A Year 11 student has become the first from Ron Dearing UTC to be invited to a national summer school for the UK’s elite young mathematicians.

Kelham Hillier, 16, was one of about 40 students to take on this year’s Intermediate Mathematical Challenge in school, with an ambition to progress into further rounds of the national competition.

The initial challenge was a 60-minute, multiple-choice competition designed to make students across the UK think, encouraging mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve problems – all without the use of a calculator. It was taken under exam conditions and the results were marked externally.

Although Kelham was one of five students to receive the top gold award and progress into the next round of the challenge, he has now become the only student – and the first ever from Ron Dearing UTC – to be offered a place at the summer school following his outstanding performance.

He is one of just 48 students nationally to receive an invitation and is among the top 1.5% of those who entered the challenge across the country.

Kelham said: “I didn’t expect to get to this point and I’m really happy and overwhelmed. I would like to go into a career involving maths, as I love problem-solving and getting to the root of something.

“It’s nice and gratifying to know I’m one of the best in this subject. I’m looking forward to meeting other people at the summer school and being able to push maths as far as I can while learning new things.”

Organised by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT), the summer school is one of four planned to take place in July and August, with the 57^th event to be held at Woodhouse Grove School, in Leeds, from July 26 to 31. It will be led by experienced educators, who are enthusiastic mathematicians and UKMT charity volunteers.

Kelham is no stranger to success after claiming six awards at our annual Celebration of Achievement Evening last year, including the University of Hull Award for Academic Excellence.

Lisa Regan, our Lead Practitioner, said: “We are thrilled to have students of Kelham’s quality at Ron Dearing UTC.

“His achievement shows how hard he has worked on his mathematical knowledge and the application of that to solve problems.

“His enthusiasm shines through and he is among an elite group of students who have been invited to the summer school from across the country.

“It will be an opportunity for Kelham to meet with like-minded students, get a better view of future career possibilities and potentially look at new avenues of study he hasn’t considered before.”

Other students also entered the challenge, with bronze awards secured by eight Year 10, four Year 11 and five Year 12 students, and silver certificates awarded to three Year 10, one Year 11 and four Year 12 students.

Gold awards were secured by two Year 10 and three Year 11 students, including Kelham, and they all progress to the Pink Kangaroo round, a 60-minute, multiple-choice competition consisting of 25 problems.

Meanwhile, three Year 12 and one Year 13 student also competed in a Senior Team Challenge against other students from the local area in November 2019. Although they didn’t place, Lisa said they showed excellent teamwork and skill in solving complex mathematical problems.

Lisa added: “Our students have been entering the UKMT events for the last three years, but this year’s cohort really are exceptional, with five Intermediate students getting through to the next round.

“All problems set by the UKMT are calculated with only pen and paper, so strong numeracy skills are absolutely essential, which is something we have a real focus on as soon as students join us in Year 10.”

Our Engineering Design students at have created their own versions of smart thermostats in a project set by leading experts in the heating industry, Ideal Boilers.

The brief, set by the Research & Development and Internet of Things teams at Ideal Boilers, challenged Year 11 students to research the innovative product and the current variations on the market.  They then had to design and prototype their own smart thermostats, using digital technology and 3D printing techniques.

Following the entire design process, they drew 2D sketches and created cardboard prototypes before generating digital 3D models using the skills required by engineers employed by Ideal Boilers, one of the school’s Major Partners.

40 Year 11 students completed the project as part of their OCR National qualification.  It was so successful that it is now being repeated with 60 Year 10 students.

 

Glenn Jensen, our Head of Engineering and Employer Projects, said: “The students’ 3D work is absolutely fantastic. It’s very unusual for students of this age to use software like this and they have really enjoyed it.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to have a project which follows industry, step by step, and goes through the same problem-solving and thought processes that you would find in a design department.

“The backing from Ideal Boilers has been excellent in terms of supplying the brief, which gets the students thinking about sustainability and design, enabling them to live that process and communicate it professionally to people in industry.”

Glenn said the students had to carry out thorough research for the project and check it against the brief, creating the prototype before final production. Manufacturing, sustainability and materials were also carefully considered in the design process, particularly from an environmental perspective.

