Thinking about your Options?
Start shaping your future with the right choices.
Explore how the subjects and skills you’re learning now can lead to rewarding careers in Education & Early Years – a vital sector full of meaningful impact, nurturing young minds, and helping children thrive from their earliest steps. From teaching in classrooms and nurseries to supporting child development, planning engaging activities, and shaping the next generation, this is where empathy, creativity, and patience make a real difference.
Check what’s available at your school and remember: choosing a strong mix of creative, caring, and communication-focused subjects keeps your options wide open and your future full of possibilities.
Core subjects
What to study?
Relevant Year 9 Options Subjects
Closely Linked Subjects
🌍 Geography – Useful for exploring the world, environments, and cultures through play, helping children understand their surroundings and diversity.
🏥 Health and Social Care – Directly relevant for child welfare, safeguarding, health and safety, and supporting children’s physical and emotional needs.
📜 History – Valuable for introducing concepts of time, change, and storytelling, fostering curiosity through past events and personal histories.
⚖️ Religious Education – Supports understanding diversity, values, and moral development, while exploring festivals and cultural traditions with young children.
Linked Subjects
⚽ BTEC Sports – Valuable for promoting physical development, planning games and activities to build motor skills, coordination, and healthy habits.
💻 Creative iMedia – Useful for creating digital resources, media storytelling, interactive apps, photographing observations, and safe digital creativity
🔬 Triple Science – Provides understanding of biology (child development/health), chemistry (safe sensory play), and physics (movement/forces) for educational activities.
Career areas
Unlock Careers in Education & Early Years
See the exciting career areas you can unlock by studying subjects within the Education & Early Years Gateway. From inspiring the next generation in classrooms to supporting child development, shaping early learning experiences, and making a lasting difference in young lives, these pathways turn your passion for helping others into real-world impact.
The table below highlights the most popular and diverse roles currently in high demand—perfect starting points for your future.
Career Areas within this Gateway |
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| 👩🏫 Teacher
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📚 University Lecturer
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🧗 Outdoor Activity Instructor
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| 📋 Office Administrator
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🧪 Laboratory Technician
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📚 Librarian
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| 🥋 Karate Instructor
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🤝 Social Worker
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🔬 Research Scientist
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Post-16 opportunities
T Levels are a two-year qualification equivalent to three A Levels and combine classroom learning with an extended in-depth industry placement lasting at least 45 days. On completion, progression can be onto Higher / Degree apprenticeships, university or employment.
The course is offered at:
NSCG – View All Courses | NSCG
Stoke on Trent College – T Levels – Stoke-on-Trent College :Stoke-on-Trent College
A-levels are a 2-year programme ideal for students who want to study 3 subjects in depth and plan to progress onto university or a Higher apprenticeship. They can be a great option for learners who enjoy learning facts and theories, are good at exam assessment and are good at doing independent learning and research outside of the classroom.</>
Maths and Physics are important subjects for Engineering. Other relevant subjects include: Chemistry, Computer Science, Further Maths, Product Design
A levels are offered at the following local colleges and 6th Forms:
NSCG – A Levels and A+ Programmes | NSCG
City of Stoke on Trent 6th Form College – Courses Archive – City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College
St Thomas More – Sixth Form – St Thomas More Catholic Academy
St Josephs College – Sixth Form – St Joseph’s College
St Margaret Ward – Sixth Form Courses | St Margaret Ward
Apprenticeships can be a great option for learners who are ready for the work place and are sure about the job they want to pursue. Learners will have to find an employer to take them on by searching for apprenticeship vacancies and going through the employer’s recruitment process. Employers are generally looking for applicants who are self motivated, have a good standard of maths and English and are reliable and passionate about achieving their goals.
Search for Engineering & manufacturing vacancies by postcode Browse apprenticeships before you apply
Pre-apprenticeships are ideal for learners who want an apprenticeship but may not yet be work ready. Need to improve your maths and English, develop your confidence or gain some relevant work experience? If so, a pre-apprenticeship at a local training provider could be right for you.
Martec Training offer motor vehicle pre-apprenticeships Motor Vehicle Courses – Martec Training