UTC South Durham

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 March 2024

The main purpose of UTC South Durham is to ensure that pupils are career and life ready. This determines all aspects of their experience at the UTC. From their regular engagement with local employers, including work placements, pupils of all ages are ready for the world of work. Students, in key stage 5 particularly, are confident and articulate. They introduce themselves assuredly to visitors and shake hands. The UTC has a professional and productive atmosphere. Pupils and staff interact respectfully, on first name terms. Pupils value being treated as adults and rise to this responsibility. From the moment of their arrival, pupils are prepared for their next steps. Consequently, they progress to strong destinations. The number of pupils moving onto high-level apprenticeships is notable. Local companies appreciate the employability of pupils who have attended the UTC. Pupils thrive at this school, including those who have disengaged with education elsewhere. Parents and carers appreciate the transformative experience the UTC has been for their children. This is evident in the regular attendance and positive behaviour of pupils. Many pupils have had difficult experiences in education, including extended periods of absence, prior to joining the UTC. These pupils enter with low academic starting points. Most make effective progress. Leaders are focused on ensuring the academic experiences of pupils match the quality of the UTC's technical provision.

What the school should improve

• Some staff do not use the UTC's assessment systems effectively. This means gaps in pupils' learning are sometimes missed and future teaching is not adapted to fill these gaps. The school should ensure that strong systems are in place to ensure assessment is used most effectively to inform teaching and support pupils' progress through the curriculum.
• In some instances, staff do not adapt their teaching sufficiently so that all pupils make progress from their starting points. This means that pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not make as much progress as they could. The school should ensure that teaching is adapted so that all pupils make strong progress through the curriculum.
• The school's quality assurance systems are not precise or rigorous enough consistently. This means that the school's plans to secure improvement are not sufficiently focused. The school should ensure that there is clarity in systems and sufficient rigour in the evaluation of these.

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