Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) students are celebrating outstanding GCSE and Level 2 technical results.

The grades surpassed expectations and significantly exceeded targets despite the 150 Year 11 cohort spending a substantial part of the past two years studying online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Harvey Blackshaw, 16, achieved eight GCSEs including grade 9 in Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics and Computer Science, as well as a Level 2 Distinction in Systems Control in Engineering.

 

He will now progress to Ron Dearing’s sixth form to study Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Engineering, following his ambitions of securing an engineering degree apprenticeship.

Harvey said: “I didn’t think I’d achieve these results because of so much online learning during the pandemic.

“But we have so many resources at Ron Dearing UTC and our great teachers have been so willing to help us every step of the way. I’m really looking forward to sixth form.”

 

Molly Warburton, 16, achieved six GCSEs including grade 6 in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Literature and Art, as well as a Level 2 Merit in Engineering.

She will now go on to study Biology, Chemistry and English at Ron Dearing’s sixth form.

Molly said: “I was so nervous about my results, especially Maths, but I’m very happy. I worked so hard to complete the higher papers in my science exams and I’ve had great support from the teachers.

 

“It’s brilliant that we have access to Employer Partners because it gives us an advantage and opens up a lot of opportunities. I really enjoy being a Ron Dearing UTC student and I’d like to go to university to study dentistry in the future.”

Lloyd Redshaw achieved seven GCSEs including grade 7 in Biology, Maths, English Language and Computer Science, as well as Level 2 Distinction in Systems Control in Engineering.

He will now go on to study Double A-level Biology and Systems Control in Engineering at Ron Dearing’s sixth form in September, as he aims to become a microbiologist in the future.

 

He said: “I want to work in developing vaccines and finding cures for illnesses in the future. Coming to Ron Dearing UTC is helping me with that because the focus on science is great.”

Francesca Wilkes-Oliver, 16, achieved eight GCSEs including Level 9 in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as well as a Level 2 Distinction in Engineering Design.

She is staying at Ron Dearing UTC for her A-levels, and will study Physics, Maths, Biology and OCR Engineering.

 

Francesca said: “I was delighted and relieved when I opened my results. I’ve loved being at Ron Dearing so far and I’m really pleased to be staying on for A-levels.”

Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) is celebrating outstanding GCSE and Level 2 technical results as the school prepares to take on its highest ever number of sixth form students.

The grades surpassed expectations and significantly exceeded targets despite the 150 Year 11 cohort spending a substantial part of the past two years studying online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Almost 500 students applied for places at the school’s sixth form this year – the highest number of applications received since it opened its doors in 2017.

More than 350 students will now complete the sixth form across Years 12 and 13 from September, including 120 existing students who secured top marks progressing into Year 12, cementing the growing popularity of the school’s unique employer-led model of education.

Highlights of the GCSE and Level 2 technical results include:

• 81% of students achieved grades 4-9 in both English and Maths
• 62% of students achieved grades 5-9 in English and Maths
• 86% of students achieved grades 4-9 in Sciences
• 61% of students achieved grades 5-9 in Sciences
• 95% of students achieved grades 5-9 in technical specialisms, including Art and Design, Creative iMedia, Digital Technology and Engineering

 

The excellent results come one week after Ofsted ‘Outstanding’-rated Ron Dearing sixth form students achieved record A-level and Level 3 technical results for the fifth consecutive year, despite the disruption caused to their education by Covid-19. This followed the students’ first external exams, as their GCSEs in 2020 were based on teacher assessed grades.

The growth in the UTC’s sixth form numbers comes as work to expand and increase its capacity is underway.

The first phase of remodelling the existing building in Hull’s Kingston Square is due to be completed by the end of August.

This will include additional independent study space and new science laboratories, enabling the UTC to take on an additional 80 Year 12 students from September. The intake will increase to a further 120 students by September 2023, taking Ron Dearing’s overall capacity to 800.

The expansion plans also involve creating a new hi-tech learning centre in the former Central Fire Station next to the school, including a large sixth form centre.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “Just like with our Year 13 results last week, our Year 11 results are even better than the very strong teacher assessed grades our students achieved last year.

“The exam boards have stated they have adjusted the grade boundaries so that the number of top grades and passes awarded falls midway between the last set of external exams in 2019 and the teacher assessed grades. It means these results are even more impressive.

“It’s an amazing achievement considering all the challenges our students have had to overcome due to the pandemic and they have demonstrated incredible determination and resilience.

 

“I’m absolutely thrilled they have achieved the fantastic results they deserve and delighted they can go on to follow the courses they want to study next year.

“The overwhelming majority of students have chosen to continue their learning in our sixth form. It’s a huge relief we secured funding to extend our building and create the extra space we need to fit them all in!”

Ron Dearing UTC caters for students aged 14 to 19 and has a specialist focus on digital technology, art and design, creative digital and engineering. While 120 students will progress into Year 12 next month, 27 have secured a mixture of apprenticeships or places at further education colleges and three will embark on careers in the Armed Forces.

