Year 9 – Building the Foundations

Year 9 is an exciting introduction to the distinctive WMG Academy experience. It provides a broad and balanced foundation year before students begin their formally examined Key Stage 4 courses in Year 10.

It is deliberately not a three-year GCSE programme. Instead, students have time to strengthen their academic foundations, explore different areas of STEM, develop practical and technical skills and become confident working in our professional, industry-focused environment.

Students also have an additional year to build relationships with teachers, become familiar with our specialist equipment and facilities and develop the professional skills and behaviours expected at WMG Academy.

The Year 9 Curriculum

Students study a core curriculum throughout the year including:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Engineering Manufacture
• Physical Education
• RSHE

Alongside your core subjects, you will take part in a series of exciting six-week thematic blocks covering:

• Enterprise – Explore ideas, innovation, business and project management. Learn how organisations turn ideas into products and how teams work together to deliver successful projects.
• Digital – Develop your understanding of the technology shaping our world. You could explore areas including coding, digital systems and electronics, developing the skills to become a confident creator of technology – not simply a user of it.
• Design – Turn ideas into reality through creative and practical challenges. Develop your design thinking, problem-solving and technical skills while learning about engineering, manufacturing processes and how products are developed.

Through these blocks, students explore areas including Art, Design, Business, IT, Computer Science and Electronics, giving them the opportunity to discover different interests before progressing into Key Stage 4.

Learning Through Projects

Year 9 introduces students to the practical, project-driven approach that makes WMG Academy different.

Students develop skills including coding, circuit design, manufacturing, design and project management, while also strengthening teamwork, resilience, communication and problem-solving. Projects encourage students to bring learning from different subjects together to respond to challenges inspired by the way people work in modern STEM industries.

Employer engagement and enrichment are built into the experience, giving students early opportunities to meet professionals, learn about different careers and understand where their interests could take them.

Assessment in Year 9

Assessment is designed to show how students are developing both their knowledge and their ability to apply it. Students complete project work, subject assessments and regular checkpoints.

Their work is assessed through five learning domains:

• Knowledge & Inquiry
• Planning & Design
• Application
• Analysis & Reflection
• Technical Communication

Progress across these areas is brought together and reported through six mastery bands:

Foundation → Developing → Competent → Proficient → Advanced → Specialist

Targets are informed by baseline information, including students’ CAT4 profiles, helping us understand individual strengths and identify where additional challenge or support may be needed.

By the end of Year 9, students are ready to enter Year 10 with strong foundations, established study habits and a clearer understanding of the subjects, skills and careers that interest them.