Alan Johnson pays tribute to students as school celebrates year of achievement July 16th, 2019


Former Education Secretary Alan Johnson has hailed Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) as one of the best schools of its kind in the country and paid tribute to its outstanding students.

Mr Johnson, who is Ron Dearing UTC’s Patron, was speaking as students and their parents gathered with teaching staff to celebrate another superb year of achievement for the employer-led school and its talented learners.

The former West Hull and Hessle MP was speaking at the school’s Celebration of Achievement Evening attended by scores of students who have excelled over the past year, together with their proud parents.

Patron Alan Johnson paid tribute to Ron Dearing UTC’s students as the school celebrated another outstanding year of achievement.

Mr Johnson said: “There are around 50 UTCs and I can tell you this is one of the best. Once we have gone through the Ofsted report process and gained our first exam results, I’m sure this will officially be what everyone already feels it is – the one of the best UTCs in the country.

“That’s because it’s had the best leadership, the best business engagement and it’s had great input from the parents but, most of all, because of the students.

“It makes all of us who dreamed of establishing a UTC in Hull so proud to see everything we hoped for become reality.”

Mr Johnson said establishing the UTC was one of the three best things to happen in Hull over the past five years, together with City of Culture and Siemens coming to the city.

He said learners and their parents had shown they were right to take a “leap in the dark” by opting to join the school when it was so new and told the students: “You’re a credit not just to education in Hull, but to education in this country.”

Students and parents also heard from Charlie Spencer OBE, the UTC’s Chair of Governors and Executive Chairman of Hull-based engineering business Spencer Group, one of the school’s Founding Partners.

Mr Spencer said that, as an entrepreneur, he was known as a calculated risk-taker and Ron Dearing UTC’s students had that in common with him.

“You’re risk-takers and ambitious too. When you take a risk and it goes wrong it can be absolutely horrible, but when you pull it off it’s fantastic,” he said.

“You decided what you wanted to do, you took a chance and you pulled it off. Now you’re prize winners, which is fabulous.”

Mr Spencer said the school had a palpable sense of “vibrancy, energy and confidence”, which was due to the leadership of Principal Sarah Pashley and her team.

Speaking on behalf of the University of Hull and the employer partners, he said: “Every single one of us is so proud and pleased to be associated with this place and with these students.”

Mrs Pashley responded by thanking the school’s Founding Partners and other employer sponsors for their invaluable contribution and added: “I really want to say a huge thank you to the staff. They are amazing and I love working with them.”

Students received awards presented by teachers and representatives of Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners – the University of Hull, KCOM, RB, Siemens Gamesa, Smith & Nephew and Spencer Group.

Kelham Hillier is congratulated by Professor Stephen Kelly on being named as winner of the University of Hull Award for Academic Excellence.

Among the successful students were 15-year-old Kelham Hillier, who claimed no less than six awards, including the University of Hull Award for Academic Excellence.

He said: “I didn’t expect to get this many awards – I would have been chuffed with one and I’m pretty overwhelmed. I feel so happy I made the decision to come here. It’s been really good for me and speeded up my learning.”


Tapi Ngoro enjoys his success with Alan Johnson after being presented with the Patron’s Award for Young Advocate of the Year.

Sixteen-year-old Tapi Ngoro received three awards, including The Patron’s Award for Young Advocate of the Year. He said: “This is unlike any other school because of the opportunities you get to work with the employer partners and the work experience that’s available.

“It gives you a real insight into industries you might want to work in. That’s been a real game-changer for me.”

The prizes awarded to dozens of students in recognition of their achievements over the past year.

Full list of award winners:

Year 10

Subject Awards

Maths: Achievement – Kelham Hillier; Productivity – Noah Devine-Runkee

Physics: Achievement – Jasveer Jabbal; Productivity – Keelie Hakim

Chemistry: Achievement – Alan Strauhs; Productivity – Jake Tyson

Combined Science: Achievement – George Wilkinson; Productivity – Cerys Matthews

Biology: Achievement – Kelham Hiller; Productivity – Lucy Good

English: Achievement – Ali Rafai; Productivity – Sinead Shears

Environment: Achievement – Sinead Frame; Productivity – Harvey Atkins

Digital Awards

Computer Science: Achievement – Louis Cook; Productivity – Adam Davies

Creative Digital: Achievement – Alan Strauhs; Productivity – Sinead Shears

Digital Tech: Achievement – Aimee Laws; Productivity – Ellis Callow

Art and Design: Achievement – Evie Hadfield; Productivity – Emily Holwell

Digital Tech Talent Award – Joshua Green

Engineering Awards

Principles: Achievement – Emily Holwell; Productivity – Matthew Blain

Manufacture: Achievement – Lucy Good; Productivity – Jayden Howard

Systems and Control: Achievement – Jacob Smelt; Productivity – Harvey Atkins

Design: Achievement – Kelham Hiller; Productivity – Evie Hadfield

Engineer of the Year Award – Kelham Hillier

Contribution to Sport

Ben Cameron-Skoof

Contribution to the Combined Cadet Force

Charlie Cook

Professional Values and Behaviours Awards

Matthew Blain

Evie Hadfield

Keelie Hakim

Alan Strauhs

Aimee Laws

Sinead Shears

Alex Carmichael

Reece Fraser

Peace Umudjoro

Kelham Hillier

Charlie Richardson

Ellis Wysthoff

Most improved

Ben Greenley

Student of the Year Award

Reece Fraser

University of Hull Award for Academic Excellence

Kelham Hiller

RB Award for Inspirational Leadership

Ellis Wysthoff

Junior Digital Champion

Alan Strauhs

Year 12

A Level/GCSE Awards

Maths: Achievement – Charlotte Cook; Productivity – Joshua Peck

Further Maths: Achievement – Alex Todd; Productivity – Oliver Walkington

Physics: Achievement – Alex Todd; Productivity – Oliver Walkington

Chemistry: Achievement – Charlotte Cook; Productivity – Sarah Dabare

Biology: Achievement – Charlotte Cook; Productivity – Josh Peck & Sarah Dabare

English: Achievement – Dillon Reen; Productivity – Joseph Sewell

Digital Awards

Computer Science: Achievement – Charlie Hutty; Productivity – Tapi Ngoro

Creative Digital: Achievement Shervin Ventura; Productivity – Callum King

Art and Design: Achievement – Tiegan Hall; Productivity – Ryan Carmichael

Creative Talent of the Year Award – Deon Wong

Engineering Awards

Principles: Achievement – Oliver Walkington; Productivity – Joshua Peck

Manufacture: Achievement – Ryan Carmichael; Productivity – Tom Dubej

Systems and Control: Achievement – Jordan Moss; Productivity – Evan Purkis

Design: Achievement – Kate Rodley; Productivity – Sam McKinley

Professional Values and Behaviours Awards

Charlie Hutty

Deon Wong

Jordan Moss

Aaron Pocklington

Tapi Ngoro

Charlotte Cook

Sarah Dabare

Lucas Hewson

Jacob James

Emillie Walton

Student of the Year Award

Deon Wong

Founding Partners’ Awards

KCOM Award for Best Communicator – Joshua Stanley

Siemens Gamesa Award for Quality Excellence – Oliver Walkington

Smith & Nephew Award for Innovation – Deon Wong

Spencer Group Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community – Sarah Dabare

The Patron’s Award for Young Advocate of the Year – Tapi Ngoro