In year 10 students have 30 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.
Year 10 students on the red pathway study English, maths, science, physical education, personal development, French and either history or geography, they also choose to pursue two further subjects.
Students on the blue pathway study the same core subjects as above with the exception of French, students therefore have three additional subjects to choose.
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
Students study a combination of the options below, depending on the pathway they have chosen.
English
Autumn term 1
Literature Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th Century novel: Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet
- Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop a personal response, use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations
- Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology
- Show understanding of the relationships between texts and contexts in which they were written
- Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation
Autumn term 2
Literature Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th Century novel: Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol
- Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop a personal response, use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations
- Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology
- Show understanding of the relationships between texts and contexts in which they were written
Spring term 1
Language paper one explorations in creative reading and writing: section B – writing
- Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences
- Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts
- Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation
Spring term 2
Language paper one explorations in creative reading and writing: section A – reading
- Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas
- Explain, comment on and analyse how writers’ use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views
- Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references
Summer term 1/2
Literature paper two modern texts and poetry: J. B. Priestley – An Inspector Calls
- Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop a personal response, use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations
- Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology
- Show understanding of the relationships between texts and contexts in which they were written
- Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation
Spoken Language endorsement
- Be audible
- Use Spoken Standard English
- Be intelligible
- Use language appropriate to the formal setting of the presentation
- Express ideas
- Organised and structured speech
- Meet the needs of the audience
- Listen and respond to questions
French
Autumn Term
Theme: identity and culture
Technology in everyday life
- Talk about the uses of social media
- Discuss pros and cons of social media
- Discuss the uses of mobile technology
- Discuss the benefits and dangers of mobile technology
Free time activities
- Describe free time activities in general
- Talk about your free times in the past
- Talk about sports you do and discuss extreme sports
- Talk about food and drink (world food and eating habits)
Spring Term
Theme: identity and culture and local, national, international and global areas of interest
Customs and festivals
- Talk about how you celebrate festivals
- Discuss what tradition means to you
- Describe international festivals
- Describe an event (celebration) in detail (past / present and future)
Home, town neighbourhood and region
- Describe your home
- Describe your ideal home
- Talk about your town – what it’s like and what there is to do
- Describe your region
Summer Term
Theme: local, national, international and global areas of interest
Charity and voluntary work
- Describing charity work
- Understanding the importance of charities
- Heathy eating – comparing old and new
- Describing health resolutions
Environment and poverty
- Discuss environmental problems and actions
- Discuss social issues
- Discuss inequalities
Geography
Autumn term
• Living world; deserts and rainforest
• Urban world; Birmingham and Rio de Janeiro
Spring term
• Rivers
• Managing resources
Summer term
• Fieldwork – Birmingham and Peak District
History
Autumn and half term 1 of the spring term
- Medicine Through Time [thematic study] – looking at beliefs in causes, treatments, prevention, and medical care.
- Medieval medicine
- Renaissance medicine
- The Industrial Age
- The Modern Age
- The British sector of the Western Front – WW1 and the impact on medicine- a case study looking at how the demands of war and conditions in the trenches lead to developments in medicine
Half term 2 of the spring term and half term 1 of the summer term
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England [British depth study] – examines Anglo-Saxon England focusing on how society was structured and how government operated. The unit then moves to look at the impact of the Norman invasion and the social, political, cultural, and economic changes that resulted.
- Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest
- How William I secured England
- Norman England
Half term 2 of the summer term
American West [period study] – Students look at how the United States of America was formed between 1835-1895. Thinking in particular about migration and settlement, removal and destruction of the Native American people, and development of transportation and industry.
