The end of one exam series is the beginning of the next year’s planning cycle. With IGCSE June 2026 exams running through May and the next academic year’s Year 10 cohort starting in August or September, Heads of Department at international schools have a narrow window — roughly May to July — to map next year’s IGCSE syllabus into a teachable calendar before staff break for summer.

This guide is a practical course-mapping checklist for Cambridge IGCSE, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and AQA GCSE departments in international schools. It covers how to break a syllabus into terms, how to build assessment points that signal early, how to plan for staff turnover, and where a free course planner can take the spreadsheet pain out of the process. The audience is HoDs, curriculum coordinators, subject leads and department heads — not classroom teachers building individual lesson plans (we cover that in how to write a lesson plan for IGCSE, A-Level & IB classes).

Why department-level planning is different from lesson-level planning

A scheme of work is not a calendar of lessons; it is a load-bearing document that holds the department together when teachers change, syllabuses update and new exam-board requirements land mid-year. The difference in scope:

• Lesson plans answer: what will students do this hour?
• Schemes of work answer: how will this unit unfold across these weeks?
• Course plans / department calendars answer: how does the syllabus land into the academic year, with assessments, internal moderation, mock windows, coursework deadlines and reporting cycles?

The course plan is the document that determines whether a Year 10 class actually finishes the syllabus by April of Year 11 with three weeks of revision left, or arrives at Easter with two units undelivered. Most departments rebuild it slightly each year. Many rebuild it from scratch. The checklist below assumes you are rebuilding intentionally.

When to start planning the next academic year

A workable annual cycle for an international school IGCSE department:

• May (current Year 11 in exams). Audit the year you are finishing. What worked? What landed late? Which assessments did not predict mock or final performance? Capture this while it is fresh, not in August.
• June (post-exam window). Update the syllabus version against the latest 2026/27 board release. Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel and AQA all publish syllabus updates ahead of each cohort cycle.
• July. Draft the term-by-term unit map. Build the assessment calendar around the school’s reporting cycle.
• August (before term starts). Department meeting. Walk through the calendar with every teacher who will deliver it. Adjust based on staffing, cohort size, set sizes and known curriculum constraints.
• September. Start delivery. Revisit the plan at half-term — not at Easter.

A plan written in August and not opened again until April rarely survives the year intact. The plan that survives is the plan that is checked in at half-term.

A nine-step course-mapping checklist

The checklist below works for a two-year IGCSE programme (Year 10–11 / Grade 9–10) and adapts to a one-year accelerated cohort.

1. Confirm the syllabus version and code

Most boards publish syllabus updates on a defined cycle. Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses are typically updated every few years; Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and AQA GCSE follow similar cadences. Confirm the syllabus code and edition before anything else — Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 and IGCSE Mathematics (9–1) 0980 are different syllabuses with different content lists.

If your school is moving from one specification to another (e.g. Cambridge to Edexcel, or vice versa), the course plan is the place where that transition becomes real.

2. List the assessable content as it appears in the syllabus

Take the official content list and paste it into a master document, exactly as the syllabus phrases it. Resist the temptation to paraphrase. Mark-scheme wording matters; close-but-not-exact phrasing in a scheme of work bleeds into close-but-not-exact teaching. The Tutopiya course planner loads the 2026 syllabus content lists for Cambridge IGCSE, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, AQA GCSE and IB DP — using the official phrasing, so you do not have to retype it.

3. Group content into teachable units

A teachable unit is 2–6 weeks of teaching depending on subject. For IGCSE Sciences, units typically map to syllabus topics directly (e.g. “Cells”, “Movement of substances”, “Biological molecules”). For Mathematics, units are often pedagogical groupings rather than syllabus headings (e.g. “Algebra fundamentals”, which spans several syllabus sub-topics). For History and English, units map to set texts, periods or papers.

The test of a good unit is that it can be taught by any subject specialist in the department with the resources you provide. If a unit only one teacher can deliver, it is a staffing risk, not a unit.

4. Sequence the units across the academic year

Three sequencing decisions to make explicitly:

• Foundational first. Topics that other topics depend on go early. In Maths, algebra before functions. In Sciences, cell structure before respiration.
• Coursework / NEA / portfolio of evidence early enough that students have time. Coursework deadlines are typically before the written paper window. For 2026, see our guide on how to build a Portfolio of Evidence for IGCSE.
• Heaviest topics in the longest term. The autumn term is usually the longest uninterrupted teaching block. Use it for the highest-content topics, not for revision.

A common pattern that works for IGCSE Sciences over two years: cell biology and energy in Year 10 autumn; mechanics and chemistry foundations in Year 10 spring; ecology, organic chemistry and electricity in Year 11 autumn; revision and practical practice in Year 11 spring.

