Students at Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) have achieved excellent results in their GCSEs and level 2 Technical qualifications for the second year in a row, confirming Ofsted’s judgement that the school provides its students with an outstanding education.
Highlights of the GCSE results achieved by Ron Dearing UTC’s Year 11 students include:
- 81% of students achieved grades 4-9 in both English and Maths.
- 50% of students secured grades 5-9 in English and Maths.
The Hull school’s specialisms have also performed exceptionally strongly, with a significant number of students achieving the highest grades:
- 33% of students achieved Distinction* or Distinction in Creative iMedia.
- 30% achieved Distinction* or Distinction in Digital Technology.
- 46% awarded Distinction* or Distinction in Engineering Design.
Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “This has been a rollercoaster of a week for our students and parents with all the confusion over calculated grades, algorithms and centre assessed grades.
“I feel so sorry that they have had such a stressful experience and I’m very grateful to them for their patience and understanding – they have been absolutely great.
“It’s a huge relief to see so many of our students receiving fantastic results. They have demonstrated over the past two years that the grades they have been awarded are a true reflection of their abilities.
“I’m delighted they have received the recognition they deserve. Well done to all of them!”
Of the 136 Year 11 students, more than 100 have achieved the entry criteria for a place in Ron Dearing UTC’s outstanding Sixth Form, where they will continue to work closely with the school’s high-profile employer partners to develop their academic and technical abilities and their personal and employability skills to give them the edge in higher education and employment opportunities.
Due to the school’s excellent reputation, competition for Year 12 places for non-Ron Dearing UTC students has been intense this year and 40 external applicants will be joining in September.
With the emphasis on developing employability skills and promoting apprenticeships as well as university, it is unsurprising that several students will be leaving school at the end of Year 11 to begin Level 3 apprenticeships with leading local employers.
Sarah said “Ron Dearing UTC is as much about encouraging and enabling young people to progress onto apprenticeships as it is about them taking up places at university.
“University is a brilliant experience for many young people but it is not the only way of acquiring a degree or gaining the qualifications and experiences required for successful careers in the engineering, creative and tech sectors.
“At Ron Dearing UTC we’re as proud of our track record of getting our students into fantastic apprenticeships as we are about ensuring they gain places at their first choice university.”
Over 50% of the Year 11 and Year 13 cohorts will be taking up an apprenticeship this year, compared to a national average of only 6%. Many of the apprenticeships are with the school’s employer partners, including KCOM, RB, Siemens Mobility, Spencer Group, Arco and Sonoco Trident.
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 education model, with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering.
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.
Charlie Spencer OBE, Ron Dearing UTC Chair of Governors and Executive Chairman of Hull-based engineering business Spencer Group, said: “Following the superb A-level and Level 3 Technical results recorded last week, these grades are further evidence of the positive impact of our employer-led education model.
“All of the employer partners are so proud of the tremendous achievements of the students in the most difficult of circumstances.”
Ron Dearing UTC is now recruiting for students to join in Year 10 and 12 in September 2021. To apply or find out more click here.