Step Up to GCSE
As a GCSE student at Smithdon High School, your Key Stage 4 curriculum will begin in Year 10 and build on the prior foundations of a Knowledge Rich Curriculum begun in Key Stage 3.
Year 10 will end with a series of examinations to check where you are in relation to your academic potential. This is the first of three series of examinations that take place to inform and guide you leading up to your final GCSE exams. The feedback from each of these will allow your subject teachers to personalise your Year 11 curriculum. This means we will be able to use tutor time better to meet the needs of each and every one of you in preparation for your final GCSE examinations.
Included below are a range of resources that will support your revision during Years 10 and 11.
Timeline for years 10 and 11
This includes key dates for health checks, examination, reports and parents’ evenings. Please be aware that this document is subject to change.
Year 10
|
Term |
Date |
What is going on? |
|
Spring Term |
6 January 2027 7 January 2027 18 March 2027 w/c 15 March 2027 |
Year 10 Reports to parents Year 10 Rewards Assembly Year 10 Rewards Assembly Year 10 PPE exams |
|
Summer Term |
6 May 2027 14 May 2027 20 May 2027 16 June 2027 w/c 21 June 2027 28 June 2027 8 July 2027 w/c 12 July 2027 |
GCSE Geography Field Trip 1 Year 10 Reports to parents Year 10 Parents evening GCSE Geography Field Trip 2 Year 10 mock MFL oral exams Yr10 Intervention Evening (SLT) Year 10 Awards Assembly Work Experience |
Year 11
|
Term |
Date |
What is going on? |
|
Autumn Term |
4 September 2026 17 September 2026 w/c 28 September 2026 13 November 2026
|
Return to school for the Yr 11 induction day Yr11 Revision/Applications and Tutor evening Year 11 Pre-Public Exams (PPEs) Year 11 Progress Reports and Feedback Forms to Parents |
|
Spring Term |
8 January 2027 14 January 2027 w/c 18 January 2027 w/c 25 January 2027 13 March 2027
22 March 2027 25 March 2027 |
Rewards Assembly Year 11 Parents’ Evening Yr11 MFL mock orals Year 11 Pre-Public Exams PPEs
Rewards Assembly Yr11 Intervention Evening (SLT) Year 11 Evening Reward Trip |
|
Summer Term |
w/c 19 April 2027 4 May and 5 May 2027 10 May to 23 June 2027 21 June 2027 24 June 2027 19 August 2027 |
MFL Oral exams GCSE Art Exam GCSE Written Exam dates Celebration Morning Prom GCSE Results Day |
Subject Information
Please click here to view
50 Facts Booklet
The 50-fact booklet will support those preparing for their exams in 2026-2028. Each subject page includes the core knowledge that pupils need to know in order to be successful. Please click here to view for 2026-2028 (Core Subjects) and please click here to view for 2026-2028 (Optional Subjects).
Please click here to view for 2026-2028 (Core Subjects)
Please click here to view for 2026-2028 (Optional Subjects)
The Learning Scientist
All of these strategies have supporting evidence from cognitive psychology. For each strategy, we explain how to do it, some points to consider, and where to find more information.
- Spaced Practice
- Retrieval Practice
- Elaboration
- Interleaving
- Concrete Examples
- Dual Coding
Please find user guides below for each of these strategies.
Year 11 Booster Sessions
Please click on the link below:
Additional Information
Please click on the links below to view:
Slides from the Step up to GCSE Evening 2025 - Thursday 16 October
Slides from the Year 11 Tutor Evening Presentation - 11 September 2025