Glenn said: “The plastic they’ve used to create their designs using the 3D printers is 100% recyclable and biodegradable and any scrap is recycled into fresh materials. The importance of sustainability is really important to us at Ron Dearing UTC and our students are very environmentally aware.”

The 3D designs, including the thermostat casing and shell, were created using 3D printers from Hull-based digital design and fabrication experts NFire Labs Limited, based at C4DI , Hull’s innovative Digital Tech Hub.

Ideal Boilers, which has more than 100 years’ innovation and experience in the heating industry, also works with local companies to create global products, including leading C4DI-based software company, Sauce.  Sauce is the tech partner that designed the software behind Ideal Boilers’ smart heating systems.

Dr Elaine Lancaster, Chief Technical Officer at Ideal Boilers, based in National Avenue, west Hull, said: “As we grow and expand in the digital technology sector for future products, projects like this really help students to understand the type of technology we may be looking for in the future and it is a pathway for student development.

“It has been wonderful to hear how engaged the students have been. This experience will make them more equipped for jobs and this is how we can create ready-made engineers of the future.”

Year 11 student Kelham Hillier, 16, who completed the project, said: “It taught me a lot about how I can improve the way I think about design and I really enjoyed it. I definitely think this is a path I could take in the future.”

 

Fellow student Amy Rickles, 16, added: “I gained a lot of computer-aided design (CAD) skills and found out how to create engineering drawings linked to design ideas and thermostat shapes.  I would like to be an engineer and design buildings. Doing a project like this gives me ideas for the future and the type of software I could use.”

Year 12 students embraced life through a lens to capture “urban Hull” after taking part in photography masterclasses.

The diploma group of 14 students at Ron Dearing UTC completed a practical digital photography unit as part of their coursework and teamed up with local creative lead Luke Thornton, Managing Director of Influence Media, who shared his picture-taking knowledge and skills.

The students had to follow a high-level brief and take a series of professional images of “urban Hull”, showing how the city has changed and developed over the years. They were asked to take pictures to suit a glossy magazine and related online platforms.

As part of the project, they visited tech hub C4DI in Hull’s Fruit Market for a photography workshop with Luke and took part in a research tour of the city, including the Fruit Market, High Street and Hull Minster.

The project included meticulously planning the visit through the pre-production stage of the project over several weeks, including risk assessments and using Google Earth to map out and plan locations.

Luke said: “We went through everything that goes into taking the perfect picture, including pre-production and technical camera skills, right the way through to post-production and using industry-standard software, such as Photoshop.

“I took the students through real-life client briefs received over the years, so they have a true understanding of what goes on in the real world of photography.

“It’s not just about the picture, it’s about your relationship with the client, understanding them and making sure you over-deliver each and every time.

“The students were all very receptive and enthusiastic, they asked good questions and they got the most out of the experience. I was really impressed.”

Kate Blowman, Art and Creative Digital Teacher at Ron Dearing UTC, said the students were also encouraged to look at the smaller details of Hull, such as the cobbles, so they could be as creative as possible with their photography.

She said: “Rain during the afternoon didn’t deter them and the weather made their pictures look even more urban. They had to take about 200 pictures and they chose their favourite 10 to edit.

“C4DI is a thriving environment and it was a great place for the students to work on this project because they were treated like professionals, and they needed to work to deadlines. Luke taught them how to edit and copyright images for print, or online use, getting them ready for publication.

“We wanted to take the learning out of the classroom and help them to realise what it’s like working in a real-life environment.”

Some of our top female tech talent have attended an inspiring and empowering “Lunch & Learn” session hosted by one of our Major Partners, leading technology company APD Communications.

Hull-based APD supplies critical, life-saving software to police forces and emergency services organisations across the UK and supports critical control operations internationally.

 

APD Senior Software Tester Keeley Barrick led the presentation to a group of female sixth formers, plus one Year 10 student, with fellow APD colleagues Wendy Hiley, Talent Business Partner, and Jo Ward, Head of Development Delivery.

The interactive session looked at the past achievements of female tech pioneers, including 19^th century mathematician and visionary Ada Lovelace, known as “the prophet of the computer age”.

Keeley moved on to discuss present-day examples of influential women in tech such as Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and YouTube Chief Executive Officer Susan Wojcicki.

