Year 10
Many international pupils join us each September, bringing with them a wide range of experiences, languages, and educational backgrounds. This document brings together helpful information to support incoming families and pupils as they prepare for a smooth and confident start.
You may notice that some subjects include more detail than others; this reflects the nature of each subject and is intended to ensure the information provided is clear, relevant, and useful.
We hope that sharing this guidance will help pupils feel comfortable, supported, and ready to make the most of their first few months with us.
| Subject | Exam Board |
Related Topics (Years 7-9) |
Related vocabulary (Years 7-9) |
Subjects Introduced (Year 9) |
Topics covered (First Term) |
Key Vocab (First Term) |
Key contextual knowledge | Other resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient History | OCR | Persia – Cyrus the Great | Word list Key topics vocab Topic word list (Persia) |
N/A | Persian Empire Emperors Cyrus the Great Cambyses II Darius I Xerxes I |
GCSE word list | N/A | Year 9, 10 & 11 Wakelet |
| Art | OCR (Fine Art) | General overview of History of Art 45,000 BCE to 2026 | Glossary | N/A | Unit (01) personal investigation & Autumn rotation of techniques | Printmaking 3D Art Movements Fine Art |
N/A | Art GCSE Wakelet |
| Biology | Edexcel | N/A | N/A | The nature and variety of living organisms Cell structure Biological molecules Movement in/out of cells Human nutrition |
Plant nutrition Plant gas exchange Plant Transport Food production Human gas exchange |
Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 |
N/A | N/A |
| Chemistry | Edexcel | N/A | N/A | States of Matter, Particle Theory, ECM & Separating Techniques Atomic Structure & Periodic Table Ionic Bonding, Structure & Properties Covalent Bonding, Structure & Properties Metallic Bonding, Structure, Properties & Reactivity Series Formulae & Equations Periodic Table Groups 1 & 7 |
Crude Oil & Hydrocarbons Acids, Bases & Salts Quantitative Chemistry Chemical Testing Gases in the atmosphere Rates of Reaction |
Glossary | N/A | N/A |
| Computer Science | N/A | Digital Literacy Programming Computer Systems | Glossary | N/A | Topic 4 – Networking Topic 1 & 6 – Programming |
Glossary | N/A | GCSE & Alevel – Wakelet |
| Drama | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| DT | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| English Language & Literature | N/A | Language including descriptive writing, similes / metaphors Analytical writing skills – PEA/PETAL paragraphs Non-fiction text development Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, the Tempest, Much Ado about Nothing |
Literary Glossary Petal Paragraph Shakespeare’s Language Glosary |
The first 4 texts of the English Language non-fiction anthology | Creative Writing (Language coursework) Modern Drama (coursework) |
Literary Glossary | WW2 including the Kindertransport Early 20th America – the Great Depression Early Modern/Elizabethan Theatre |
Sparknotes Cliff Notes York NotesUseful for literary texts, especially when multiple are read. |
| French | Edexcel (International GCSE) | N/A | Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 |
N/A | Family, friends and festivals, Town and region | N/A | N/A | Languages Online |
| Geography | AQA | Year 7 – Coasts Year 9 – Resource Management The Living World (Rainforest and Deserts) |
Coasts | AQA GCSE – The Living World topic, including study of local/global ecosystems, tropical rainforests and hot deserts | Natural Hazards | Natural Hazards | UK Geography -basic knowledge on the physical geography (coastlines/cities e.g. the location of London / Cambridge) | Internet Geography ( useful source for revising GCSE topics of The Living World and Natural Hazards). Year 9 – 11 Wakelet |
| German | N/A | School Free time Holidays and past tense Food and meals Life at home |
Year 8 School Year 8 Free time Year 9 holidays and past tense Year 9 food and meals Year 9 Life at home |
N/A | School Free time and the Media |
School Free time and the Media |
Present tense Adjectival agreements (accusative case) Past tense Future tense Subordinating conjunctions |
Year 10 and 11 Wakelet Languages Online |
| History | AQA | 20th Century British History | L6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 |
N/A | Russia 1905 March 1917 Provisional Government November 1917 Lenin Civil War War economy Stalin’s rise to power Stalinist USSR |
Year 10 | N/A | Wakelet |
| Maths | Edexcel (IGCSE) | Consolidation of key algebra skills, sequences, prime factorisation, fractions, percentage, ratio, trigonometry, volume and surface area, straight line graphs, set theory | Year 9 and 10 Glossary | Consolidation of key algebra skills, sequences, prime factorisation, fractions, percentage, ratio, trigonometry, volume and surface area, straight line graphs, set theory | Algebra consolidation, simultaneous equations, Set theory, probability | Year 10 Glossary | N/A | N/A |
| Further Maths | AQA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Music | Edexcel | Elements of music (rhythm, melody, bass lines); instruments of the orchestra; ground bass; world music; music for TV and film | Music Glossary | N/A | Music theory Area of Study 1 set works: 1. Bach Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 in D major, 3rd movement 2. Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 8 in C Minor ‘Pathetique’, 1st movement | Year 10 Topic terms Key Words |
N/A | Music At The Leys GCSE Music – Edexcel – BBC Bitesize |
| Sport Science | OCR | N/A | N/A | N/A | Skeletal system Muscular system Cardiovascular system Respiratory system Components of fitness | Glossary | N/A | GCSE Physical Education – OCR – BBC Bitesize Revision Cards |
| Physics | Edexcel | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Spanish | Edexcel | N/A | Vocabulary Booklet | N/A | Describe your house Activities you do around your house School Life and routine School rules, pressures and school trips Present tense Preterite tense Immediate future |
Glossary | N/A | N/A |
| Divinity | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |