What Is Key Stage 4? A Clear Guide for UK Parents (2026)

Key Stage 4 (KS4) is Years 10 and 11 in English secondary schools — the two years when pupils aged 14 to 16 study for GCSE qualifications. It follows KS3 (Years 7–9) and ends with GCSE exams, typically in May and June of Year 11.

Which year groups and ages make up KS4?

KS4 is straightforward in structure: two years, one qualification stage.

Year group | Typical age | What happens
Year 10 | 14–15 | GCSE courses begin; first formal assessments for some subjects
Year 11 | 15–16 | GCSE courses continue; mock exams (winter/spring); final GCSE exams (May–June)

The transition from Year 9 into Year 10 is one of the most significant shifts in a child's secondary school career. The broad KS3 curriculum narrows to a focused set of GCSE options, workload increases, and for the first time pupils are working toward graded external qualifications that will appear on their record permanently.

What subjects are compulsory in KS4?

Under the DfE's national curriculum framework, state-funded schools must provide teaching in the following subjects throughout KS4:

Core compulsory: English language, English literature and maths (all pupils must sit these GCSEs)

Science: at least two science GCSEs (combined science counts as two; triple science means separate biology, chemistry and physics)

Religious education: must be taught, though no external exam is required by all schools

PE: must be taught throughout KS4, though most schools do not enter pupils for a PE GCSE

Sex and relationships education (RSE): compulsory, though not a GCSE subject

Beyond those compulsory subjects, pupils choose an additional four to five GCSE options from their school's available list in Year 9. Many schools encourage or require pupils to include a modern foreign language and a humanities subject to support EBacc qualification (see below).

What is the EBacc and does it matter?

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a DfE measure — not a separate qualification — that recognises whether a pupil passes GCSEs in five pillars: English, maths, science, a humanities subject (history or geography), and a modern or ancient foreign language. The DfE's ambition, set in 2019, was for 90% of pupils in state schools to study the EBacc combination by 2025; actual uptake by 2024 remained below that target.

The EBacc matters because several selective sixth forms, sixth-form colleges and universities expect evidence of broad academic study at GCSE. Pupils who drop languages and humanities in Year 9 can find their sixth-form options narrowed. However, the EBacc is not compulsory, and for some pupils a vocational or arts GCSE makes more sense for their path.

How does GCSE grading work in KS4?

GCSEs in England use the 9 to 1 grading system, introduced by Ofqual from 2017 onwards. Grade 9 is the highest, awarded to the top few percent of pupils nationally; grade 1 is the lowest pass. The key benchmarks are:

Grade 4: the "standard pass" — roughly equivalent to the old grade C

Grade 5: the "strong pass" — the benchmark used by most schools, sixth forms and employers

Grade 9: exceptional — awarded to the very top performers nationally

A pupil who achieves grade 4 or above in English language and maths has met the minimum functional literacy and numeracy threshold used by most further-education routes. Grade 5 in these subjects opens significantly more post-16 pathways.

What happens after KS4?

Year 11 ends with GCSE results in late August. From those results, pupils move into Key Stage 5 — post-16 education — which in England includes:

A-Levels (typically three subjects, two years)

T-Levels (technical qualifications, introduced from 2020)

Vocational qualifications (BTECs, Cambridge Nationals)

Apprenticeships

The GCSE grades achieved at the end of KS4 determine which of these routes is accessible. Most sixth forms, including school sixth forms and sixth-form colleges, set entry requirements of grade 5 or above in subjects relevant to the A-Level chosen, plus grade 5 in English and maths.

How can parents support a child through KS4?

The transition into Year 10 is where support patterns matter most. Practical steps that make a measurable difference:

Establish a revision routine from Year 10, not just in Year 11. The volume of GCSE content is large enough that building recall habits from the start reduces the pressure in exam year.

Know the mock exam schedule. Most schools run mock GCSEs in November/December of Year 11. These are the first high-stakes practice run and should be taken seriously.

Track which subjects carry the most weight. English and maths are weighted heavily by most post-16 providers — if your child is borderline in either, those are the priority for additional support.

Watch for subject-specific coursework deadlines. Some GCSEs (art, design and technology, geography fieldwork, English literature controlled assessment) include non-exam components with strict submission dates.

Talk about post-16 plans early. Knowing whether a child wants A-Levels, a T-Level or an apprenticeship helps parents prioritise which GCSEs need the most support.

Frequently asked questions

What years are KS4 in the UK?

KS4 covers Years 10 and 11 in England, for pupils aged 14 to 16. It is the two-year period during which pupils study for GCSE qualifications, ending with exams in May and June of Year 11.

How many GCSEs do pupils take in KS4?

Most pupils in England take between eight and ten GCSEs. English language, English literature, maths and at least two science GCSEs are effectively compulsory, accounting for five or six of the total. The remaining slots are filled by options chosen in Year 9, which typically include a mix of humanities, languages, creative and vocational subjects.

Is Key Stage 4 the same as GCSE?

Yes — KS4 is the phase; GCSEs are the qualification taken during it. All pupils in state schools in England must follow the KS4 national curriculum requirements, and the endpoint of KS4 is GCSE exams in Year 11. Some pupils also take additional qualifications such as BTECs or Cambridge Nationals alongside GCSEs during KS4.

What is a good GCSE result in KS4?

The widely used benchmark is grade 5 (the "strong pass") in English language and maths, alongside grade 4 or above in all other subjects. Grade 5 in English and maths opens most post-16 routes. Grade 7 and above is equivalent to the old A grade, and grade 9 is exceptional — awarded to approximately the top 3% nationally in each subject.

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