Keeley said: “It’s extremely important to encourage the next generation of women into tech careers because the proportion of females in this industry is still so small.

“Hull is a great area for growing talent and all the initiatives by companies such as APD and by Ron Dearing UTC give more hope and opportunity to students and graduates to go for a career in technology.

“These female students show how attitudes are changing. Hopefully they will be inspired to overcome gender stereotypes and progress into tech careers.”

 

Year 12 engineering student Ellie Clayton said: “I’m interested in working for Smith & Nephew or Siemens, who are both Ron Dearing UTC partners. They’re big companies and lots of people want to join them, but I think having high aspirations just helps you to work harder.

“I also used to want to work for the police but until today’s Lunch & Learn event with APD I didn’t realise there were so many tech jobs within the police service. It’s quite inspirational to see what we can do.”

Year 10 student Zoe Brown said: “Most jobs in tech are male dominated, so it’s important to see females in top roles in software companies. It shows girls they can get jobs in tech.”

Other topics covered in the lunchtime session included how gender bias can deter females from choosing careers in technology and how more role models were needed to encourage women into the tech roles.

The nine engineering, maths and computer science students then heard about how forward-thinking APD empowers its workforce regardless of gender, with many women in senior positions at the company.

Wendy Hiley said: “I’ve seen the roles of women in tech change over the years, so it’s really important for us to inspire the next generation of females into the industry.

“We’re always looking for new and exciting ideas from the next wave of talent, so we’re keen to continue to develop our links with schools like Ron Dearing UTC and universities.

“APD is such a forward-thinking company and we’re all so passionate about the work we do – which is literally saving lives through tech. Hopefully these sessions will inspire students to think of APD when they’re deciding on a career.”

Students at Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) had their eyes opened to numerous exciting opportunities available to them at a special careers event.

Hull’s pioneering digital technology and engineering school held its second annual Apprenticeships Expo, with students given the chance to meet with a wide range of employers and find out more about apprenticeships and other career opportunities.

The event was again organised by Ron Dearing UTC partner employer, recruitment specialist Emmerson Kitney, and more than a dozen businesses including Spencer Group, Swift, Groupe Atlantic and Sypro.

It gave the sixth form students who are due to leave this summer the inside track on sought-after training roles with many of the area’s best employers.

 

Spencer Group, one of the school’s Founding Partners, currently has 14 apprentices who joined the Hull-based engineering business from the UTC and four of them attended the expo to talk to students about their own positive experiences.

Engineer Thomas Inglis said: “We brought our own apprentices so the students could relate to them.

“We have an idea of how many apprentices we want to take on this year, but if we find extraordinarily high talent in the group leaving the school, we will take more on. Last year we didn’t intend on taking on 14 but the students were of such a high standard that we decided we would.

“The students here are very talented and enthusiastic.”

 

Cottingham-based caravan, motorhome and holiday home producer Swift attended again, after taking on four apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC last year.

Richard Monk, Technical Trainer at Swift, said: “We are looking for practical people because it is a very hands-on industry.

“Four of last year’s intake of apprentices were from Ron Dearing, joining us in September. They have been brilliant and are doing really well. The skills they developed at Ron Dearing prepared them really well.”

Software company Sypro, based in Hull, has a customer service support engineer position currently available.

Marketing Manager Olivia Toplass said: “All of our roles tend to have a technical aspect. The position we have available will be supporting our technical customer service and this was a really good option for us to come here.”

Maria Shepherd, HR Advisor Development at Groupe Atlantic, the parent company of Hull-based Ideal Boilers, added: “We want to make sure local talent stays with us and the digital focus here at Ron Dearing really links in with our research and development teams.

“The facilities here are state-of-the-art. They are second to none.”

 

More than 200 students who will be leaving Ron Dearing UTC in July after the successful completion of their studies attended the event. Students from Year 11 were also given the opportunity to speak to employers, to enable them to start thinking about their next move at an early stage.

Sam Caley, Joint Head of Sixth Form, said it was a fantastic opportunity for the students to find an exciting position as the school aims to repeat its success of last year, when 100% of students who left secured an apprenticeship, other employment or a place at university.

He said: “We’re really focused on the progression routes for our students once they leave.

“We specialise in this area and all the companies represented here know we work with our students to ensure they have excellent employability skills.”

