Year 10 Science: What to Teach (England)
Your Teacher Information Pack for Year 10 Science: every national curriculum statement, the tests and dates that matter, and trusted links. Tick what you're teaching and send it straight into the lesson plan maker.
- Country
- England
- Key stage
- KS4
- Ages
- 14–15
- Status
- Compulsory national curriculum subject at KS4
- Source
- National curriculum in England – Updated 2015-05-06
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
Roughly the same age as US Grades 9–10 (approximate: the systems don't line up exactly).
The KS4 programme of study covers the whole key stage; it is not split by year.
Current. The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review (Nov 2025) says a revised national curriculum will be published by spring 2027 for first teaching from September 2028.
What to teach
Below is the official programme of study for Year 10 Science: the statutory statements first, then any non-statutory notes and guidance, which schools don't have to follow.
Key stage 4 151 statutory statements
Introduction to Key stage 4 (official text)
Teaching in the sciences in key stage 4 continues with the process of building upon and deepening scientific knowledge and the understanding of ideas developed in earlier key stages in the subject disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
For some students, studying the sciences in key stage 4 provides the platform for more advanced studies, establishing the basis for a wide range of careers. For others, it will be their last formal study of subjects that provide the foundations for understanding the natural world and will enhance their lives in an increasingly technological society.
Curricula at key stage 4 should comprise approximately equal proportions of biology, chemistry and physics. The relevant mathematical skills required are covered in the programme of study for mathematics and should be embedded in the science context.
‘Working scientifically’ is described separately at the beginning of the programme of study, but must always be taught through and clearly related to substantive science content in the programme of study. Teachers should feel free to choose examples that serve a variety of purposes, from showing how scientific ideas have developed historically to reflecting modern developments in science and informing students of the role of science in understanding the causes of and solutions to some of the challenges facing society.
The scope and nature of their study should be broad, coherent, practical and rigorous, so that students are inspired and challenged by the subject and its achievements.
Working scientifically – 1. The development of scientific thinking Statutory
Through the content across all three disciplines, students should be taught so that they develop understanding and first-hand experience of:
- the ways in which scientific methods and theories develop over time
- using a variety of concepts and models to develop scientific explanations and understanding
- appreciating the power and limitations of science and considering ethical issues which may arise
- explaining everyday and technological applications of science; evaluating associated personal, social, economic and environmental implications; and making decisions based on the evaluation of evidence and arguments
- evaluating risks both in practical science and the wider societal context, including perception of risk
- recognising the importance of peer review of results and of communication of results to a range of audiences
Working scientifically – 2. Experimental skills and strategies Statutory
Through the content across all three disciplines, students should be taught so that they develop understanding and first-hand experience of:
- using scientific theories and explanations to develop hypotheses
- planning experiments to make observations, test hypotheses or explore phenomena
- applying a knowledge of a range of techniques, apparatus, and materials to select those appropriate both for fieldwork and for experiments
- carrying out experiments appropriately, having due regard to the correct manipulation of apparatus, the accuracy of measurements and health and safety considerations
- recognising when to apply a knowledge of sampling techniques to ensure any samples collected are representative
- making and recording observations and measurements using a range of apparatus and methods
- evaluating methods and suggesting possible improvements and further investigations
Working scientifically – 3. Analysis and evaluation Statutory
Through the content across all three disciplines, students should be taught so that they develop understanding and first-hand experience of:
- applying the cycle of collecting, presenting and analysing data, including:
- presenting observations and other data using appropriate methods
- translating data from one form to another
- carrying out and representing mathematical and statistical analysis
- representing distributions of results and making estimations of uncertainty
- interpreting observations and other data, including identifying patterns and trends, making inferences and drawing conclusions
- presenting reasoned explanations, including relating data to hypotheses
- being objective, evaluating data in terms of accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility and identifying potential sources of random and systematic error
- communicating the scientific rationale for investigations, including the methods used, the findings and reasoned conclusions, using paper-based and electronic reports and presentations
Working scientifically – 4. Vocabulary, units, symbols and nomenclature Statutory
Through the content across all three disciplines, students should be taught so that they develop understanding and first-hand experience of:
- developing their use of scientific vocabulary and nomenclature
- recognising the importance of scientific quantities and understanding how they are determined