Richard Martin, Chair of the Governing Board at Ron Dearing UTC and Non-Executive Director at Major Partner Arco, said: “These brilliant results are further proof that our unique, employer-engaged approach to learning really works.

“Having fantastic education leaders, teachers and support staff working in close partnership with the region’s leading businesses not only ensures our students develop exceptional employability skills, but also supports them to achieve top class exam results.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the vital role our parents and carers play in supporting their children and our school. They’ve worked with us every step of the way.

“The students have met every challenge the pandemic has thrown at them and come out on top. They are amazing and truly deserve this success.”

Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, RB, Siemens Gamesa, Smith+Nephew and Spencer Group. The school is also supported by Hull City Council alongside many other Major Partners and Partners.

A former Ron Dearing UTC student has told of her excitement after completing the first year of an apprenticeship to become an Offshore Wind Turbine Technician.

Ryah Russell, 19, from west Hull, is completing the three-year apprenticeship with RWE Renewables, the third largest renewable energy generator in the UK and one of the largest electricity generators in the worldwide offshore wind sector and solar industry.

Studying at Coleg Llandrillo, a college in Llandudno, North Wales, Ryah has recently completed two weeks work experience at the Triton Knoll wind farm off the Lincolnshire coast during her summer break from college.

She shadowed her mentor, Dec Clarke, working 12-hour shifts to carry out maintenance tasks on wind turbines including tightening bolts, carrying out various checks and changing components.

Ryah, who achieved a double Distinction* in Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC before leaving in summer 2021, said: “I absolutely love my apprenticeship and it’s such a good experience.

 

“My two weeks on shift have made me want to carry on working and putting my skills into practice, even though I’ll be back at college and won’t be back on shift until next summer.

“During my shift, I lived on a Service Operational Vessel (SOV) in the North Sea and I had my own cabin. We call it a floating hotel, as it has a cinema and a gym.

“I was taken to the wind turbine by boat and the Authorised Technician carried out the safety checks before isolating the turbine and going through the list of jobs each day.

“How many people can say they’ve been to the top of a wind turbine? You definitely need a head for heights but it doesn’t feel so high when you’re inside – unless you look down the ladder!

“RWE Renewables is a great company to work for. I even had the opportunity to go the Houses of Parliament for a renewables event, meeting MPs and networking.”

Ryah is living in shared student accommodation in Chester with 11 other RWE Renewables Offshore Wind Turbine Technician apprentices from as far afield as Newcastle and Brighton and travels to college Monday to Friday.

 

She spent the first assignment-based year of her apprenticeship learning about the mechanical and electrical elements of engineering, while the second year will see her focus more on wind turbines, including hydraulics, with exams to complete.

She will start work at Triton Knoll in her third year, working two weeks on and two weeks off and completing a logbook of tasks, and will complete the course with an NVQ Level 3 in Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance, as well as a Level 3 Diploma in Wind Turbine Maintenance.

Ryah, who joined Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form in September 2019, said completing her studies at the Ofsted Outstanding-rated school set her up for success.

She said: “I knew I didn’t want a desk job. When Ron Dearing UTC’s Employer Partners came into school to speak to us, I found out more about apprenticeships and becoming an Offshore Wind Turbine Technician.

“Ron Dearing UTC helped us with mock interviews and interview skills and they really want you to succeed. They check how you’re getting on with applications and the staff are lovely and so supportive.”

 

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal and Head of Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s fantastic to see Ryah progressing so well in her apprenticeship and giving it her all, as she did with her studies at Ron Dearing UTC.

“This is an excellent opportunity with a brilliant company in a rapidly-growing and important industry. We’re looking forward to seeing more of our students following similar paths towards exciting future careers.”

Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) students have spoken of their delight after achieving outstanding A-level and Level 3 technical results.

This year’s results are even higher than the ones students achieved last year, when exams were suspended due to the pandemic and replaced with teacher assessed grades.

 

The school’s many success stories include Kelham Hillier, who has become the first Ron Dearing student to secure a place at the University of Cambridge after securing the highest possible grades in his chosen subjects.

He achieved a Distinction* in Engineering, A* in Maths, A* in Further Maths and A* in Physics, which confirmed his place to study a degree in Engineering at the prestigious university.

Kelham, 18, said: “I’ve really enjoyed my four years at Ron Dearing UTC. It’s given me an advantage because I can speak about engineering with first-hand experience after working with the school’s Employer Partners.

“I’m really looking forward to going to Cambridge now. It’s very exciting.”

 

Evie Hadfield achieved Distinction* in Art, Distinction* in Engineering and A in Maths and will go on to study a Project Management degree apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce in Derby.

Evie, 18, said: “My interview for Rolls-Royce was a few hours long and had three stages, including a formal interview and a presentation.

“There wasn’t anything they put in front of me that made me uncomfortable and that’s thanks to Ron Dearing UTC. They were a massive help.”