Ron Dearing UTC opened in September 2017 offering a unique education model with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering.

Specialist subjects studied at the Kingston Square school, in Hull city centre, include digital technologies, computing, digital media and engineering in a range of disciplines including design, manufacture, electrical and mechanical, systems control and automation.

Tim Watson, of Emmerson Kitney, said: “This event has helped all these businesses connect with local talent, specialising in engineering, technical and digital skills.

“These young people are the future leaders in our region.”

Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) has been named as one of the best schools in the country for the progress made by A-level students.

New league tables released by the Department for Education show Hull’s employer-led school is ranked 15^th of all schools and colleges in England, including fee-paying independent schools, for the progress made by students who took their A-levels last summer.

Excluding independent schools, Ron Dearing UTC is ranked as the 6^th best for student progress, with a progress score of 0.72, which is officially rated as “well above average”.

 

You can see the top-rated schools and colleges in England for student progress here.

Ron Dearing UTC is also the No. 1 ranked school or college in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. You can see the ratings for Hull here.

The scores record how much progress students made between the end of key stage 4 (GCSEs) and completion of their A-level studies, compared to similar students across England.

Also known as “valued added” ratings, the scores are calculated by comparing A-level results of students at each school or college with the A-level results of students in schools and colleges across England who started with similar results at the end of key stage 4.

A score above zero means students made more progress, on average, than students across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 4. A score below zero means students made less progress, on average, than students across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 4.

The Ron Dearing UTC progress score recognises the exceptional progress made by students who left other local schools following their GCSEs to join in the sixth form when the new school opened in September 2017.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “To be ranked as the top school or college in our area for value added progress at A-level and the 15^th best in the country is phenomenal and a great tribute to the students, their parents, our fantastic university and employer partners and all our talented staff.

“However, I am not a big believer in league tables.  They only measure one aspect of a school or college’s educational provision – exam results.  Great schools and colleges are about so much more.

“Whilst I am extremely proud of our students’ examination success, I am equally proud of the progress they made in terms of their personal and employability skills and the fact that they have gone onto exciting careers within the tech and engineering industries or to study these subjects to degree level at university.

“Ron Dearing UTC was established to ‘do education differently’ and to provide a talent pipeline for our university and employer partners and the wider engineering and tech sectors and we’re delivering on that vision.

“Last year 60% of our students progressed onto apprenticeships compared to only 6% nationally.  This proves that our unique employer-led model of learning not only delivers outstanding examination results, but, most importantly, creates outstanding employees who can make a valuable contribution to society and the economy.”

 

Ron Dearing UTC is a school that means business, with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering. The school is focused on equipping 14 to 19-year-olds with the knowledge and skills to give them the edge as they make their way into employment.

The school’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 and many other industry partners, including Major Partners APD Communications, Arco, Bonus, BP, C4DI, Green Port Hull, Ideal Boilers, Fujitsu, Ørsted, Sewell Group and Sonoco Trident.

Ron Dearing UTC is due to reach its full capacity in September this year, 12 months earlier than originally scheduled, due to continuing strong demand for places.

Students who wish to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 next September should register by January 31. Applications can still be made after that date, but earlier applications will be considered first. Students wishing to apply for Year 12 places can continue to apply until the end of August.

Applications should be made online here.

Ron Dearing UTC has hosted a visit by the Chancellor of the University of Hull and former Cabinet minister Baroness Bottomley.

The former Health Secretary and National Heritage Secretary visited the school to meet students and tour our amazing facilities.

 

Baroness Bottomley is a proactive advocate of technical and vocational education and was a close friend of Lord Ron Dearing, after whom the school is named.  She is also a friend of Lord Baker, Chairman of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust which champions the UTC movement.

Baroness Bottomley recently participated in a debate in the House of Lords when she spoke passionately about the huge benefits of technical education and named Ron Dearing UTC as an example of good practice.

In her speech, Baroness Bottomley described Ron Dearing UTC as a “most remarkable success”, with the support and active involvement of leading businesses a vital element.

“There is strong local business investment and involvement and the business leaders provide time and resources,” she told the House of Lords. “The curriculum is not just intended to get someone a job but is much broader, developing the whole person – and this is only the beginning.”