- using SI units and IUPAC chemical nomenclature unless inappropriate
- using prefixes and powers of ten for orders of magnitude (e.g. tera, giga, mega, kilo, centi, milli, micro and nano)
- interconverting units
- using an appropriate number of significant figures in calculations
Biology – Cell biology Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- cells as the basic structural unit of all organisms; adaptations of cells related to their functions; the main sub-cellular structures of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
- stem cells in animals and meristems in plants
- enzymes
- factors affecting the rate of enzymatic reactions
- the importance of cellular respiration; the processes of aerobic and anaerobic respiration
- carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids as key biological molecules
Biology – Transport systems Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- the need for transport systems in multicellular organisms, including plants
- the relationship between the structure and functions of the human circulatory system
Biology – Health, disease and the development of medicines Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- the relationship between health and disease
- communicable diseases including sexually transmitted infections in humans (including HIV/AIDs)
- non-communicable diseases
- bacteria, viruses and fungi as pathogens in animals and plants
- body defences against pathogens and the role of the immune system against disease
- reducing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases in animals and plants
- the process of discovery and development of new medicines
- the impact of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable diseases
Biology – Coordination and control Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- principles of nervous coordination and control in humans
- the relationship between the structure and function of the human nervous system
- the relationship between structure and function in a reflex arc
- principles of hormonal coordination and control in humans
- hormones in human reproduction, hormonal and non-hormonal methods of contraception
- homeostasis
Biology – Photosynthesis Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- photosynthesis as the key process for food production and therefore biomass for life
- the process of photosynthesis
- factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
Biology – Ecosystems Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- levels of organisation within an ecosystem
- some abiotic and biotic factors which affect communities; the importance of interactions between organisms in a community
- how materials cycle through abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems
- the role of microorganisms (decomposers) in the cycling of materials through an ecosystem
- organisms are interdependent and are adapted to their environment
- the importance of biodiversity
- methods of identifying species and measuring distribution, frequency and abundance of species within a habitat
- positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems
Biology – Evolution, inheritance and variation Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- the genome as the entire genetic material of an organism
- how the genome, and its interaction with the environment, influence the development of the phenotype of an organism
- the potential impact of genomics on medicine
- most phenotypic features being the result of multiple, rather than single, genes
- single gene inheritance and single gene crosses with dominant and recessive phenotypes
- sex determination in humans
- genetic variation in populations of a species
- the process of natural selection leading to evolution
- the evidence for evolution
- developments in biology affecting classification
- the importance of selective breeding of plants and animals in agriculture
- the uses of modern biotechnology including gene technology; some of the practical and ethical considerations of modern biotechnology
Chemistry – Atomic structure and the Periodic Table Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- a simple model of the atom consisting of the nucleus and electrons, relative atomic mass, electronic charge and isotopes
- the number of particles in a given mass of a substance
- the modern Periodic Table, showing elements arranged in order of atomic number
- position of elements in the Periodic Table in relation to their atomic structure and arrangement of outer electrons
- properties and trends in properties of elements in the same group
- characteristic properties of metals and non-metals
- chemical reactivity of elements in relation to their position in the Periodic Table
Chemistry – Structure, bonding and the properties of matter Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- changes of state of matter in terms of particle kinetics, energy transfers and the relative strength of chemical bonds and intermolecular forces
- types of chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, and metallic
- bulk properties of materials related to bonding and intermolecular forces
- bonding of carbon leading to the vast array of natural and synthetic organic compounds that occur due to the ability of carbon to form families of similar compounds, chains and rings
- structures, bonding and properties of diamond, graphite, fullerenes and graphene
Chemistry – Chemical changes Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- determination of empirical formulae from the ratio of atoms of different kinds
- balanced chemical equations, ionic equations and state symbols
- identification of common gases
- the chemistry of acids; reactions with some metals and carbonates
- pH as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration and its numerical scale
- electrolysis of molten ionic liquids and aqueous ionic solutions
- reduction and oxidation in terms of loss or gain of oxygen.
