Scarborough University Technical College Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the consistency of teaching, learning and assessment, including in the sixth form, by:
  • ensuring that teachers always have the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve
  • making sure that teachers set work that is pitched at the right level of challenge
  • ensuring that teachers check pupils’ understanding before moving on to the next phase of learning
  • taking further action to make sure that pupils take sufficient responsibility for their own learning and take pride in their work.
• Further improve pupils’ behaviour so that it does not disrupt the learning of others, by:
  • ensuring that all teachers apply the school’s systems for rewards and sanctions with consistency.
• Reduce the rate of persistent absence, by:
  • continuing to implement targeted strategies and monitoring their effectiveness
  • taking further steps with parents and carers to persuade them of the need for better attendance.
• Improve pupils’ understanding of the dangers posed by radicalisation and extremism, by:
  • quickly putting in place leaders’ plans to strengthen this aspect of pupils’ knowledge.
• Strengthen the effectiveness of leaders’ improvement plans, by:
  • ensuring that the strategy for improving attendance is included in the plan, so that governors can hold leaders to account more sharply for this priority
  • including milestones for each action, so that governors can monitor and evaluate leaders’ effectiveness in achieving identified targets
  • ensuring that the effect of other plans, such as the pupil premium strategy, are carefully checked and reviewed.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Over time, leaders have not created a consistent, school-wide culture of high expectations. Some pupils’ aspirations are low and some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. However, the recently appointed principal, supported by the governing body, has started to put this right.
• Led by the principal, leaders have the highest expectations of social behaviour among pupils and staff. Much of the time, respect and courtesy are the norm, but there are occasions when this is not the case and conduct from pupils towards staff is less strong.
• Leaders have rightly placed a high priority on the accuracy of their self-evaluation. In this regard, leaders are honest and searching, without offering up excuses. Their self-evaluation accurately captures the strengths, weaknesses and challenges facing the school. Leaders’ plans include almost all of the pressing areas for improvement.
• There is a clear intent behind leaders’ curriculum. It has breadth and balance, reflecting the required division of time between the ‘general education’ subjects of English, mathematics, geography, physical education, religious education and personal development and welfare; and the ‘technical education’ subjects of the school’s engineering specialism.
• Pupils feel well supported by the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities which are available, such as robotics, the ‘F1’ challenge, Russian, the Combined Cadet Force and drama.
• Leaders recognise the need to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment rapidly. Action has been taken to do so. It is variable in its effect to date, with inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school. Continuing professional development is starting to be used to improve teachers’ professional practice. Staff speak positively about the support they receive. Most are positive about the morale and motivation in the school.
• Leaders have invested significant time and energy into creating an accurate assessment process so that they can monitor and evaluate pupils’ progress. Appropriate steps have been taken to put checks in place to ensure that this information is credible, such as drawing on the expertise of the EBOR teaching school alliance. It is too early to judge the effectiveness and accuracy of this new system, as only one set of pupils’ progress information has been collected so far.
• A plan for the use of additional funding for the pupil premium is in place. It sets out a series of appropriate actions relating to the barriers often faced by disadvantaged pupils among the school’s cohort. The plan does not include analysis of the effect of previous years’ funding for the pupil premium, as plans were not written. As this is a new plan, at this point it is too early to judge its effectiveness.
• Leaders have taken steps to ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils describe a school that is generally tolerant and inclusive.

