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For parents & students

Which syllabus is my child on?

Exam boards update their syllabuses, and the objectives — and set texts — can change between versions. Here’s how to make sure your child revises the right one.

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The one question that decides everything: which sitting?

A syllabus version is tied to the exam sitting, not to when your child started studying. The exam board sets a date from which the new syllabus is examined. Everything follows from knowing your child’s sitting.

Worked example — CSEC English. CXC’s 2025 syllabus is first examined in May/June 2027. A student sitting in January 2027 still follows the previous syllabus. Same subject, same year — two different syllabuses, and for English Literature, different set texts.

Why it matters

Between versions, boards can add, drop or reword objectives, and change prescribed texts. Revise the wrong version and your child can spend weeks on content that won’t be tested — or study the wrong novels and poems entirely. This is the single most avoidable way to lose marks.

How to check — in three steps

How Kramizo helps

Every subject page carries a syllabus banner. Where a subject has more than one live syllabus, we flag it clearly, show which version the platform’s content follows, and link to the official syllabus so you can confirm your child’s objectives and reference texts. Browse to your subject from the subject library to see it.

Looking ahead

Two bigger shifts are coming, so it’s worth knowing about: the UK government is reforming GCSEs, with final details expected in 2027 and first teaching of reformed courses from around 2028 (first exams later); and exam boards are gradually moving some GCSEs to onscreen assessment. Neither changes the exams your child sits right now — but it’s exactly why confirming the syllabus for their specific sitting will matter even more over the next few years.

Frequently asked questions

What is a syllabus version?
A syllabus is the official document that lists exactly what an exam will test — the objectives, skills and (for subjects like Literature) the prescribed set texts. Exam boards revise it from time to time and publish a new version that takes effect from a particular exam sitting. Both the old and the new version can be "live" at the same time for different cohorts of students.
Why does it matter which one my child uses?
Because the content can differ. A new syllabus may add, drop or reword objectives, and — crucially for Literature — change the prescribed poems, plays and novels. If your child revises the wrong version they can waste time on content that won’t be tested, or worse, study the wrong books.
How do I tell which syllabus applies to my child?
It is decided by the exam sitting, not by when they started studying. For example, CXC CSEC English moves to a 2025 syllabus first examined in May/June 2027 — but candidates sitting in January 2027 follow the previous syllabus. So the first question is always: which exam sitting is your child entered for? Then match that sitting to the board’s stated start date for the new syllabus.
Where do I check the official information?
Always confirm against the exam board’s own syllabus document (CXC, AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Cambridge, etc.). On Kramizo, each subject page shows a syllabus banner telling you which version the content follows, with a link to the official syllabus.
What if the set texts have changed?
For Literature, never buy or start a set text until you have confirmed it against the official syllabus for your child’s exact sitting. Set-text lists are the most common — and most expensive — thing to get wrong when two syllabus versions are live.
How can I support my child if they are on the older syllabus?
Make sure they know their sitting and the matching syllabus, check the objectives and texts against the official document, and steer them away from any material aimed at the other version. Kramizo’s subject banners flag where more than one syllabus is live so you can double-check at a glance.

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