- Early settlement of the Plains
- Development of the Plains
- Conflict and conquest
Maths
Autumn term
Geometry and Transformations
- Pythagoras
- Trigonometry
- Transformations
- Congruence and similarity
- Probability
- Tree diagrams
- Frequency trees
- Venn diagrams
Spring term
Number and measures
- Percentages
- Sequences
- Proof
- Area and perimeter
- Volume and surface area
- Sectors
Summer term
Statistics and number
- Statistics revision
- Recap algebra
- Cumulative frequency
- Lower and upper bounds
- Vectors
- Circle theorems
- FDP
- Recurring decimals
Personal development
Autumn term
Work experience/law and order
- How to write a CV
- Choosing a work experience placement
- Writing a speculative letter
- Happiness and positivity
- Managing grief and bereavement
- Social anxiety
- Terrorism
- Overt and covert racism
Spring term
Living responsibly/law abiding citizen
- Managing time
- Living sustainably
- Homelessness
- How the criminal justice system works
- Antisocial behaviour
- County lines
- Money laundering
- Hate crime
Summer term
Peace and justice (see RE curriculum)/getting on
- Relationships and role models
- Same sex relationships
- Gender and trans identity
- Parenting
- Work experience preparation
- Health and safety in the work place
- Work experience review
Physical education
| Girls | Boys |
| Trampolining | Football |
| Table tennis | Rugby |
| Dance | Handball |
| Handball | Boxercise |
| Boxercise | Trampolining |
| Netball | Table tennis |
| Rounders | Rounders |
| Athletics | Athletics |
| Fitness | Fitness |
Science (combined)
Autumn term
- Cell biology
- Infection and response
- Atomic structure and the Periodic Table
- Energy
Spring term
- Bioenergetics
- Structure and bonding
- Chemical calculations and changes
- Electricity
Summer term
- Organisation
- Electrolysis and energy changes
- Matter and radiation
- Forces in balance
Optional subjects
Additionally students choose to study two/three of the subjects listed below.
Art
Autumn term
Fundamental elements and ‘expression’
- Fundamental elements
- Introduction to first topic ‘expression’
- Drawings and 3D responses
Spring term
Beautiful decay
- Drawing
- Painting techniques
- Development skill
- Material exploration
- Final outcomes
- Analysis
Summer term
Mini mock
- Students will be given various starting points to develop a personal response
- Exploring appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
Business and enterprise
Autumn term
• Entrepreneurial characteristics and business aims and objectives
• Legal structures, organisational structures and stakeholder engagement
Spring term
• The marketing mix, market research, market types and orientation types
Summer term
• Internal and external influences on business
Child development and care
Autumn term
- Introduction and key terms
- Physical development
- Language development
- Intellectual development
- Social and emotional development
- Observations
- Factors affecting development
- Activities to promote independence
- Daily routines – care needs
- Safeguarding
- Health and well being
- Transitions
Spring term
- Child care settings and sectors
- Preparing for placement
- Responsibilities of care workers
- Meeting the individual needs of children
- Diversity and inclusion
- Learning styles
- Study skills
- Coursework 1
Summer term
- Coursework 1 child development 0-5
- Exam preparation
Visit our child development and care page for more information
Computer science
Autumn term
• System security
• Further programming techniques
• Computational logic
Spring term
• System software
• Translators and facilities of language
• Legalities associated with technology
Summer term
• Ethical, cultural and environmental issues linked to technology
• Data representation
Creative i-Media
Autumn term
• Types of digital graphic
• Uses of digital graphics
• File types
• Compression
Spring term
• Mind maps
• Visualisation diagrams
• Mood boards
• Work plans
• Storyboards
Summer term
• Sourcing assets
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Image manipulation
• Photo editing
• Reviewing a media product
Dance
Dance skills
Assessment type: internal assignment marked by your teacher.
This unit is about developing your versatility as a dancer as well as having the opportunity to explore different dance styles and present them to an audience.