Governance of the school

• There has been substantial recent change to the composition of the governing body. This is to ensure that governors have the necessary skills and experience to strategically lead the school and hold leaders to account. As a result, governors have a clear appreciation of the challenges facing the school.
• Governors have the capacity to achieve their ambition. They share a common commitment and determination to improve the school’s performance quickly so that it is at least good. They ask pertinent questions of leaders, about such matters as pupils’ progress and attendance. However, while addressing appropriate topics, their questions are not probing enough of leaders to really ‘get under the bonnet’ of how things are going.
• Although there is a plan for school improvement in place, it does not enable governors to hold leaders sharply to account. This is because one of leaders’ priorities – attendance – does not feature in the plan. Also, there are no milestones for any planned actions, so governors cannot make accurate evaluations of leaders’ progress over time towards achieving their targets.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders’ processes for the vetting of staff who work in or visit the school are strong. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding are appropriately trained and ensure that staff are up to date in their training.
• Processes for the referral of vulnerable pupils are thorough and fit for purpose. Leaders maintain detailed records of safeguarding concerns, including minutes of meetings and agreed actions. Records show that there is timely communication between school and relevant professionals in other agencies.
• Leaders’ records indicate that there are few cases of bullying. Pupils agree with this view, telling inspectors that it is not a problem in school. Pupils said that since the appointment of the new principal, anti-bullying has been a major focus through assemblies, tutorials and other means. They are confident that if any bullying occurs, it is taken seriously by staff and dealt with quickly.
• Governors understand their responsibilities in respect of safeguarding. For example, they recently commissioned a safeguarding ‘health check’, conducted by the local authority. Recommended actions have been addressed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inconsistent. Across Year 10 and Year 11, between and within subject areas, there is variability. This inconsistency is as evident in the general education subjects as it is in the technical subjects. Consequently, pupils’ progress from their starting points is, at times, limited.
• Teachers’ planning does not consistently enable pupils to access the learning required. Sometimes, teachers set work which is not pitched at the right level. At these times, pupils’ acquisition of new knowledge, skills and understanding is not as strong as it should, or could, be.
• At times, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. Pupils told inspectors that it is not unusual for the work to be too easy and that teachers do not push them to move on to more challenging tasks. Work in pupils’ books shows variable progress and quality. Sometimes, teachers accept work which is untidy and incomplete.
• Pupils’ progress is sometimes limited because teachers do not check adequately that pupils have grasped the learning before moving on. Sometimes, teachers attempt to clarify important points but do not insist that pupils are quiet and attentive. Consequently, pupils often miss this necessary learning and misconceptions or gaps in understanding develop.
• Leaders know that teaching is inconsistent. They have introduced new policies and processes to enable them to improve the overall quality of teaching, learning and assessment quickly. As a result, pockets of stronger and more effective teaching exist. Teachers are beginning to adopt ‘The Scarborough UTC Way’ of teaching, but it is early days and is some way from being embedded.
• Leaders have placed importance on the teaching of literacy. While this is specifically targeted at pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), it has also been provided for a wider group of pupils. The school’s information shows that these strategies have been successful in improving pupils’ literacy skills by a substantial margin.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are inconsistent across the school. At times, pupils do not take sufficient responsibility for their own learning. Pupils do not consistently take enough pride in their work. For example, work is sometimes untidy and incomplete. Occasionally, pupils do not take opportunities to take on board the guidance from teachers about how to improve.
• Over time, leaders have not established an ethos which motivates pupils to work hard and be proud of their school. Some of the pupils spoken to by inspectors said that, sometimes, they do not push themselves to do as well as they could. Although some pupils spoke confidently and with pride about their work, others did not. A few pupils spoke disrespectfully to staff and around inspectors. In part, this is because not all pupils made active, positive choices to join the school for its specialist curriculum for engineering. There are signs that, under the new principal, this is beginning to change for the better.
• Leaders have put in place a comprehensive programme to teach pupils about aspects of life in modern Britain, including the faiths, cultures and traditions of others. A range of speakers in assemblies and visits to culturally important places are supporting pupils in their emotional development. Pupils are taught about the importance of tolerance, with pupils agreeing that school is generally a tolerant community. Leaders have recently increased the amount of teaching time given over to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. This includes, for instance, opportunities to consider issues such as discrimination, refugees and immigration.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school. They have been taught, for example, about: how to keep themselves safe online; the dangers of alcohol and drugs; grooming; gangs; and sex and relationships. Pupils are less clear about the dangers posed by radicalisation and extremism. Leaders plan to address this gap as a matter of urgency.
• Where leaders establish partnerships with providers of alternative education, they take appropriate steps to ensure that the personal development and welfare of pupils is carefully monitored.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• The behaviour of most pupils is generally sensible and considerate of others. At times, however, some pupils do not pay enough attention in class and they disrupt the learning of others by talking when the teacher is talking or by shouting out. Pupils told inspectors that the behaviour of some pupils disrupted their learning on occasions. A few parents believe that standards of behaviour are not always strong.
• There is inconsistency in the extent to which teachers uphold the school’s behaviour policy and processes, which limits the progress pupils make. On occasions, teachers ignore disruptive behaviour rather than challenging it. Pupils who wish to learn and to get on are frustrated by this inconsistency.
• The principal has recently introduced a new behaviour policy to address these pockets of poor behaviour. Pupils and staff agree that, since its introduction, behaviour is beginning to improve. However, as it is a new policy, it is too early to evaluate how effective it is being.
