Proud to be an FMAT Academy

Academy Life

Careers in Year 9

At this stage each student, together with their parents and guardians choose their GCSE or equivalent options. Students are given lots of information via assemblies, option evening/mini careers fair and during curriculum time to understand how GCSE / Vocational subjects relate to careers paths and employment.

From Year 9 onwards students are given more specific careers advice and guidance specific to the needs of each students. All students experience meaningful encounters at the annual careers fair and careers related workshops and visits as part of ‘futures week.’ Students are briefed about apprenticeships and labour market information as part of Apprenticeship week in March. They will also experience a more tailored visit to either a college, university or apprenticeship provider based on their feedback from their career’s questionnaire in the Summer term. Girls’ in Year 9 can participate in the annual Girls into Engineering challenge run by Amey PLC

Careers Entitlement

During Year 9 students will have:

  • Time to look at gender differences in the workplace, particularly the difference in pay and promotional prospects during timetabled Erdington Edge lessons.
  • The opportunity to consider an apprenticeship as a post 16 option.
  • Access to impartial careers information and advice via the career’s pages of the website and Unifrog careers platform

By the end of Year 9 students will:

  • Have used their developing knowledge of yourself and various career pathways to help make good option choices
  • Have reflected on what they have learnt about apprenticeships having visited the Apprenticeship fair in March.
  • Have the opportunity to have visited a more tailor-made university, college or apprenticeship provider based on your personal career reflections.
  • A 1:1 career’s interview with an independent, impartial advisor (available to students for whom the school feels it is the most suitable support).
  • Planned personal targets for Year 10


From Year 9 onwards students are given more specific careers advice and guidance specific to the needs of each students. All students experience meaningful encounters at the annual careers fair and careers related workshops and visits as part of ‘futures week.’ Students are briefed about apprenticeships and labour market information as part of Apprenticeship week in March. They will also experience a more tailored visit to either a college, university or apprenticeship provider based on their feedback from their career’s questionnaire in the Summer term. Girls’ in Year 9 can participate in the annual Girls into Engineering challenge run by Amey PLC

What our students say about Careers Education

Year 9 HPA Girls Engineering Amey Challenge

“This visit has helped me for the future as I had to stand up in front of lots of people, overcoming my anxiety and furthermore, I also learned how to work in a group and getting a range of ideas into something big.”

Year 9 Enrichment Day

“I had a great time visiting the college and it has opened my eyes to many different things. I would love to go again.”

Year 9 Apprenticeship Fair

“I found the apprenticeship fair very useful as it has made me think me about what I might be interested in and what to do next after Year 11.”

“Really grateful for the representatives as it really helped me understand what path I want to take post 16. I got really inspiring pep talks to strive as far as I can to get my best possible marks in my GCSE’s. I really do think it has helped me.”