Learning aims
In this unit you will:
-
- explore and develop your dance skills and review your own practice
- use your dance skills within rehearsal and performance
Drama
Autumn term
WW1 devising baseline/practitioner workshops
Spring term
Mock/component 1: exploring the performing arts
Summer term
Component 1: exploring the performing arts
Film studies
Autumn term
Introduction to key elements
- Cinematography
- Editing
- Sound
- Mise-en-scene
- Genre
Spring term
NEA screenwriting preparation/planning
- Narrative techniques
- Screenwriting structure
- Screenplay study/comparison
- Horror film openings
Summer term
NEA screenwriting drafting
- Computer room-based lessons
- 800-1000 word horror film opening
- One-page shooting script
- 750 word evaluative analysis
French
Autumn Term
Theme: identity and culture
Technology in everyday life
- Talk about the uses of social media
- Discuss pros and cons of social media
- Discuss the uses of mobile technology
- Discuss the benefits and dangers of mobile technology
Free time activities
- Describe free time activities in general
- Talk about your free times in the past
- Talk about sports you do and discuss extreme sports
- Talk about food and drink (world food and eating habits)
Spring Term
Theme: identity and culture and local, national, international and global areas of interest
Customs and festivals
- Talk about how you celebrate festivals
- Discuss what tradition means to you
- Describe international festivals
- Describe an event (celebration) in detail (past / present and future)
Home, town neighbourhood and region
- Describe your home
- Describe your ideal home
- Talk about your town – what it’s like and what there is to do
- Describe your region
Summer Term
Theme: local, national, international and global areas of interest
Charity and voluntary work
- Describing charity work
- Understanding the importance of charities
- Heathy eating – comparing old and new
- Describing health resolutions
Environment and poverty
- Discuss environmental problems and actions
- Discuss social issues
- Discuss inequalities
Graphic communication
Autumn term
- Introduction to graphic communication
- Typography
- Key terminology
- Influential designers from around the world
- Illustration
Spring term
- Client brief response – key elements to be explored
- Colour
- Composition
- Shape
- Pattern
- Scale
- Stylisation
- Digital drawing
- Typography
- Illustration
Summer term
- Introduction to sustained phase
- Students will be given three suggested starting points:
- Food wastage
- Charity campaigns
- Teenage health issues
- Book design
- Greetings cards
- CD, vinyl or album covers
- Shop graphics
- Packaging for a range of mobile phones
Hospitality and catering
Autumn term
- Weighing and measuring
- Chopping techniques
- Peeling/whisking
- Rub-in techniques
- Sensory perception of food
- Cooking/baking techniques
Spring term
- Focus on food groups and ingredients such as meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, cereals and dairy products
- Investigating specific cooking and baking techniques.
Summer term
- Investigating storage and presentation of food. Looking at specific techniques used in the industry such as hot holding, portion control and garnish
Visit our hospitality and catering page for more information
Music
Autumn term
BTEC unit 2 –Managing a music product
GCSE- Music theory basics and compositional developments
Spring term
BTEC unit 2- Managing a music product continued
BTEC unit 4-Introdudtion to composition
GCSE- Purcell analysis developments, Beethoven Analysis Developments and composition 1 completion
Summer term
BTEC unit 4 Introduction to composition
BTEC unit 1-The Music Industry Exam
GCSE- Purcell Analysis, Queen analysis
Performance development
PE BTEC
Component 1: preparing participants to take part in sport and physical activity
Component 2: taking part and improving other participants sporting performance
Component 3: developing fitness to improve other participants performance in sport and physical activity
Photography
Autumn term
Skills
- Aperture
- Force Perspective
- Angles
- Framing
- Rule of thirds
- Editing – spot colour, contrast, filters.
- Multiplicity
- Blending
- Slow shutter speed
- Fast shutter speed
Spring term
Colour photography/ Independent topic
Students will start their first independent topic based on ‘Colour’, this will enable them to develop an understanding of how a coursework project is put together and build upon the skills learnt in term one with a bit more freedom to experiment. This will run during the first half of the term, the second half students will receive a series of starting points to develop out.
- Researching photographers
- Analysis of work
- Planning of photo-shoots
- Independent development of ideas
- Photo-shoot exploration and creativity.
- Editing experimentation.
Summer term
Mini mock
- Students will be given various starting points to develop a personal response
- Exploring appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
Product design
Autumn term
- Introduction to the course
- Key skills and elements needed in the industry
- Technical drawing introduction
- Wood
- Tool box project
- Candle stick project
Spring term
- Speaker project
- Functionality
- Aesthetics
- Environmental factors
- Availability
- Cost
Summer term
- Chair project
Religious education
Peace and justice
- Should Christians forgive?
- How do Christians justify war?
- Do people who do wrong ever get justice?
- Why do we punish people who do wrong?
- Why should Christians stand up for those who are oppressed?
- How influential are Christian values on our prison system?
Science (separate)
Autumn term
- Biology: cell biology
- Chemistry: atomic structure and the Periodic Table; structure and bonding
- Physics: energy
Spring term
- Biology: infection and response
- Chemistry: chemical calculations and changes
- Physics: electricity
Summer term
- Biology: bioenergetics; organisation
- Chemistry: electrolysis and energy changes
- Physics: matter and radiation; forces in balance and pressure
Statistics
Autumn term
Collection of data
- Types of data
- Sampling
- Collecting data
Spring term
Processing and representing data
- Tables/charts and diagrams
- Distributions of data
Summer term
Summarising data
- Averages
- Discrete/grouped data
- Standard deviation
- Comparison of data
