Welcome to Year 10
Welcome back
Year 10 involves delving further into your selected GCSE subjects with greater focus. During this year, you will encounter your mock GCSE examinations, these serve not as a source of anxiety, but as a means to track your development and identify areas for refinement. Additionally, you will participate in a week-long work placement, providing an essential perspective on professional life outside of the school environment.
Inevitably, you will meet with difficulties this year, which is a necessary part of the process. Welcome these hurdles as they encourage you to expand your horizons and establish the robust academic routines required for success. With a growth mindset, determination, and the unwavering support of your teachers and peers, you will achieve incredible things. Let’s approach this year with confidence, curiosity, and a commitment to constant self-improvement.
Ms Dheiman
Web based systems to support students at KWS
All systems selected provide the best functionality to run our processes efficiently. Each of the key systems and their uses are outlined here.
Ms Dheiman’s Expectations
All students should be Ready, Respectful and Responsible. These 3Rs guide our students on how to conduct themselves in their learning and how to interact with students and staff.
Our school values of Knowledge, Wellbeing and Success are key to the character development of our students and how they can achieve personally and academically.
Important date for your diary
We are running an ‘Introduction to Year 10 parents only evening’ on Tuesday 15th September 2026, from 6-8pm. This will give parents/carers the opportunity to hear more about the Maths, English, Science and PRE GCSEs that all our students will take, and how they can support you to achieve your best.
Tutor Team
| 10Al | Mr Wallace |
| 10Ar | Mrs Morris Mrs Caplin |
| 10Fr | Mrs Hyder |
| 10Ke | Ms Mountford |
| 10Ni | Mr Hall |
| 10Te | Mrs Saleem-Carrington |
Year Group Team
| Ms Dheiman | Head of Year 10 |
| Mr Offeh | Student Support Officer |
| Mr Ellershaw | Head of KS4 |
| Mr Livesey Jones | SLT Link Y10 |
To find out more about the Year 10 Pastoral Team please see our Staff Profiles here.
Curriculum in Year 10
The curriculum year 10 (and 11) students follow is outlined in the diagram to the right. The curriculum in Years 10 and 11 is similar to that of Year 9, but with two key changes:
- The Carousel lesson is replaced by a further science lesson, to allow all three sciences to be covered by all – whether studying for a double or triple science award at GCSE.
- Students commence the GCSE content of their finalised options in Year 10, studying it across the two years of Year 10 and 11.
Details of the curriculum studied in each subject in Year 10 can be found on the Curriculum Pages of the website here. As a reminder, the details on programmes of study and exam specifications for options can be found here.
If you would like more detail, please do ask your child to show you the student site and/or google classroom for each of their subjects – this provides access to each lesson and associated resources along with knowledge organisers (KOs) for topics studied.
Careers Education in Year 10
Students will have one form time per week dedicated to the ‘World of Work’, as well as undertaking a PSHCE unit, further developing their knowledge of careers through Unifrog. In June, all Year 10 students will take part in work experience for one week. Students will also have opportunities to meet with visitors from industry and participate in careers trips, should they wish to. During P7, students will have the opportunity to learn skills required for their lives beyond KWS. This may include CV writing and interview skills. All students in Year 10 will have at least one meaningful encounter with an apprenticeship/technical qualification provider.
Home Learning in Year 10
As students move into Year 10, home learning takes on even greater importance in preparation for the GCSE exams. Expectations are slightly different at this stage and are outlined here. Regular and focused home learning is essential to consolidating classroom knowledge and developing the independent study habits needed for exam success. In addition to set homework, each subject’s curriculum page offers a range of enrichment tasks – we strongly encourage you to support your child in exploring these opportunities to deepen their understanding and extend their learning beyond the classroom.
Super Curriculum in Year 10
Period 7 changes for students as they enter Year 10. One session a week remains Independent Study but we introduce a new module once a week called ‘Careers, Community and Study Skills’ – this will focus on really developing their ability to study independently, increasing their awareness of community and various aspects of careers as outlined above. Twice a week students have the opportunity to take part in electives – with many of their favourites from years 7 to 9 repeated alongside some interesting new opportunities and the chance to lead activities for younger students.
As in other years students have the opportunity to select Period 7 and clubs three times a year, in September, December and March. Choices will be sent home for review and discussion a few days prior to choices being made in form time, guided by their tutor. Period 7 is still organised into three blocks across the year, and includes body options and various performing arts groups. Students will continue to be provided with a large range of other opportunities across the year, such as those outlined here
Students who completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award in Year 9 are invited to progress to Silver in Year 10. Students who did not take part in DofE in Year 9 are also most welcome to start the Bronze award in Year 10.
Dates to note for Year 10
All our key events are on the school calendar which can be viewed here and should be reviewed in detail.
Some to note for Year 10:
- Parents Evening (subjects) is scheduled for Wednesday 9th June 2027
- Reports will be issued in January and May
- Mock Exams take place in the fortnight starting Monday 12th April
- Work Experience is for the week commencing 14th June
- Activities week will run (inc. some trips and sports day) from 30th June to 2nd July
- There are subject specific events and trips that can be seen on the calendar (including Geography field trip, Spanish trip, Theatre trips etc.).
- DofE dates if applicable can be found on the school calendar for all practice and expedition dates
Your first port of call in school is your child’s form tutor, please do get in touch with them via email if you have any questions or concerns. Please be aware of agreed protocols for such communications here.