A link to the transcript of the debate can be found here.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “It was a pleasure and a great honour to host Baroness Bottomley’s visit.  She was extremely impressed by our students, who all spoke articulately and enthusiastically about their experience of Ron Dearing UTC and how they feel it is helping them to prepare for carers in the engineering, tech and creative industries.”

The University of Hull is a Founding Partner and Lead Educational Partner of Ron Dearing UTC and Baroness Bottomley’s visit is the latest recognition of Ron Dearing UTC’s reputation as a leader in employer-led education.

Ron Dearing UTC will reach its full capacity in September 2020, a year ahead of schedule, due to strong demand for places.

Almost 1,000 prospective Year 10 and Year 12 students, their parents or carers have attended two recent Open Events at the school, with the hope of securing a place next year.

The school’s senior team had originally predicted full capacity of 600 students would be reached by September 2021, but continuing strong demand for places and having a full and strong teaching team in place ahead of schedule means it will hit the target 12 months before that date.

Ron Dearing UTC opened its doors in September 2017 and the first three years have all been oversubscribed. Just 300 places are currently available for September 2020 and 275 external applications have already been received.

The final Open Event for the September 2020 intake will take place on Thursday, January 16, from 6pm to 8pm and interested students and their parents are being urged not to miss out.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We could have hit capacity earlier, but it was important we grew the staff team. We have an amazingly strong, high-quality teaching team now and that means we will hit 600 by September 2020, one year early.

“We’re delighted at what we have achieved over the last two years. We’re most proud of pioneering a different approach to education and that everyone is buying into it.”

Ron Dearing UTC works in partnership with many of Hull’s leading businesses to equip 14 to 19-year-olds with the knowledge and skills to give them the edge as they make their way into employment.

Visitors to the latest Open Event were told 94% of last year’s Year 11 students stayed on in the school’s Sixth Form this year, while 99% of parents and carers stated they would recommend Ron Dearing UTC.

 

 

Kingsley Abel, 13, who hopes to join Year 10 in September 2020, attended with his mother, Tiffani Taylor.

He said: “I really like making things and I want to go into engineering. I think it’s a great school and I even came for a look around last year because I was so interested.

“There are more opportunities for me here and the Open Event gave me a more visible idea of what is on offer. It is useful because you can learn a lot from talking to students and the employer partners.”

Tiffani added: “I really want Kingsley to come to Ron Dearing UTC because the learning style is totally different and it sets young people up for the future, preparing them for the world of work.”

 

Highlighting the school’s vision, values and excellent support and guidance on offer, Sarah told attendees how Ron Dearing UTC’s pioneering education model was a huge success, proved by outstanding GCSE, A-level and technical qualification results published for the first time this year.

She added: “We want to develop well-rounded individuals who love coming to school. We want the right students here because we are right for them – those who will benefit from being here and who will maximise the opportunities available to them.”

Students who wish to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 next September should register by January 31. Applications can still be made after that date, but earlier applications will be considered first. Students wishing to apply for Year 12 places can continue to apply until the end of August.

• To register for the January 16 Open Event, download an application form, or find out more, click here.

Two former Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) students are thriving at the University of Hull, having been awarded scholarships to support them in their studies.

Jacob Harrison and Joely Rhodes, both 18, joined Hull’s employer-led school as Year 12 Sixth Form students when it opened its doors in 2017 and excelled in their chosen subjects.

After achieving exceptional grades, they were successful in applying to join the University of Hull and were awarded scholarships, becoming the first students from one of three UTCs partnered with the university to benefit from the opportunity.

Jacob was awarded a £4,000 Achievement Scholarship to support him in his Biomedical Engineering degree, while Joely secured a £2,000 Merit Scholarship for her degree in Pure Chemistry.

Jacob has high functioning Asperger Syndrome, a form of Autism which means he sees, hears and feels the world differently to others, often finding busy environments, social interaction with others, and change can cause him considerable anxiety.

But, having achieved two Distinction* and a Distinction in his OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, Jacob said he was determined to show how his condition was no barrier to success.

 

He said: “The teachers at Ron Dearing UTC make the difference and they treat everyone as an individual. They really helped me to come out of my shell.

