Starting GCSEs in Year 10: what changes

Most GCSE courses run over two years, Year 10 and Year 11, with the main exams in May and June of Year 11. Everything taught from the first week of Year 10 can come up in those exams.

What changes

• More content, faster. Topics move quickly and build on each other.
• Exam questions, not just exercises. Students need to apply what they know to unfamiliar questions.
• Mocks. Most schools hold mock exams in Year 10 and again in Year 11. These often guide the tier a student is entered for.

Five habits for a strong start

1. Review each week. Twenty minutes a week going back over old topics beats a big cram in Year 11.
2. Fill gaps from Years 7 to 9. Weak algebra, fractions or basic chemistry make everything harder later.
3. Keep clear notes with worked examples.
4. Practise exam questions early, and mark them with the mark scheme.
5. Look after sleep and balance. Steady work over two years is better than pressure at the end.

If your child is in Years 7 to 9, now is the best time to build the foundations that make GCSE easier.