one another (including helping vulnerable friends to access reliable, accurate and appropriate support)

Core Theme 3: Living in the Wider World

Students have the opportunity to learn:

  • to evaluate their own personal strengths and areas for development and to use this to inform goal setting
  • about the unacceptability of all forms of discrimination, and the need to challenge it in the wider community including the workplace
  • to think critically about extremism and intolerance in whatever forms they take
  • to recognise the shared responsibility to protect the community from violent extremism and how to respond to anything that causes anxiety or concern
  • about harassment and how to manage this (including the workplace)
  • how their strengths, interests, skills and qualities are changing and how these relate to future employability
  • about the information, advice and guidance available to them and how to access it
  • to further develop study and employability skills (including time management, self-organisation and presentation, project planning, team-working, networking and managing online presence)
  • about the range of opportunities available to them for career progression, including in education, training and employment
  • about changing patterns of employment (local, national, European and global)
  • to take full advantage of any opportunities for work experience that are available
  • about rights and responsibilities at work (including their roles as workers, and the roles and responsibilities of employers and unions)
  • about attitudes and values in relation to work and enterprise (including terms such as ‘customer service’ and ‘protecting corporate or brand image’)
  • about confidentiality in the workplace, when it should be kept and when it might need to be broken
  • to develop their career identity, including how to maximise their chances when applying for education or employment opportunities
  • to recognise and manage the influences on their financial decisions, (including managing risk, planning for expenditure, understanding debt and gambling in all its forms)
  • to be a critical consumer of goods and services (including financial services) and recognise the wider impact of their purchasing choices
  • their consumer rights and how to seek redress

Overview

The GCSE has 2 components:

Component 1: The in-depth study of key beliefs and practices in Christianity and Islam.

Component 2: The study of four moral issues from religious perspectives:

  • Relationships and families
  • Religion and life
  • Crime and punishment
  • War and peace

Students are required to show the ability to give detailed explanations of religious beliefs, practices and attitudes and to evaluate those attitudes to form their own justified viewpoints.

Year 10: Autumn Term

Week 1–3: Christian Beliefs part 1

Week 4–8: Relationships and Families [Christianity and Hinduism]

Week 9–15: Christian Practices

Spring Term

Religion and Life [Christianity and Hinduism]

Christian Beliefs part 2

Summer Term

Week 6–7: Revision

Week 8–9: Year 10 exam plus feedback/follow-up

Week 10–13: Muslim Practices part 1

In Year 10, German and Spanish cover aspects within the following topic headings plus grammar, though in a different order according to each language:

  • Me, my family and friends
  • Home, town, neighbourhood and region
  • My studies
  • Free time
  • Healthy eating
  • Life at school
  • Customs and festivals
  • Travel and tourism
  • Education post-16

There are no internal assessments other than calendared assessment weeks, and there is no controlled assessment.

OCR Cambridge National in Sport Science (exam board: OCR)

In Year 10, sport students will complete two units of work:

Unit R041: Reducing the Risk of Sports Injuries – assessed via external exam (25% – 60 marks)

Unit R042: Applying Principles of Training – assessed via coursework (25% – 60 marks)

Two remaining units are completed in Year 11 (50%).

Autumn Term

Students will start the OCR Sport Course by starting Unit R042: Applying Principles of Training.

Students will develop their knowledge and understand of:

  • The principles of training
  • Training methods
  • Fitness tests
  • How to develop a fitness training programme

Students will develop a range of study skills in order to produce coursework for internal assessment. Students are assessed throughout the course via different methods of assessment including:

  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Factsheets
  • Practical Analysis
  • Posters
  • Leaflets
  • Role play scenarios

Spring Term

Students will complete Unit R042 in the Spring Term and will then build knowledge for an external exam in the Summer Term. The examined unit R041: Reducing the Risk of Sports Injuries includes the following topic learning outcomes:

  • Understand different factors which influence the risk of injury
  • Understand how appropriate warm up and cool down routines can help to prevent injury
  • Know how to respond to injuries within a sporting context
  • Know how to respond to common medical conditions

Summer Term

Students will complete Unit R041 and prepare for the final external exam assessment in the summer term.

External Assessment – May/June – date and assessment set by examination board.

Autumn Term

Students will develop their skill set by learning a range of new textiles techniques and processes under the title assignment of ‘Embellishment’. They will work in a small sketchbook and learn techniques such as Batik, print, transfers and many more.

Spring Term

Students will complete a final garment for their ‘Embellishment’ assignment showing off the skills they have gained in the first part of the course.

Summer Term

Students will start a second assignment entitled ‘Sea Life’ building upon already learnt skills and respond personally to the subject matter allowing for more diversity and personal style. They will study the work of other artists and designers and evaluate their own practical responses.