Derby’s University Technical College (UTC) Launches Public Consultation to Lower Student Recruitment Age

Sunday 8th September 2019

Derby Manufacturing UTC has launched a public consultation on proposals to recruit younger students from the age of 13 starting in September 2020.

Students currently join the UTC at the age of 14 in Year 10 or at the age of 16 in Year 12, and complete technical as well as academic qualifications including GCSEs and A Levels.

Young people, parents, employers, and the wider public, are being encouraged to have their say on the proposals which would see students being able to apply to join the UTC in Year 9 from September 2020.

The proposal to admit Year 9 students is part of an agreement for the Derby Manufacturing UTC to join Sheffield UTC Academy Trust. Under this agreement, Derby’s UTC will relaunch as part of the Sheffield UTC Academy Trust on 1stNovember 2019 pending final sign off of legal agreements.

The Sheffield UTC Academy Trust is at the forefront of UTC developments across England, with two UTCs graded Ofsted ‘Good’. Both Sheffield UTCs offer Year 9 places and have been successful in recruiting substantial cohorts of Year 9 students

The government’s new 0-9 GCSE specifications promote three years of study rather than two to improve outcomes for young people and many schools now start GCSE preparation from Year 9. The proposal to allow students to join Derby’s UTC from age 13 will allow students to join at the start of their three-year GCSE curriculum.

Admission of Year 9 students will not require additional buildings or capital investment at the UTC as a small change in each year’s planned admission numbers to 120 in every year group would keep to the maximum capacity of 600 students.

For further information on the proposal to admit Year 9 students and adjust published admission numbers, please download the Year 9 consultation briefing document and complete the online survey available on our website at: https://www.derbymanufacturingutc.co.uk/about/year-9-consultation.

An open event is being held at Derby Manufacturing UTC on Tuesday 24th September from 4.00pm – 5.30pm when there will be an opportunity for young people, parents, educators, employers and the wider public to hear from Nick Crew, Executive Principal of Sheffield UTC Academy Trust and Richie Wheatcroft, Principal of Derby Manufacturing UTC.

The consultation will close at midnight on October 20th 2019.

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