 

Haitam Amudi, 18, achieved an A in Biology, B in Chemistry and B in Maths.

He will now progress on to the University of Strathclyde, where he will study Prosthetics and Orthotics, and said: “I’ve had a great time at Ron Dearing and I’m sad to see it end, but I’m excited to go to Strathclyde and explore Glasgow.”

 

Kate Hickingbottom, 18, has secured a five-year degree apprenticeship in Research and Development at world-leading consumer health and hygiene company Reckitt, one of the school’s Founding Partners.

She achieved a Distinction* in Engineering, A* in Chemistry and A* in Biology. Kate said: “The Ron Dearing staff have really motivated us, given us extra help, prepared us for exams and supported us with any worries we’ve had.

“The teachers have been there every step of the way and helped us believe we could do it.”

 

Alan Strauhs, 18, secured an A in Maths, A in AS Further Maths and double Distinction* in Digital Technology.

He is three weeks into an apprenticeship at Hull-based smart tech firm Sauce, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, and said: “I’m delighted. Sauce is a great company to work for and I’m involved in some really exciting projects.”

 

Peace Umudjoro, 18, achieved a Distinction* in Art, Distinction in Engineering and C in Maths and will now go on to study a four-year degree in Architecture at Birmingham City University.

She said: “My whole family is moving to Birmingham and my mum has bought a house, so I had to get the grades!”

“The teachers helped us all the way through Covid and kept us focused on where we needed to be. I couldn’t have done this without them.”

Sixth form students at Ron Dearing UTC have achieved record A-level and Level 3 technical results for the fifth consecutive year, despite the disruption caused to their education by Covid-19.

This year’s results at the pioneering school are even higher than the outstanding grades students achieved last year, when exams were suspended due to the pandemic and replaced with teacher assessed grades.

 

Half of the 128 Year 13 cohort have secured a place at university, including with the Russell Group of elite higher education institutions. The other half are destined for apprenticeships with leading businesses across the country, including with the UTC’s Founding and Employer Partners.

Highlights of the Ofsted ‘Outstanding’-rated school’s results include:

• 100% pass rate for the fifth consecutive year
• 55% of all grades are A or A*, an increase of 13% since 2021
• 93% of grades are A* to C, an increase of 1% compared to last year
• The average grade for A-levels is a B+, in line with 2021 teacher assessed grades
• The average grade for technical qualifications, including Engineering, Computing, Art and Design, and Creative iMedia, is a Distinction*, the equivalent to grade A at A-level and up from a Distinction last year.

The results follow the students’ first external exams, as their GCSEs in 2020 were based on teacher assessed grades because of Covid-19.

 

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We always knew that the return to exams would be exceptionally challenging for our students and for every young person across the country. Our Year 13 cohort’s education has been significantly disrupted by the pandemic.

“We were determined that we wouldn’t allow Covid-19 to jeopardise our students’ futures and our staff, Employer Partners, parents and students have worked phenomenally hard to ensure they remained engaged with learning during lockdowns and upon returning to face-to-face learning.

“We closely monitored their progress, identified any gaps and implemented highly-effective catch-up programmes. We also monitored their mental health and wellbeing and provided support where needed.

“Most importantly, we developed our students’ self-confidence, resilience and determination to succeed, despite the barriers they had to cope with.

“It’s a huge credit to them that they’ve responded so impressively, performed brilliantly and achieved such outstanding results. A massive well done to them all.”

 

The school’s many success stories include Kelham Hillier, 18, who has become the first Ron Dearing student to secure a place at the University of Cambridge.

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in its first official inspection in 2020, the school caters for students aged 14 to 19 and has a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering, offering a unique employer-led model of education.

This September will see the UTC’s largest ever intake of students, with work to expand and increase its capacity underway.

The UTC, which currently has 600 students and has been oversubscribed every year since it opened its doors in 2017, will welcome an additional 80 students for the next academic year. The intake will increase to a further 120 students by September 2023, taking Ron Dearing’s overall capacity to 800.

Work to remodel the existing building in Kingston Square, Hull city centre, is almost complete while a new hi-tech learning centre is also being created in the former Central Fire Station next to the school.

 

Richard Martin, Chair of the Governing Board at Ron Dearing UTC and Non-Executive Director at Major Partner Arco, said: “This year’s results are truly outstanding and I’d like to congratulate all Year 13 students for their unwavering hard work, determination and resilience.

“I’d also like to thank the entire fantastic Ron Dearing UTC team, our Founding and Employer Partners and parents and carers who’ve gone above and beyond to support each and every one of our students to be successful.

“Staff stepped in to cover colleague absences during the pandemic, which meant we didn’t use any supply teachers. We’re incredibly lucky to have such a driven and dedicated team.”

Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, RB, Siemens Gamesa, Smith+Nephew and Spencer Group. The school is also supported by Hull City Council alongside many other Major Partners and Partners.