University Technical College Leeds

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are united in their vision to develop the next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators. This vision is realised at this inclusive school. Pupils are well supported by kind staff who are determined to help them to achieve highly.

The school supports students in the sixth form to progress to a range of highly ambitious next steps, including apprenticeship opportunities and higher education at university.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional. Staff create a calm and purposeful atmosphere, both in lessons and around the school.

Bullying is vanishingly rare. Pupils display a tangible and emerging professionalism as they grow in confidence ...and self-belief. They are confident to bring any concerns that they have to members of staff.

Pupils know they will be helped with any worries that they may have.

Leaders provide many broad opportunities for pupils to learn about different careers. Pupils work closely with employers on different projects, closely linked with each subject area.

The curriculum is brought to life as a result. Pupils of all ages gain significant opportunities to learn about the world of work and make highly informed choices about their next steps.

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

Leaders have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to gain in each subject that they study.

Teachers skilfully weave in opportunities to demonstrate how this knowledge links to the world of work. This brings subjects to life for pupils. Sponsors and employers play an active role in defining this knowledge and providing the workplace projects that play such an important role in driving the ambition that builds in pupils over time.

Pupils develop important workplace skills and start networking and building relationships with future employers. All of this contributes to the success that is seen in the sixth form as students complete their studies, ready for ambitious next steps.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and think carefully about how best to help pupils understand new information.

Teachers highlight where there are links to what pupils have learned in other subjects. As a result, pupils quickly build new knowledge and remember it over time. Pupils value the 'retrieval starters' that teachers regularly use to check where there may be gaps in their knowledge.

Pupils, including those in the sixth form, say that this helps them to remember what they have been taught before.

Staff know all pupils well. Those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum alongside their peers.

Teachers ensure that all pupils receive the support that they need. As a result, all pupils, including those with SEND, develop their independence, become increasingly confident and are well prepared for their next steps.

Leaders have rightly recognised the importance of ensuring that all pupils can read fluently.

Those pupils who need support to become more proficient readers are quickly identified when they start at the UTC. Specialist English teachers deliver a tailored programme of support. As a result, the majority of these pupils make rapid progress in reading more fluently.

Leaders have arranged further training for staff to strengthen this provision.

For some pupils, their previous experience of education has not been positive. For many, attending this school is a fresh start at something new and something different.

Some pupils live at a significant distance from the UTC. Despite recent train strikes resulting in longer journey times for some pupils, the great majority of pupils attend well. This is because of the value in which they hold their education here and their relationships with staff.

Pupils know that they are genuinely cared about. Leaders do everything possible to help those few pupils who struggle with attending school or with meeting leaders' high expectations for behaviour. Leaders' actions ensure that, over time, these pupils are supported to make better choices.

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. Sixth-form students appreciate the careers advice that they receive.

They are excited for their next steps, while recognising the importance of gaining their qualifications first. Leaders have recognised that pupils do not currently have a strong enough knowledge of different faiths and non-faith world views, as well as some other aspects of the 'values' curriculum. Leaders have taken recent steps to strengthen this curriculum, so that pupils are even better prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors know this school well. They play an important part in ensuring that the uniqueness of what it offers pupils and the community continues to strengthen. Governors hold leaders to account and check carefully that decisions taken are in the best interests of pupils.

Leaders, including governors, consider the workload and well-being of staff. A member of staff told an inspector, 'Everyone is happy here; we are all part of one team'. Many other staff gave similar comments.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff, including governors, receive regular safeguarding training and important updates on safeguarding issues. As a result, staff know the signs that suggest a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Staff report concerns over pupils' welfare promptly and leaders swiftly follow these up. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe from harm. Leaders check that those who travel a long distance to and from school have the knowledge and strategies to minimise any risks that they may face.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not have a sufficiently strong knowledge of different religions and non-faith world views. This is because the 'values' curriculum has not provided them with sufficient opportunities to learn this and other important knowledge from this curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the improvements made to the 'values' curriculum enable all pupils to learn the knowledge that leaders have highlighted, so that they are even better prepared for life in modern Britain.