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 the final year
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? |
Autumn Term |
8 September 2021 15 September 2021 13 October 2021 14 December 2021 |
Year 10 students return and begin first year of GCSE Step Up to GCSE information evening GCSE Geography Coastal Field Trip (TBC) Year 10 Rewards Assembly |
Spring Term |
W/C 2 January 2022 27 January 2022 28 February 2022 2 March 2022 |
Year 10 Assessments Sets 1 and 2 GCSE Science live Year 10 Reports to parents Year 10 Parents evening |
Summer Term |
5 May 2022 W/C 13 June 2022 29 June 2022 8 July 2022 W/C 11 July 2022 12 July 2022 W/C 18 July 2022 |
Year 10/11 Drama Theatre Trip Norwich Year 10 PPE exams
Year 10 Awards Assembly Work Experience (TBC) Year 10 Reports to parents Year 10 DofE Silver Expedition |
Year 11
Term |
Date |
What is going on? |
Autumn Term |
16 September 2021 W/C 27 September 2021 W/C 1 November 2021 2 November 2021 W/C 13 December 2021 13 December 2021 |
Step Up to GCSE Information Evening. Health Checks Year 11 PPEs
Health Checks Rewards Assembly |
Spring Term |
13 January 2022 W/C 31 January 2022 14 March 2022 17 March 2022 W/C 21 March 2022 1 April 2022 |
Year 11 Parents’ Evening Year 11 PPEs
Year 11 Parents’ Evening Health Checks Year 11 Reward Trip |
Summer Term |
5 May 2022 TBC TBC TBC |
Yr10&11 Drama Theatre Trip - Norwich GCSE Exam dates Prom GCSE Results Day |
Subject Information
Please click here to view
50 Facts Booklet
The 50-fact booklet below will support your preparation for these exams. Each subject page includes the core knowledge that pupils need to know in order to be successful.
Please click here to view
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.
KS4 Intervention Clubs Programme
Please click on the link below:
Additional Information
Please click on the links below to view: