Shireland Biomedical Utc

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff and parents agree that there have been improvements in Shireland Biomedical University Technical College (UTC) since it transferred to a trust. Pupils in key stage 3 are happy and appreciate that behaviour routines are now well embedded, which means that the UTC is calm and orderly.

Leaders have worked effectively to ensure that the UTC's physical organisation works well for all pupils, including opportunities for outdoor play and physical education. In the sixth form, students state that they are benefiting from the closer links with Birmingham City University, especially those which embed the UTC's biomedical mission.

Leaders have high expectations for... pupils' achievement.

However, there remains variability across the curriculum as to how well these expectations are realised. In the sixth form, there are more consistently high standards, whereas in Years 7 and 8 there remains inconsistency in some areas of the curriculum. The personal development curriculum remains underdeveloped too, including the range of opportunities offered to pupils as well as the uptake.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have redesigned the curriculum at Shireland Biomedical UTC. Pupils in key stage 3 now benefit from a cross-curricular key stage 3 'literacy4life' curriculum. This is an ambitious curriculum, where pupils' knowledge is mapped across a range of subjects.

In some examples seen, pupils of all abilities have learned the key knowledge across a range of subjects. However, leaders acknowledge that they have not had time to give sufficient training to all teachers to deliver 'literacy4life' across the curriculum to meet individual pupils' needs effectively.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified accurately.

On occasion, adaptations for them are too variable, which can mean they do not always achieve well.

Leaders are aware that pupils have variable reading ages on entry to the UTC. They do not yet have a fully developed approach to teaching reading skills for pupils with weaker reading skills.

This means that some pupils with weaker reading skills struggle to access the curriculum.

In the sixth form, there is more consistency around the delivery of the ambitious curriculum. Applied courses are a particular strength of the UTC.

Students on these courses are well supported to achieve well thanks to clear identification of the key knowledge they need to learn, and good use of assessment to check that all students have understood the learning. Students receive suitable careers information and are supported well with applications for post-18 destinations. High proportions of pupils apply successfully for university.

Leaders are working on enhancing the offer and uptake for the wider key stage 5 curriculum. Students in the sixth form have benefited from the close links established with Birmingham City University, especially in the sciences.

The UTC has clarified its expectations for behaviour, and new systems have been introduced to support pupils.

These have had a positive impact, as pupils are well-mannered, and there is a calm atmosphere in the UTC. The UTC works effectively with pupils who need support to meet its expectations. Attendance is high as leaders have been systematic in their approach to tackling poor attendance, and have successfully built relationships with families to ensure pupils are supported to attend the UTC regularly.

The UTC has introduced a trust policy for pupils' personal development. This includes work on pupils' personal, social, health and economic education as well as teaching them about respectful relationships. Leaders acknowledge there remains work to do to embed this curriculum fully.

There are a range of extra-curricular opportunities available, but leaders do not have clear oversight on the uptake of these opportunities. Pupils would like to expand the offer available to them. A student council has just been set up, but has yet to make a tangible difference to the operation of the UTC.

The advice pupils receive about the workplace and future destinations is effective, and draws appropriately on the UTC's healthcare specialism.

Leaders have worked extensively to improve all aspects of the UTC. This has included admitting pupils to Year 7 and developing a productive relationship with a new university partner in line with the UTC's healthcare speciality.

Trustees and members of the standards and performance committee are very well informed about decisions taken to improve the quality of education in the UTC. They discharge their legal responsibilities well, and consider staff's workload in all they do. Given the changes to staffing at all levels, the UTC has still to ensure that all leaders have a fully developed understanding of their roles and how to quality assure their areas of responsibility.

Early career teachers and teaching staff are well supported through a broad professional development offer.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge to deliver the curriculum, often because they have just started at the UTC.

This means they do not teach some subjects in the cross-curricular 'literacy4life' curriculum as leaders intend. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers have sufficient training on pedagogical content knowledge to be able to deliver the 'literacy4life' curriculum effectively across all subjects. Some learning activities are not adapted sufficiently for pupils' prior understanding.

This often includes pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils struggle to engage with tasks set, and others find them too easy. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers have training to adapt their teaching to take into account pupils' prior understanding, including pupils with SEND.

• Leaders do not consistently check how effectively improvements have been embedded in their areas of responsibility. As a result, trust leaders often have to support leaders in the UTC to ensure there is consistent application of agreed policies. Trust leaders need to ensure that leaders at all levels know how to monitor the impact of their work, so that there is increased consistency in all aspects of the UTC.

• The UTC's work on pupils' personal development is at an early stage. This means there are inconsistencies in the delivery of the agreed curriculum, and leaders are not clear on the uptake of the limited range of extra-curricular opportunities. The UTC needs to ensure that its plans for pupils' personal development are implemented consistently.

• Leaders have yet to implement their plans to support pupils with weaker reading skills. This means that some pupils are having difficulties in accessing the curriculum. Leaders should accelerate the support for weaker readers, to ensure that all pupils can read fluently to enable them to access the curriculum appropriately.