UTC Oxfordshire

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 December 2023

Pupils are excited about the opportunities provided that will help them to pursue careers in science and engineering. The school's curriculum offer gives each pupil a good understanding of the industry they would like to work in and how to get there. This confidence stems from the thorough workplace preparation that pupils receive and the school's ethos of support and ambition. Pupils value their teachers' expert knowledge. Detailed learning across subjects is linked so pupils develop the different skills they need in readiness for their future career plans. Lessons are positive, where pupils enjoy debating and testing their knowledge with their teachers and classmates. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are sensitively supported to fully participate in class discussions and learning activities. Pupils benefit from the school's close links to local businesses and other organisations. They develop a detailed knowledge of industry local to the school. They are helped to develop a broad range of skills beyond their academic qualifications. When describing their experience of school, pupils explain how the school's environment reflects what they imagine they will find in the workplace. In response, the majority of pupils show a mature attitude to their learning.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, leaders have not yet precisely set out the detail and sequence of knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils' knowledge does not always build sequentially and that teachers can find it more difficult to identify if pupils have gaps. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum in all subjects specifically sets out the knowledge that pupils need to learn, and when they need to learn it.
• The school has not ensured that all teachers consistently teach the intended curriculum and sufficiently check that pupils have learned what they need before moving on to new learning. This means that pupils are not always learning as much as they could. Leaders must develop teachers' expertise to enable them to explore what pupils know and remember and to identify any gaps in knowledge and skills that need to be remedied.

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