Year 9 – Start Your STEM Journey Earlier
Think differently. Build something. Solve problems. Discover what you can do.
If you love science, technology, engineering, problem-solving or discovering how things work, Year 9 at WMG Academy Solihull could be the perfect place to start your future.
Joining WMG Academy in Year 9 gives you something different from a traditional secondary school experience. You will become part of our business-like, business-led STEM community, learning in a professional environment with specialist facilities, industry-standard equipment and links to some of the UK’s biggest employers.
It is a chance to design, create, experiment, investigate and solve real problems – while building the academic knowledge you will need to succeed when you begin your GCSE courses in Year 10.
To apply for Year 9, click here. Applications close on 1st November.
A foundation year for your future
Year 9 is not simply an early start to GCSEs – it is a broad, balanced and exciting foundation year designed to give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to make the most of Years 10 and 11.
You will study core elements of the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum while also experiencing the technical, practical and employer-led learning that makes WMG Academy different.
Your core curriculum
Throughout Year 9, you will study:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Engineering Manufacture
- Physical Education
- RSHE
These subjects will give you a strong academic foundation while developing the communication, mathematical, scientific and technical skills you will need throughout your time at WMG Academy.
Explore. Create. Innovate.
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.
Each block will be built around a clear challenge or project, bringing together different areas of the curriculum and giving you opportunities to apply what you have learned.
Learn like an engineer
At WMG Academy, learning does not stop at the classroom door. Our Year 9 curriculum will help you develop the skills that universities and employers value, including:
- problem-solving and critical thinking
- creativity and innovation
- teamwork and collaboration
- communication and presentation
- project management
- resilience and independence
- practical and technical skills
- professional behaviours and confidence
You will have opportunities to work on practical and interdisciplinary projects, applying knowledge from subjects such as maths and science to the kinds of challenges faced in the real world.
Connected to industry from Year 9
WMG Academy was created to bring education and industry together.
Our partnerships include organisations such as Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, National Grid, Bosch, Prodrive, Severn Trent, Balfour Beatty and the University of Warwick, helping us connect learning with the world beyond school.
Employer engagement is built into the WMG Academy experience through our curriculum, careers programme and wider Enrichment Programme, helping you discover different industries, careers and opportunities while you are still deciding where your interests might take you.
Whether your ambition is to become an engineer, software developer, scientist, designer, entrepreneur or technology specialist – or you simply know that you enjoy STEM and want to explore where it could lead – Year 9 gives you the opportunity to start discovering your future.
Ready for Year 10 – and everything beyond it
By the end of Year 9, you will already know our teachers, facilities and expectations. You will have developed practical and professional skills, explored different areas of STEM and built strong foundations in your academic subjects. That means that when you progress into Year 10, you can concentrate on taking the next step and succeeding in your GCSE and technical qualifications.
And your journey does not have to end there. WMG Academy Solihull offers a specialist STEM Sixth Form with pathways including A Levels, technical qualifications and T Levels, helping students progress to university, higher and degree apprenticeships and employment.
Your future in STEM could start sooner than you think.
To apply for Year 9, click here. Applications close on 1st November.
Please note that students wishing to join WMG Academy in Year 9 in September 2027 will have a date of birth between 1st September 2013 and 31st August 2014.