• While the rate of pupils’ overall attendance is good, the rate of persistent absence is too high and is above the national average. Leaders are aware of this and have taken effective action to introduce a new policy for pupil attendance. As a consequence, there are signs of emerging success in improving the attendance of pupils with previously very poor attendance records. However, there is more to do, and leaders require the support of parents in ensuring that their children attend school regularly.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Provisional outcomes information for the Year 11 pupils who finished key stage 4 in 2018, indicates that they made progress which was significantly below the national average across a range of subjects. However, this is not the most appropriate measure of performance for these pupils, as they started their education at the UTC partway through the period of time covered by the progress measure.
• Pupils currently in the school make variable, inconsistent progress. Progress varies within and between subjects, and across years. At times, pupils make strong gains in their learning as a result of effective teaching. At others, progress is poor or not as strong.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND make progress which is similarly variable, across a range of subjects and in both Years 10 and 11.
• Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that pupils secure appropriate next steps after Year 11. A substantial proportion of pupils stay on into the sixth-form provision at the UTC. The majority of remaining pupils progress to apprenticeships or further education establishments. The proportion of pupils who are not in employment, education or training is below the national average.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• Leaders have recently implemented a range of new processes that are beginning to have a positive effect on students’ progress. Early indications suggest that the quality of teaching that students receive is improving, as is progress when compared to the previous year. However, leaders have a significant body of work to do to ensure that students consistently make the progress of which they are capable and reach their potential.
• Teachers do not consistently challenge students sufficiently to improve their knowledge, skills and experiences to achieve their potential. At times, teachers allow students to submit work which is ‘acceptable’ rather than ‘stretching’. Some students told inspectors that they are often left to self-teach, whereas they would prefer more direct teaching from staff.
• At times, teachers do not check that students understand what they have been taught before moving onto the next stage of learning. This sometimes results in students not consolidating the knowledge that they need to take part effectively in the next learning objective.
• Leaders and managers ensure that the principles and requirements of the 16 to 19 study programme are met. They have developed a curriculum that places a significant focus on preparing students for careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, whether that be through further studies or through higher education, apprenticeships or employment.
• Leaders and managers have nurtured very effective relationships with a wide range of employers in Scarborough and the region. This ensures that students receive their entitlement to well-planned work experience to complement their studies.
• Students receive effective careers information, advice and guidance. Leaders ensure that students receive regular information at the start and throughout their studies to help them achieve their career objectives. All of the Year 13 students who completed their courses at the end of the academic year 2017/18 went on to appropriate higher education, apprenticeships or employment destinations.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142884 North Yorkshire 10059030 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Technical School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes University technical school 14 to 18 Mixed Mixed 201 50 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address John Pendleton Lee Kilgour 01723 821621 www.scarboroughutc.co.uk enquiries@scarboroughutc.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school opened on 1 September 2016. Its governance is through the Scarborough UTC Trust Board.
• The current principal was appointed in April 2018. The chair of the governing body was appointed in September 2018. A vice-principal and a new science leader have been appointed since September 2018. There are other new leadership appointments in English, mathematics and science. There are new teaching appointments in design and engineering. Currently, permanent posts in mathematics and engineering are vacant.
• The school is funded by the Department for Education. It is co-sponsored by: Hull University; North Yorkshire County Council; Schneider Electric; McCain; Boeing; Rosti; the Borough of Scarborough; Flamingo Land; Sirius; DSE; Wilmot Dixon; Siv; Beerhouse; the NHS; HSBC; Enterprise Partnership; the RAF; Alpamare; GCHQ; Severfield; Firmac; Plaxton; the Royal Navy and SWC.
• The key stage 4 curriculum is based around a split between ‘general education’ subjects (English, mathematics, physical education, religious education plus any other ‘academic’ subject), accounting for around 60% of curriculum time; and ‘technical subjects’ (the vocational specialism subjects, such as engineering), which account for around 40% of curriculum time. At post 16, these proportions of time are reversed.
• Pupils typically join the school at the start of Year 10 or Year 12.
• Most pupils are White British.
• Approximately four out of five pupils are boys.
• The school has links with one provider of alternative education, The Skills Village.
• The school has brokered support from the EBOR Teaching School Alliance.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a range of lessons in subjects across Year 10 to Year 13. On occasions, these visits were conducted jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors scrutinised examples of pupils’ and students’ work. The scrutiny of post-16 work was conducted jointly with a senior leader.
• Inspectors looked at pupils’ and students’ work when visiting lessons. They spoke to pupils and students as part of these visits.
• Meetings were held with: the principal; members of the governing body including the chair of the governing body; senior leaders responsible for pupils’ outcomes; for teaching, learning and assessment; for personal development, behaviour and welfare; for attendance and behaviour; for SEND; for the 16 to 19 study programmes; and careers guidance.
• Meetings were held with leaders responsible for safeguarding. A range of safeguarding documentation was evaluated. The school’s processes for the vetting of adults who work or visit the school were checked.
• Inspectors met with leaders of subject areas, with the special educational needs coordinator and with staff at an early career stage.
• An inspector spoke on the telephone with the Department for Education adviser with responsibility for the school. He also spoke on the telephone with a representative of the Baker Dearing Trust, the charitable trust with responsibility for UTCs.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils from key stage 4 and a student group from Years 12 and 13. Inspectors spoke informally with pupils and students around the school site and at social times.
• A range of documentation was considered, including: leaders’ self-evaluation and plans; processes for the assessment of the quality of teaching; continuing professional development plans; records and analysis of attendance and behaviour; bullying logs; minutes of governors’ meetings; records of visits by the Department for Education adviser; notes of visits by the teaching school alliance which works in partnership with the school and pupils’ progress information.
• Inspectors took into consideration 68 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, together with 20 free-text responses. They also took account of 21 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire and 31 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

Inspection team

Steve Shaw, lead inspector Paul Cocker

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector