Last reviewed: 25 October 2026
Senior School under the Competency Based Curriculum works very differently from the old Form 1 to Form 4 system. Instead of taking eight or more KCSE subjects, a Grade 10 learner studies a smaller set chosen around a career pathway. This guide explains exactly what is compulsory, what is chosen, and the rules that decide how learners combine subjects, so Grade 9 families can plan before placement.
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The basic structure: seven subjects
Every Senior School learner takes seven examinable subjects: four core subjects and three electives. This structure follows the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform and was set out by the Ministry of Education in its Senior School implementation guidance ahead of the first Grade 10 intake in January 2026, as reported in this Daily Nation explainer on how Senior School works. Senior School runs for three years, Grades 10, 11 and 12.
The four core subjects
- English, taken by all learners.
- Kiswahili, or Kenyan Sign Language for learners who are deaf.
- Mathematics, in one of two versions: Core Mathematics or Essential Mathematics.
- Community Service Learning (CSL), where learners plan and carry out projects that serve their community and build skills such as teamwork and problem solving.
Core Mathematics vs Essential Mathematics
This is the choice that worries parents most. Learners in the STEM pathway take Core Mathematics, which is the more demanding course needed for engineering, medicine, computing and similar careers. Learners in the Social Sciences and Arts and Sports Science pathways take Essential Mathematics, which focuses on practical and everyday mathematics. The guidance allows a learner outside STEM to take Core Mathematics if their junior school assessment results show they are ready. If your child wants a career like economics, actuarial science or architecture from a non-STEM pathway, ask the school early about taking Core Mathematics.
How the three electives work
Learners choose three electives. The rules are:
- At least two electives should come from the learner’s chosen pathway.
- A learner may take all three from one pathway, or two from their pathway and one from another.
- Where a career genuinely needs it, a learner may be allowed one subject from each pathway.
Examples of electives include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Studies and Agriculture in STEM; History and Citizenship, Geography, Business Studies, religious education and foreign languages in Social Sciences; and Sports and Recreation, Music and Dance, Theatre and Film and Fine Arts in Arts and Sports Science. Our pathway explainers go deeper: STEM, Social Sciences and Arts and Sports Science.
Subjects everyone does that are not examined
Alongside the seven examinable subjects, the Ministry guidance has schools offer Physical Education and ICT skills to all learners, plus a pastoral or religious programme. These support life skills but do not count among the seven examined subjects. A report by Teachers Updates on the Ministry circular lists a 40-lesson week that includes these.
Not every school offers every subject
A Senior School must offer at least two pathways, but few schools offer every elective. Specialist subjects such as Aviation, Marine and Fisheries Technology or Music and Dance are only available in schools with the right facilities and teachers. That is why the school choice and the subject choice must be made together. Before listing schools, check which subject combinations each one actually offers.
Practical tips for Grade 9 families
- Start from two or three possible careers and work backwards to the electives they need.
- Check whether those careers need Core Mathematics.
- Look at your child’s strongest learning areas in junior school; they are good evidence of fit.
- Pick schools that offer the full combination, not just the pathway name.
For more help, read how parents can help a Grade 9 child choose a pathway or try our CBC pathways hub.