Aylesbury UTC

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 May 2024

Pupils value their work-related learning, the focused careers provision they receive and the opportunities they are given to explore their learning with adults. They are mature in their ability to question and debate. Pupils spoken to are confident to discuss the positive experiences they have at Aylesbury UTC, along with areas they think could improve. Pupils on the health and digital learning pathway appreciate the industry-quality resources that they have access to. In these specialist areas, pupils develop the specific technical knowledge that they need to enter the workforce. In other curriculum areas, there is more to do to ensure that the curriculum is improved further. The UTC has encountered several staffing issues since the last inspection. The appointment of the new principal is now ensuring there is a focus on further improving the curriculum. This is needed, as some aspects of pupils' education are not yet good enough. Pupils feel safe and know that there are adults whom they can talk to if they have concerns. They recognise the pastoral care available to them, and once they have benefited from this attention, they appreciate how individualised it is. However, some pupils say that they are reluctant to use this support or report instances of poor behaviour. The UTC recognises this and is making changes to help pupils feel able to access any of the support which is on offer.

What the school should improve

• Pupils do not attend regularly enough. This means that pupils' education is fragmented, leading to gaps in their knowledge. The school must continue to ensure that its new attendance processes are used consistently to improve pupils' attendance.
• In many subjects, processes for checking pupils' understanding are not effective. New concepts and ideas are introduced before pupils are ready, meaning that pupils do not learn as much as they should. Routines must be put in place to help all staff to check pupils' understanding accurately and identify what needs to be taught next.
• While pupils with SEND receive planned support, systems for regularly checking its effectiveness are not in place routinely. This limits the progress that pupils can make. The school must ensure that all pupils with SEND benefit from precise targets and regular reviews which involve both parents and pupils.
• Behaviour systems and processes are not used consistently. This means that clear and reliable expectations are not always in place to support pupils to behave as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that all staff are able to promote positive behaviour through consistent, shared expectations.
• An effective curriculum for personal development is not in place for all year groups. This means pupils do not benefit from a curriculum that extends beyond the academic, vocational and technical learning. Carefully planned programmes to promote pupils' personal development must be implemented in both key stage 4 and key stage 5.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)