In year 10 students have 25 lessons a week, these are allotted as follows:
Number of lessons per subject
Below is a general overview of the topics students are taught throughout the year in each subject.
For a more in depth outline of each subject please click on the link for the subject page.
If you would like to speak to us about any aspect of our curriculum please get in touch.
Core subjects
Combined science
Biology
- Cell structure and transport
- Cell division
- Organisation and the digestive system
- Organising animals and plants
- Photosynthesis and respiration
- Ecosystems and biodiversity
Chemistry
- Atomic structure
- Periodic table
- Bonding
- Chemical calculations
- Earths atmosphere and resources
- Chemical changes and energy changes
Physics
- Energy
- Electricity
- Particle model
- Atomic structure
English language and literature
Maths
- Number – core/depth/stretch
- Algebra – core/depth/stretch
- Geometry – core/depth/stretch
- Statistics and probability – core/depth/stretch
- Ratio and proportion – core/depth/stretch
Assessment
In year 10 and 11 students are assessed by completing 1 GCSE paper per half term. Year 10 students also take mock examinations at the end of year 10.
Personal development
- Mental health
Mental health and ill health, stigma, safeguarding health, including during periods of transition or change
- Financial decision making
The impact of financial decisions, debt, gambling and the impact of advertising on financial choices
- Healthy relationships
Relationships and sex expectations, pleasure and challenges, including the impact of the media and pornography
- Exploring influence
The influence and impact of drugs, gangs, role models and the media
- Work experience
Preparation for and evaluation of work experience and readiness for work
- Addressing extremism and radicalisation
Communities, belonging and challenging extremism
Physical education
Roles and responsibilities for successful sports leadership, planning and leading sports activities, evaluating leadership skills, practical performance, analysing sports performance, knowledge and understanding of rules and regulations in sport.
Skeletal system, muscular system, muscle fibre types, antagonistic muscle pairs, types of muscle, effects of exercise on the muscles.
Cardiovascular system, vessels, heart, blood, effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system including functions of the CV system.
Respiratory system, components of the lungs, mechanics of breathing, effects of exercise on the respiratory system, gaseous exchange.
Physical training including; components of fitness, training methods, evaluating performance and fitness, training programmes, karvonens principle, sports injuries, long-term adaptations to training, drugs in sport.
Optional subjects
Art and design
OCR GCSE art and design
Term 1 – skills development/coursework taster projects: junk food/horror portraits/natural form
Term 2 and 3 – select a theme for unit 1 coursework and begin a portfolio of work. The portfolio must show evidence of four assessment objectives:
AO1 – investigations into the work of artists, taking inspiration to develop ideas in individual work
AO2 – experimentation with a wide variety of materials and techniques, evaluating own work as it progresses
AO3 – drawings from observations, showing originality of ideas using relevant materials
AO2 – experimentation with a wide variety of materials and techniques, evaluating own work as it progresses
AO4 – produce a final piece of work which links the above objectives together and also refers to the work of other artists
Business
Autumn
- Enterprise and entrepreneurship
- Spotting a business opportunity
Spring
- Putting a business idea into practice
- Making the business effective
Summer
- Understanding external influences on business
- Growing the business
Computer science
- Systems architecture
- Memory and storage
- Computer networks, connections and protocols
- Network security
- Systems software
- Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of technology
Design and technology
- Technical illustration techniques
- Mechanical devices
- Materials and their working properties
- Developments in new materials
- New and emerging technologies
- Energy generation and storage
- System approach to designing
Drama
- Demonstrate knowledge and application of a range of skills to enhance theatrical performances
- Perform using a range of vocal and physical performing skills
- Be able to evaluate their own and others work
- Use a broad range of vocabulary and spoken English
- Create and develop ideas to communicate meaning for theatrical performance through drama conventions
Engineering
- Analytical awareness of global implications of engineering
- Comprehensive knowledge of materials and their properties
- Broad knowledge of manufacturing engineering processes and applications
- Understand and independent use of specialist tools and equipment
- Understand and produce detailed technical drawings by hand and on CAD
- Demonstrate a comprehensive ability to use research and analysis to inform engineering decisions and the design process
Geography
- The challenge of natural hazards
- Changing economic world
- UK landscapes
- Resource management
History
Democracy and dictatorship in Germany, 1890-1945
- Kaiser Wilhelm II and the difficulties of ruling Germany
- The impact of the First World War
- The Stresemann Era
- The impact of the Great Depression
- The failure of Weimar Democracy
- The establishment of Hitler’s dictatorship
- Economic policy in Nazi Germany
- Social policy in Nazi Germany
- Control in Nazi Germany
Conflict and tension between East and West, 1945-1972
- The end of the Second World War
- The Iron Curtain and the evolution of east-west rivalry
- The significance of events in Asia for superpower relations
- Military rivalries
- The ‘Thaw’ of the 1950s
- Berlin Wall
- Tensions over Cuba
- Czechoslovakia
- The development of Détente
Britain: health and the people, 1000AD – present day
- Medieval health and medicine
- The influence and importance of Christianity
- Islamic health and medicine
- Surgery
- Public health in medieval towns and monasteries
- The Black Death
- Early Modern/Renaissance health and medicine
- The work of Vesalius, Harvey and Pare and their impact in Britain
- The Great Plague
- The development of hospitals
- The work of Hunter
- The work of Jenner
- Industrial medicine and health (19th century)
- Anaesthetics
- Pasteur and Germ Theory
- Lister and development of antiseptics
- Koch and Ehrlich
- Development of vaccination
- Public health in the 19th century
Hospitality and catering
Terms 1 and 2
Skills development in food preparation, quality control and food presentation, introduction to Unit 1. The hospitality and catering industry
Term 3
Introduction to Unit 2. Hospitality and catering in action. Focus on building knowledge and skills resulting in the completion of a mock controlled assessment project.
Visit our hospitality and catering page for more information
Media studies
• exploring media language and representation, media industries and audiences; and
• understanding media forms and products in relation to television and music (music videos and online media).
Modern foreign languages
French
Home town/region: De la ville à la campagne
- Home
- Area
- Environment
- Social issues
- Charity work
- Future plans
- Tourism
- Holidays and travel
Holidays : Le grand large…
- Free time
- Holidays and travel
- Tourism
- Food and drink
School: Au collège
- School
- Social issues
Visit our French page for more information
German
My home/region: Wilkommen bei mir !
- Home
- Area
- Life online
- Sports
- Food and drink
- Free time
- Daily life
Travel: Ich liebe Wien
- Free time
- Holidays and travel
- Tourism
- Food and drink
- Area
Holidays : Im Urlaub und zu Hause
- Home
- Area
- Free time
- Holidays and travel
- Environment
- Tourism
Music
- Develop their understanding of the language of music
- Understand cultural influences of music
- Enhance their performance skills on a range of instruments
Photography
- Practical skills/taking photographs
- Process
- Visual language and communication
Religious studies
Retail business
Sport studies
Triple science
Biology
- Cell structure and transport
- Cell division
- Organisation and the digestive system
- Organising animals and plants
- Photosynthesis and respiration
- Ecosystems and biodiversity
Chemistry
- Atomic structure
- Periodic table
- Bonding
- Chemical calculations
- Earths atmosphere and resources
- Crude oil and fuels
- Chemical changes and energy changes
Physics
- Energy
- Electricity
- Particle model
- Atomic structure
