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Stanground Academy

Year 9 Pathways Options

Dear parent and year 9 student

In the Spring term of year 9, students are invited to choose their options subjects to study throughout year 10 and 11. We offer a broad range of subjects providing either a GCSE or vocational delivery and assessment. The start to the new term begins a schedule of activities to help prepare all year 9 students to make informed option choices. These choices will be the first step towards their career pathway, and the aim of this program is to help students understand what opportunities are available to them for future employment. In addition, we hope this experience will encourage students to be aspirational in their career choices and ambitious in their next steps in life.  

Below is an overview of the variety of activities which will be taking place over the spring half term: 

Activity 

Life skills lessons 

These weekly lessons focus on careers and options pathways using our Careers platform called UniFrog. All year 9 students will receive a personal login to build their career profile. This platform will be used throughout their key stage 4 and 5 journey while at Stanground Academy.  

https://www.unifrog.org/ 

All students will partake in a one-to-one meeting with their Life Skills teacher to discuss, review and plan their option choices.  

Assemblies 

A weekly career focus assembly led by our Director of Ambition, Head of Year, Stanground alumni, Senior Leader for Curriculum and external careers lead from NEACO. Each assembly will help to inspire, support and guide students through understanding their career pathway.  

https://www.takeyourplace.ac.uk/about/about-neaco/ 

Tutor Time 

Curriculum leaders will be designing a weekly presentation that informs students about careers linked to their subjects/courses. This will inform students about the direction studying our option subject could take them into a variety of possible careers. There will be two presentations taking place each week over the half term.  

Aim A Little Higher presentation 

During an extended tutorial session, all year 9 students will be attending a Keynote presentation led by the company called ‘Aim a little higher’. This is a motivational company who help to inspire students to be ambitious and secure a student’s self-belief to achieve their full potential.  

https://www.aimalittlehigher.com/assembly 

Careers Fair 

A range of local companies, colleges and universities attend our specially careers fair organised by our Director of Ambition. Year 9 students will have an allocated time to visit our careers fair to speak to all of the invited representatives about the opportunities available to them in our local community and wider neighbouring towns/cities.  

Careers Taster sessions 

The range of option subjects available to study at Key Stage Four extends beyond our core Key Stage Three curriculum. During this week, students are given the opportunity to ‘taste’ the nature of these new subjects. Students will experience what it is like to study these new subjects and are able to ask the teacher questions about the course and the nature of assessment.  

Options Fair (with core subject parents evening)  

A uniquely designed evening where parents/guardians are invited to attend an Options Fair with their child. This evening will open with a formal presentation led by the Senior Leader for Curriculum introducing the options subject selection process.  

You and your child will receive their latest Progress Check report. Using this information, families will then attend the options fair where each subject lead hosts a stand giving the opportunity for parents to meet subject teachers to learn about the course content and assessment. You will be able to engage in purposeful conversations with your child’s class teacher about the option subjects which are of interest based on preference and latest academic success.  

In addition, at a specified time, a parents evening appointment with your child’s English, Math's and Science teacher will take place. In these meetings you will learn about the progress being made, your child’s knowledge gaps and their next steps ready to embark on the Key Stage four learning journey.  

Options subjects are chosen 

Over the half term, all year 9 students will make their option choices through an online link to an MS-Form. We strongly recommend this is a process completed with both the parent and the child together, based on the ‘Option Journey’ experience and advice from your child’s teachers.  

This ‘options journey’ is designed to support and encourage your child to embrace the new possibilities that await them as they embark on their first steps to their future career. We believe every child has the opportunity to flourish in their chosen career pathway and together we will help them throughout this process.  

Year 9 Options Parent Information 2023 1 - YouTube

 

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions regarding any stage of this process, please email this address: optionenquiries@stangroundacademy.org and a response will be made within 48 hours. 

Kind regards

Mrs Amy Copland

Senior Assistant Principal - Curriculum