5. Build the assessment calendar

Internal assessments are the early warning system for the department. Plan them before the units, not after.

A workable IGCSE assessment calendar:

• End-of-unit assessments every 4–6 weeks. Short, targeted, mark-scheme-aligned.
• End-of-term tests at the close of autumn and spring terms. Closer to a real paper in length and structure.
• Mock examinations in Year 11 autumn term and Year 11 spring term. Use real past papers under timed conditions.
• Standardisation moderation within the department after each end-of-term test. Two teachers blind-mark a sample of scripts; differences inform mark-scheme training.

Each assessment should map to specific syllabus content and specific command words. Assessments that test the same content as last week’s lesson, in the same format, do not predict exam performance.

6. Plan the revision and exam-prep window

The last six weeks before exams are not “revision” as a single unit. They are a structured sequence:

• Week 6: Final content delivery and consolidation. Anything still untaught is a problem.
• Week 5–4: Topic-by-topic revision with past-paper sections. Use the topic question bank or your own collated past-paper sets, paired with a subject revision checklist rated by each student so the lessons target Red and Amber topics rather than running through the syllabus chronologically.
• Week 3: Full timed past papers under exam conditions. Mark schemes shared.
• Week 2: Targeted weakness work based on past-paper performance. Drill the command words that carry the highest marks in your subject.
• Week 1: Light retrieval, exam-day pacing, sleep. See active recall vs highlighting: why flashcards win the last two weeks and how to revise in the last week before IGCSE exams.

Build this six-week pattern into the calendar in advance. Departments that “see how things go” in May usually arrive at exam day with the wrong time allocation.

7. Plan for staff turnover and continuity

International schools have higher staff turnover than UK or domestic schools — often 20–30% in any year. The course plan needs to survive that.

Practical safeguards:

• Every unit has a named owner and a named back-up. The back-up reviews the unit’s resources at the start of the year.
• Resources are stored in a shared repository, not on individual teachers’ drives. The plan that lives only in one teacher’s head leaves with that teacher. The Tutopiya formula sheets hub, revision checklists and definition-keyword lists are the three department-grade resources we see used most often as shared 2026 references — they survive staff changes and standardise vocabulary, formulae and topic sequencing across teachers.
• Mark schemes and exemplar answers are part of the unit, not the teacher. Standardisation needs the same exemplars across the department.

If you are a one-or-two-person department (small international schools), the back-up may need to be cross-departmental or external. Plan for that explicitly — “if the Maths teacher leaves in October, who delivers Year 11 Maths?“

8. Build the reporting and parent-communication calendar

Reports, parent meetings and target-setting cycles need to align with the assessment calendar. A common school-level reporting cycle:

• September: Initial target-setting based on prior attainment data.
• November: First report after end-of-unit assessments and end-of-term test.
• February: Mid-year report after Year 11 mock exams.
• April: Final report before the exam series.

Each report should reference specific assessments and specific marks, not generic effort grades. The marks-to-next-grade language we cover in what grade am I on track for: reading mock marks honestly works for parent reports as well as student-facing conversations.

9. Schedule the plan’s review points

A plan that is written once is a plan that decays. Build review points into the calendar:

• End of half-term 1 (October). Are units running to time? Adjust the spring units now if autumn is running late.
• End of autumn term. Mock results inform the spring teaching focus.
• End of half-term 4 (March). Final revision plan is locked in.
• End of academic year. Audit. Capture what to change for the next cohort.

The audit at the end of the year is what makes next year’s plan better than this year’s. Most departments skip it because they are tired. Don’t.

A free course planner that maps 2026 syllabus content into a calendar

We built the Tutopiya Course Planner specifically for this department-level work. You can:

• Pick a board and qualification (Cambridge IGCSE, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, AQA GCSE, IB DP).
• Load the 2026 syllabus content in the official phrasing.
• Build a term-by-term unit map with drag-and-drop sequencing.
• Slot in assessment points, mock windows, reporting deadlines and coursework cut-offs.
• Tag units with named owners and back-ups so the plan survives staff changes.
• Export the plan to PDF, Excel/CSV for department meetings and shared drives.

It is free, browser-based, and saves your draft plan locally so you can come back to it next week. There is no signup required to start a plan.

The course planner sits one level above our free lesson planner: the course planner builds the year, the lesson planner builds each lesson within it. Heads of Department typically use both — the course planner once a year for the master calendar, the lesson planner weekly for delivery.

Common course-planning mistakes (and how to avoid them)

The same patterns show up across departments. Plan against them.

