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Starting Year 10

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Here’s what you can expect from Year 10, with tips and advice from other students who’ve been there and done that

Starting Year 10 and your GCSE studies can feel like a big change – maybe you’re worried about bigger piles of homework, everything suddenly getting a lot harder or those looming GCSE exams at the end of Year 11.  

To help put your mind at ease, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions about what it’s really like – with tips from members of The Student Room to help you make the most of the year.

More like this: five ways to impress your new teachers

Will Year 10 be a lot harder?

You might be worried that all your work is suddenly going to step up a gear and get a lot harder in Year 10 – and although this might be true to a certain extent, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to struggle, especially if you make an effort to stay engaged and on top of everything.

And it’s worth remembering that you still have plenty of time before you have to sit your GCSE exams at the end of Year 11.

Year 10 isn't too bad, you just have to actually do work in class, rather than saying 'I'll do it later' because later never exists.

chelseagirl2002

Year 10 isn't a bad year at all, as long as you're keeping on top of your work and note-taking for revision. Put the effort it and don't be afraid to ask for help.

You still have a while to go till GCSEs, so don't stress too much if you're struggling to grasp exam technique at first; you'll get better over time with practice.

Absolutelysprout
student doing homework concept art

Will I get loads more homework in Year 10?

How much homework – and how much more homework – you get in Year 10 will obviously depend on your school, but members of The Student Room say that the likelihood is that it won’t feel like too big of an adjustment.

I was in Year 9 too and heard all the usual stuff but once you get to it you realise it is not too much more at all and you will still get a lot of free time.

RK13476

I didn't get much at all, and most of it was completing classwork, but obviously this will vary between schools. Just make sure you're well organised and you should be fine.

absolutelysprout

I would get around three pieces a night but that‘s probably just my school. I’m sure however much you get you’ll be able to manage though! I want to say don’t leave things to the last minute etc but that would make me a bit of a hypocrite considering what I did.

Mistyblue123

What if I don’t understand one of my topics?

If you have trouble keeping up with any of your subjects, don’t suffer in puzzled silence – speak to your teacher about it and ask for their help. It’s what they’re there for, after all, and they will want you to do as well as you possibly can.

If you don't understand something or aren't sure of a particular topic, ask your teachers. The worst thing you could do it think ‘I have time, I'll figure it out later’ and then have your exams approaching and still having no idea what you're doing!

AmyDron

Ask about anything you don't understand – especially in maths, never go into the next lesson not understanding what happened in the last one.

So many people in our maths lessons would say ‘she goes too fast!’ or ‘she doesn't explain it properly!’ The problem being that they never actually told the teacher this, so how was she supposed to know? So whenever you don't understand, ask until you do understand.

moutonfou
school teacher concept art

How important are mock exams in Year 10?

Your mock results in Year 10 won’t count towards your final results in Year 11 – but they’re very useful practice for taking the real thing.

Use your mock exams and past papers to get used to working under timed conditions, as well as figuring out where you have gaps in your knowledge – then focus your revision on those areas that need more work.

Don’t get disheartened if you get bad marks – you’re still learning. Ask the teacher what you would need to do to improve and try to do that.

Just keep trying to do a little better each time and see how far you can go.

moutonfou

I found that doing some mocks before my actual exams was helpful, as I don’t feel so intimidated by the feeling of being in the exam hall now that I’m doing the real thing. They’re also quite good at giving you a sense of the pace you need to work at.

moonrose
More like this: how to use your mock results to improve your grades

 

How should I revise for tests and mocks?

There's no one-size-fits-all revision method: SkyRunner61 says that Year 10 is perfect for “experimenting with which styles of learning work best for you.”

Here are just a few different examples of popular revision methods that you could try out to see how well they work for you:

  • Flashcards and revision cards: Flashcards are small, double-sided pieces of card with a question on the front and its answer on the back of the card that you can use to test yourself on-the-go.
  • Mindmaps: These are diagrams with a central starting point that you add branches to, so you can see the connections between different elements of a topic.
  • Past papers: Find past papers online and take them under timed conditions to show you where you need to improve.
  • The Pomodoro method: This is a time management technique that involves breaking your revision down into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks.

Those are just a few different ideas to get you started – take a look at our guide to free revision resources for more ideas and links out to free online resource builders.

Find out how you revise best as soon as you can by trying out different methods, this will also make it easier to revise for end of year exams/tests.

Abull02

I would say that the most important thing to do in Year 10 is to experiment – this is something that I wish I had done more of.

Experiment with different revision techniques, study routines and different amounts of preparation (eg see how your grades for an end of unit test compare after studying for an hour for it vs four hours) when revising for end of unit tests/mocks.

At the end of the day, Year 10 is a learning curve and none of the results that you get will affect you too much.

goldensun
More like this: how to study effectively for your exams

 

exam paper concept art

Any other tips for making the most of Year 10?

Lots of The Student Room members stress the importance of keeping your notes organised and preparing for revision as you go, rather than waiting until the end of Year 11 to try to get everything together.

Pay attention in class and make good notes as you go along – it’s much easier to stay organised than get organised.

SkyRunner61

Make notes/flashcards every lesson. I know it sounds like a slog but it really will help.

I am in Year 11 now waiting for results, and I had to make all my notes in the couple of weeks before the exams, even the night before… very stressful.

Abull02

Once you start, make sure you review everything you learn. Make notes, flashcards etc. Treat each test like it's a real GCSE exam.

Once you get into Year 11, the notes and flashcards become very useful when you revise.

chelseagirl2002
More like this: how to prepare for revision

 

Finally, don’t forget to have fun!

You don’t need to spend every second with your head buried in a textbook – it’s just as important that you also spend time doing the things you love.

Above all, don't stress. You have just under two years until your GCSE exams. In Year 10, I didn't let work get in the way of going out with friends and rarely missed clubs/volunteering due to it.

Have fun – make the most of this year because before you know it you will be going into Year 11.

goldensun

Don't overwork yourself. Revise for mocks and class tests but you don't need to be revising as soon as you get home till you have to go to bed, you'll just burn out. Do stuff with friends and family to get you away from revising or doing work for a bit.

Absolutelysprout

Visit our GCSE hub to find more advice and answers to your GCSE-related questions. 

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Article by Tamsyn McLennan on Thursday 01 September 2022
Last edited by Nik Taylor on Tuesday 06 August 2024