“My mother has always told me that Asperger Syndrome is not a disability, it’s a gift, and I have used it to the best of my academic possibilities. It was a hindrance in the past, but not anymore.

“I think this is a really good way of showing your condition doesn’t define you; you define your condition.

“This scholarship will help to pay for my books and the rest can be saved, or used for my degree. Going to university is the next step of my journey and I’m excited about what the future will bring.”

Joely achieved a Distinction* in Creative Digital in addition to A-levels in Maths and Chemistry to gain her place at the University of Hull and be awarded the Merit Scholarship.

She said she was thoroughly enjoying her Pure Chemistry studies and aspires to work in pharmaceutical research in the future, in particular cancer and drug research after her grandmother Anne died following a cancer diagnosis four years ago.

 

Joely, who has bought her first car thanks to the scholarship, said: “This type of research means a lot to my family and I want to contribute to the battle against cancer.

“I was originally due to go to the University of Leeds to study Medicinal Chemistry, but joining the University of Hull instead and receiving the scholarship has been a real boost.

“I absolutely love university life, I love chemistry and I’m really enjoying myself.”

Joely said Ron Dearing UTC had helped to prepare her for university life and her future career.

She said: “Ron Dearing UTC is a really professional environment and it builds you up to become more confident and motivated.

“The school instilled workplace values in us and that has really helped me with speaking to people at different levels.”

 

Ron Dearing UTC in Hull city centre caters for students aged between 14 and 19 from Hull and the East Riding and offers a unique, employer-driven education model, with a specialist focus on digital technology, digital engineering and creative digital.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said Jacob and Joely were shining examples of what the school’s students can achieve.

She said: “Jacob and Joely’s results were absolutely outstanding and what they have achieved is incredible.

“When Jacob came here, he wouldn’t enter the conference centre. But when he left, he was presenting to 200 people there, including his fellow students and employers. That shows how comfortable he felt in the environment we create within the school.

“Joely has done exceptionally well too and I’m delighted to see them both progressing so well in their university lives.

“People at this school accept everybody for who they are and understand people have different challenges and strengths. They let each other be themselves and support them to realise their potential.”

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 and many other industry partners.

Karen Arundel, UTC Partnerships Manager at the University of Hull, said: “Everyone is delighted for Jacob and Joely. They have done amazingly well.

“They are the first students from any of the three UTCs we are partnered with to be awarded scholarships. We are thrilled Jacob and Joely have joined us as they continue their learning journeys.”

Pictures: Neil Holmes Photography.

Year 10 and 11 students at Ron Dearing UTC are being rewarded for embracing culture and broadening their experiences outside the classroom.

The school’s Culture Vulture programme was launched at the start of the academic year and encourages students to make the most of Hull and East Yorkshire’s cultural opportunities, including visiting art galleries, museums, theatres, sports events and festivals.

The school team circulates details of events to students through its weekly update to parents and students. In turn, students receive bronze, silver or gold awards based on the number of venues and events they visit.

Activities are completed by students in their own time, in addition to cultural events supported by the school. For example, all Year 10 and 11 students recently attended Blood Brothers at Hull New Theatre, which contributed to the Culture Vulture programme.

Year 10 student Makenzie Bailey receives his Culture Vulture bronze award from Vice Principal Mark Ollerenshaw.

Vice Principal Mark Ollerenshaw said: “The programme recognises the importance of the arts and responds to the emphasis on developing ‘cultural capital’ in the Ofsted framework.

“We’re focused on developing students into work-ready young people and having an awareness of culture and the impact it can have on personal wellbeing, health and happiness is a really important part of that.

“Programmes like this help to develop well-rounded citizens and unlock interests the students may not know they have. Taking part in the Culture Vulture programme can ignite an interest they can then pursue further for themselves.”

Students record the cultural activities and visits they have completed in their own “Culture Vulture Passport” and are awarded bronze, silver and gold certificates for completing each level.

Year 10 student Makenzie Bailey, 15, was the first to be awarded his bronze certificate and further awards will be handed out to students in the New Year.

Makenzie said: “I have visited some museums, football matches and a concert, as well as seeing Blood Brothers. I feel proud and excited to achieve this award.

“It’s important to get involved in cultural activities because, when you are looking for a job, it shows you also do interesting things in your own time. I’ve really enjoyed it.”