Chemistry – Energy changes in chemistry Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- Measurement of energy changes in chemical reactions (qualitative)
- Bond breaking, bond making, activation energy and reaction profiles (qualitative)
Chemistry – Rate and extent of chemical change Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- factors that influence the rate of reaction: varying temperature or concentration, changing the surface area of a solid reactant or by adding a catalyst
- factors affecting reversible reactions
Chemistry – Chemical analysis Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- distinguishing between pure and impure substances
- separation techniques for mixtures of substances: filtration, crystallisation, chromatography, simple and fractional distillation
- quantitative interpretation of balanced equations
- concentrations of solutions in relation to mass of solute and volume of solvent
Chemistry – Chemical and allied industries Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- life cycle assessment and recycling to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life
- the viability of recycling of certain materials
- carbon compounds, both as fuels and feedstock, and the competing demands for limited resources
- fractional distillation of crude oil and cracking to make more useful materials
- extraction and purification of metals related to the position of carbon in a reactivity series
Chemistry – Earth and atmospheric science Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- evidence for composition and evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere since its formation
- evidence, and uncertainties in evidence, for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change
- potential effects of, and mitigation of, increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane on the Earth’s climate
- common atmospheric pollutants: sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and their sources
- the Earth’s water resources and obtaining potable water
Physics – Energy Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- energy changes in a system involving heating, doing work using forces, or doing work using an electric current: calculating the stored energies and energy changes involved
- power as the rate of transfer of energy
- conservation of energy in a closed system, dissipation
- calculating energy efficiency for any energy transfers
- renewable and non-renewable energy sources used on Earth, changes in how these are used
Physics – Forces Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- forces and fields: electrostatic, magnetic, gravity
- forces as vectors
- calculating work done as force x distance; elastic and inelastic stretching
- pressure in fluids acts in all directions: variation in Earth’s atmosphere with height, with depth for liquids, up-thrust force (qualitative)
Physics – Forces and motion Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- speed of sound, estimating speeds and accelerations in everyday contexts
- interpreting quantitatively graphs of distance, time, and speed
- acceleration caused by forces; Newton’s First Law
- weight and gravitational field strength
- decelerations and braking distances involved on roads, safety
Physics – Wave motion Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- amplitude, wavelength, frequency, relating velocity to frequency and wavelength
- transverse and longitudinal waves
- electromagnetic waves, velocity in vacuum; waves transferring energy; wavelengths and frequencies from radio to gamma-rays
- velocities differing between media: absorption, reflection, refraction effects
- production and detection, by electrical circuits, or by changes in atoms and nuclei
- uses in the radio, microwave, infra-red, visible, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma-ray regions, hazardous effects on bodily tissues
Physics – Electricity Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- measuring resistance using p.d. and current measurements
- exploring current, resistance and voltage relationships for different circuit elements; including their graphical representations
- quantity of charge flowing as the product of current and time
- drawing circuit diagrams; exploring equivalent resistance for resistors in series
- the domestic a.c. supply; live, neutral and earth mains wires, safety measures
- power transfer related to p.d. and current, or current and resistance
Physics – Magnetism and electromagnetism Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- exploring the magnetic fields of permanent and induced magnets, and the Earth’s magnetic field, using a compass
- magnetic effects of currents, how solenoids enhance the effect
- how transformers are used in the national grid and the reasons for their use
Physics – The structure of matter Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- relating models of arrangements and motions of the molecules in solid, liquid and gas phases to their densities
- melting, evaporation, and sublimation as reversible changes
- calculating energy changes involved on heating, using specific heat capacity; and those involved in changes of state, using specific latent heat
- links between pressure and temperature of a gas at constant volume, related to the motion of its particles (qualitative)
Physics – Atomic structure Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- the nuclear model and its development in the light of changing evidence
- masses and sizes of nuclei, atoms and small molecules
- differences in numbers of protons, and neutrons related to masses and identities of nuclei, isotope characteristics and equations to represent changes
- ionisation; absorption or emission of radiation related to changes in electron orbits
- radioactive nuclei: emission of alpha or beta particles, neutrons, or gamma-rays, related to changes in the nuclear mass and/or charge
- radioactive materials, half-life, irradiation, contamination and their associated hazardous effects, waste disposal
- nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and our sun’s energy
Physics – Space physics Statutory
Students should be taught about:
- the main features of the solar system.
Assessments and key dates
There are no national tests or checks in Year 10. Your school will use its own assessments.
Official documents
Trusted free resources
- Oak National Academy – Free, full lesson sequences for KS4 (government-funded).
- BBC Bitesize – Short videos and quizzes by key stage and subject.
Links only: we don't copy their content and we aren't connected to these organisations.
More packs
Exams: GCSE Combined science exam structure · GCSE Biology exam structure · GCSE Chemistry exam structure · GCSE Physics exam structure.
Other subjects in Year 10: English, Maths, Citizenship, Computing, PE.
Find another TIP · National curriculum overview
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: science programmes of study (GOV.UK), © Crown copyright.
Statements in the curriculum lists are copied word for word from GOV.UK; everything else on this page (headings, notes, summaries) is written by us. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education or the Standards and Testing Agency. Always check the official documents linked on this page.
Questions teachers ask
Is science compulsory in Year 10?
Yes. Science is a compulsory national curriculum subject at KS4 in England (national curriculum framework, figure 1).
Is the Year 10 content set out year by year?
The KS4 programme of study covers the whole key stage; it is not split by year.