• Sequencing units in syllabus order rather than pedagogical order. The syllabus is a content list, not a teaching order. The order that worked for last year’s cohort might not work for this one.
• Assessment that tests recent teaching, not the whole syllabus. End-of-term tests should sample widely — including content from earlier units — or they over-predict performance.
• Coursework deadlines slipping into the exam revision window. Coursework eats time exactly when revision needs it. Front-load coursework into Year 11 autumn term where the syllabus allows.
• No mid-year adjustment. A plan written in August and not revisited until March produces a department arriving at Easter with units undelivered. Half-term reviews are non-negotiable.
• Resource hoarding by individual teachers. If a strong teacher leaves and takes their slides with them, the plan suddenly does not work. Resources belong to the department, not the teacher.
• Generic schemes of work that ignore the cohort. A Year 11 set 1 group needs different sequencing than a Year 11 set 4 group. The plan should accommodate that, not pretend it does not.
• Skipping the end-of-year audit. The audit is the cheapest planning input you have. Skipping it is why next year’s plan looks suspiciously like this year’s, including the bits that did not work.

What to do this term if you are planning for 2026/27

If you are reading this in May or June 2026 with a cohort about to finish exams:

1. Run the course planner for one of your subjects as a working draft. Even an hour produces a useful skeleton.
2. Confirm the 2026/27 syllabus version and any coursework / NEA changes with your exam officer.
3. Audit this year’s calendar — which units ran late? Which assessments did not predict mock performance? Capture in writing.
4. Plan the August department meeting around the new calendar. Aim to walk through the year with every teacher before term starts.

For lesson-level scaffolding once delivery starts, see how to write a lesson plan for IGCSE, A-Level & IB classes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a course plan and a scheme of work?

A scheme of work is a unit-level document covering one topic across several weeks. A course plan sits one level above: it sequences all the units across the academic year, integrates assessments, mock windows, coursework deadlines and reporting cycles, and acts as the department’s master calendar.

How long should an IGCSE course plan cover?

Two academic years for a standard IGCSE programme (Year 10–11 / Grade 9–10), or one academic year for an accelerated cohort. The plan should cover content sequencing, assessment points, mock windows and the final revision pattern.

When should we start planning next year’s IGCSE calendar?

The audit window is May to July — current Year 11 finish exams in May/June, the next Year 10 cohort starts in August/September. Drafting in May while this year’s calendar is fresh produces better plans than starting from a blank page in August.

How do we plan for staff turnover in international schools?

Every unit has a named owner and a named back-up. Resources live in shared department drives, not individual accounts. Mark schemes and exemplars are part of the unit, not the teacher. The plan should be deliverable by any specialist in the department with the resources provided.

How often should the course plan be reviewed?

At least at every half-term — minimum four times a year. Half-term reviews catch units running late before they cascade into the spring or summer. An end-of-year audit captures what to change for the next cohort.

How do we sequence units across the IGCSE year?

Foundational topics first. Topics other topics depend on go early. Coursework and NEA early enough that students have time. Heaviest content in the longest uninterrupted term (typically autumn). Revision and exam-prep in a structured six-week sequence at the end.

How do we build an assessment calendar that predicts exam performance?

End-of-unit assessments every 4–6 weeks, end-of-term tests at the close of autumn and spring, mock exams in Year 11 autumn and spring, and standardisation moderation after each end-of-term test. Assessments should sample widely across the syllabus, not just recent teaching.

What is the Tutopiya Course Planner?

A free, browser-based course-planning tool for international school departments. It loads 2026 syllabus content for Cambridge IGCSE, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, AQA GCSE and IB DP, lets you sequence units across an academic year, integrate assessments and mock windows, tag units with owners and back-ups, and export to PDF or Excel/CSV. Available at /tools/course-planner.

Is the course planner suitable for one-teacher departments?

Yes — small departments benefit most because the plan acts as the documentation that survives if the teacher changes. The owner/back-up structure adapts to cross-departmental cover or external support.

Does the course planner integrate with our reporting cycle?

The planner lets you add custom dates for reporting deadlines, parent meetings and target-setting cycles, alongside the assessment calendar. Export to Excel/CSV for upload to school MIS or shared drives.

Can we use the course planner alongside an existing scheme of work?

Yes — the course planner sits one level above the scheme of work. The scheme of work covers a unit; the course plan sequences the units across the year. Most departments use both, with the course plan as the master calendar and the schemes of work as the unit-level detail.

How does the course planner relate to the lesson planner?

Three levels of planning, three tools. The course planner builds the year. The scheme of work (departmental documents) builds each unit. The lesson planner builds each lesson within the unit. HoDs typically use the course planner annually and the lesson planner weekly.

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Last reviewed: 3 May 2026. Always cross-check syllabus content, coursework deadlines and exam timetables against your official 2026/27 specification before finalising the department calendar.

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