Year 10 2026/27 Support

[Walkingbkwrm]

As the thread for my eldest has been so helpful over the last couple of years, thought I would start one for DS2 going into yr 10 for anyone in the same GCSE cohort before he goes back to school.

Anyone welcome!

Hi, DS going into year 10 on Monday. He’s chosen separate sciences, German, history, Latin and computer science. His worst subject is maths and he’s in set 4 out of 6.
Fingers crossed

Think I remember you from the starting secondary threads, hi!
Mine starts tomorrow and he’s stressing about the work already :(. (his elder brother has just done his GCSEs and found them very tough). Plus his best mate just told/reminded him about some holiday homework he forgot to do (luckily due Tuesday apparently). So not a good start!
He’s doing Computing, Digital Technology, Music and History. Worst subject Welsh (we are in Wales so compulsory) and English.
Hope your DS has something fun planned for the weekend.

Joining you! DS started back yesterday. Triple Science, Art, Spanish, Geography, History are his options. He is most excited about having given up French.

Here for this. My DD is vaguely looking forward to starting the 'choices' and leaving behind Geography and Computing!

Subjects
Core Eng x 2 Maths Combined Science Spanish

Choices Drama Dance Music Philosophy and ethics

Extras non exam PD, PE

Here for this!

DS starts tomorrow, he is currently feeling smug as his younger brother in Y7 has started today (they let the Y7s have the run of the school on the first day)

I don't think he fully understands how much work he has in his future.

He is doing Separate Science, Computing, History, Spanish, Further Maths plus compulsory RE, Maths and English.

Not started well here - DS already sick from nerves/reflux/hating school and had a call at lunchtime. Worrying about timetable, triple science, carrying on doing French. (All chosen by him). Not sure what to do as not going in isn’t an option. It’s going to be a long two years … also got DD in y13 at college this year so A levels stress to look forward to. Give me strength!

Really sorry it didn’t go well today @BellaI . Give it a few days before panicking- hopefully he will settle down is he has a few lessons of science/ French and they are manageable?
Here it went so so - apparently he didn’t do any work (?) one of his lessons had a sub who didn’t really have a lesson plan and his music teacher spent most of the lesson telling them about her new dog……
On the plus side he is pleased with his new science set and seems to be less stressed than this morning (which was quite a lot). 🤷‍♀️

Apparently mine had "loads of pointless assemblies' before the last half of double PE. Happy with timetable and teachers but Apparently not with ANY friends (we'll see)

Yes we had the no friends in lessons comment as well! I said if they tried to put 200 people all with their friends it wouldn’t work!

Thanks for the thread @Walkingbkwrm. I recognise you from the GCSE thread, will have the double whammy GCSE/A level year in 2028.

DC2 started today doing Spanish, Drama, History and Latin from scratch, as well as combined science, English x 2 & Maths.

They're happy with options teachers but unsure about a couple of others, especially one of the science teachers who has a strong accent (Scouse) that they say they find hard to understand.

I gave examples of friendships I made or that deepened in y10 and 11 including women still in my life now....and said it does TEND to take longer than 1 day!!!

DS home and a bit freaked by the expectations as laid out by new head of year.
1hr 45 minutes homework a day! He doesn’t finish school until 4. He does have an 80 minute lunch break which I will encourage him to use but he’s in a lot of clubs… Start of year 7 they were told to join lots of clubs- so he did!
It is a selective independent with excellent GCSE grades - now I can see why…
All the year 11s and 12s we know seem well adjusted and with lots of extra curricular so hoping it’s just to scare them into working hard.

That does seem an awful lot. I can see how it seems less when divided by all the different subjects though.

We have a meeting for parents on Weds evening in which presumably we will get told what they advise then but sure his elder brother wasn’t told to do that much. I foresee outright rebellion if they do!

Hi, can I join?
DD has Combined Science, Health and Social Studies, Spanish, Art, Film Studies, Geography plus the usual English and Maths (foundation). All her choices.
I am dreading it... Two years of stress from teachers, which they started with at the end of Y9.

DS has got homework that's due the same week for the first time which has come as a shock. He had got in the habit of doing it all at the weekends.

His school are trying to introduce revision habits already. Starting small they have to come home and set at a desk and stare at their pencil case for 2 minutes. This will then turn into doing a quick question in the 2 minutes and then the time extends. It will be interesting to see if he manages to stick to this especially on the days he goes to the common to play football with his mates.

Ooh can I join too?
It’s going to be interesting to see how DS copes with increasing work, although his school did start the GCSE curriculum in year 9.

Joining for DD2.

She's of the 'brilliant but lazy' stock. She could do really well if she buckles down. But I suppose she's got time for that. Marathon not a sprint as they say.

Y10 dd taking art, geo, combined sci, RS, spanish.
Dreading the art