Year 9 (ages 13 to 14)
Year 9 is the last year of Key Stage 3. Many schools finish Key Stage 3 content early and some begin GCSE content, so the pace picks up.
What changes
- Quadratics, standard form and Pythagoras appear in maths.
- English asks for more evidence and explanation when reading.
- Science brings in chemistry calculations in some schools.
Exams and tests
Most schools set end-of-year exams. GCSE options are usually chosen in Year 8 or Year 9, and the GCSE courses themselves most often begin in Year 10.
Topics worth practising in Year 9
- Factorising quadratics: Factorise expressions, from taking out a common factor to quadratics and the difference of two squares.
- Standard form: Write very large and very small numbers in standard form, convert back, and multiply numbers written that way.
- Pythagoras: Use Pythagoras’ theorem to find a missing side, in triangles, ladders and between points on a grid.
- Area of a circle: Find the area and circumference of circles, leaving answers in terms of π or using 3.14, and work back to the radius.
- Probability: Work out simple probabilities, probabilities of not happening, combined events and expected outcomes.
- Reading comprehension: Read a short passage, then answer questions on finding information, inference, word meaning and the writer’s methods.
- Synonyms and opposites: Choose a word with the same meaning, or the opposite, to build a bigger vocabulary.
- Atoms: Work out protons, neutrons and electrons from atomic and mass numbers, shell patterns and ions.
- Forces: Use weight, force and acceleration, and find the resultant of forces acting in opposite directions.
- Electricity: Use potential difference, current, resistance, power and energy transferred.
Tips
- Use the topic table to find which topics are still at level 1 or 2.
- Practise reading passages: inference is a big step up from earlier years.
- Sit a full mock in each subject before the summer exams.
Every school plans its own timetable, so topics and exam dates vary. This is a guide, not a timetable.