Year 10: age, curriculum and assessments
Year 10 is the first year of Key Stage 4, when most GCSE courses begin.
The answer
Children in Year 10 are 14 or 15 years old. Year 10 is in Key Stage 4, and every child turns 15 during the year.
Year 10 at a glance
Year 10 is the first year of Key Stage 4. Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11, ages 14 to 16. Most GCSE courses run over two years, with the exams at the end of Year 11, so Year 10 is when most of the content is taught. Many schools also hold mocks in the summer and a week of work experience.
- Age
- 14 to 15
- Key stage
- Key Stage 4
- Where
- Secondary school
- National assessments
- None
What children learn in Year 10
Taken from the Key Stage 4 programmes of study and the GCSE subject content for mathematics and English.
GCSE content is set for the whole course, so schools spread it across Years 10 and 11 in their own order. How the key stages fit together
Maths in Year 10
- GCSE maths content in number, algebra, ratio, geometry, probability and statistics, at foundation tier (grades 1 to 5) or higher tier (grades 4 to 9).
- Practice with and without a calculator, because GCSE maths has both kinds of paper.
English in Year 10
- The English literature set texts: at least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, poetry since 1789 including Romantic poetry, and fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards.
- Many schools run the spoken language presentation in Year 10. It is reported separately from the English language grade.
Tests and assessments in Year 10
- End of Year 10 mock exams
- Usually in the summer term
- Set by the school, often the first time pupils sit GCSE-style papers in an exam hall.
There are no national exams in Year 10. Some subjects include coursework or practical work that starts now, and many schools arrange a week of work experience.
Is your child in Year 10?
Enter a date of birth to check which year group a child is in today, for this school year.
A school year finder loads here in your browser: enter a date of birth to see the year group.
How to help at home in Year 10
- Help your child start a revision routine now: short, regular recall beats cramming in Year 11.
- Ask for the list of set texts and the exam board for each subject, so you both know what is coming.
- Help find a work experience placement early if the school asks families to arrange their own.
- Keep an eye on the workload across subjects, and talk to the school early if it feels too much.
Other year groups
Questions parents ask
What age is Year 10?
Children in Year 10 are 14 or 15 years old. Children in the same year group are born between 1 September in one year and 31 August the next, so each child turns 15 at some point during Year 10.
What key stage is Year 10?
Year 10 is the first year of Key Stage 4. Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11, ages 14 to 16.
Are GCSE exams taken in Year 10?
For most subjects, no. GCSE courses usually run through Years 10 and 11, with the exams in May and June of Year 11.
What are GCSE maths tiers?
Foundation tier covers grades 1 to 5 and higher tier covers grades 4 to 9. Teachers decide which tier suits each pupil, usually during Year 11.
GCSEs underway, and a younger child in primary?
Our free diagnostic helps with the stage before: for Years 4 to 6 it checks maths, English and reasoning and points to what to practise. No card is required.