Staff and students at University Technical College (UTC) Leeds have reason to celebrate this week after their latest Ofsted report was published. The UTC was rated ‘Outstanding’ in two areas and ‘Good’ overall, a marked improvement from its last inspection in 2019.
UTC Leeds, based at the former Braime works on Hunslet Road, is one of less than 50 University Technical Colleges in the country. These provisions offer secondary and post-16 education specialising in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) to give young people a head start and hands-on experience in the sector.
Ofsted inspectors praised the quality of teaching and learning at UTC Leeds, stating that “Pupils work closely with employers on different projects, closely linked with each subject area. The curriculum is brought to life as a result.”
Inspectors were particularly impressed with the college’s Sixth Form provision, awarding it ‘Outstanding’ status. The report praised the “many opportunities for pupils to engage with the world work and to learn about the variety of careers that are available,” which “fuel pupils’ aspirations.”
The dedication of students themselves was also highlighted in the report, which awarded UTC Leeds an ‘Outstanding’ for behaviour and attendance. Inspectors noted that “pupils display a tangible and emerging professionalism as they grow in confidence and self-belief.” They say that pupils attend well “because of the value in which they hold their education and their relationships with staff.” They added that “pupils know that they are genuinely cared about.”
Hannah Wilson, Principal of UTC Leeds, said,
“We are absolutely delighted that the Ofsted inspection team recognised the ‘life changing’ opportunities we offer our community. We are always extremely proud of the exceptional destinations our young people achieve each year; they are phenomenal and again, we are delighted that Ofsted recognised this and that this is a result of our Outstanding Sixth Form provision. Ultimately, Ofsted recognised that UTC Leeds is driven by our dedicated team of staff, and their happiness creates a positive, reinforcing environment for young people to thrive.”
Leaders at UTC Leeds will continue to drive improvements over the coming months and years with the hope of securing ‘Outstanding’ in all areas in their next Ofsted inspection.
Selected Quotes
“Leaders and staff are united in their vision to develop the next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators.”
“Pupils are well supported by kind staff who are determined to help them to achieve highly.”
“Pupils display a tangible and emerging professionalism as they grow in confidence and self-belief.”
“Pupils work closely with employers on different projects, closely linked with each subject area. The curriculum is brought to life as a result.”
“Pupils develop important workplace skills and start networking and building relationships with future employers.”
“Pupils know that they are genuinely cared about.”
“There are many opportunities for pupils to engage with the world of work and to learn about the variety of careers that are available to them. This fuels their aspirations.”
This post is based on a press release issued on behalf of UTC Leeds
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