UTC experiences (Portsmouth especially)

[FrazzledQuoka]

Does anyone have more up to date information or views about UTCs?
(University technical Colleges - specialised technical secondary schools)

I've a couple of bright secondary children in KS3.

They're wondering about switching to Portsmouth UTC.

I can find very little about it apart from their website's propaganda. It seems to share a site with an oversubscribed "normal" secondary, Trafalgar School.

The few sources I can find about UTCs are pretty out of date, but also not at all positive:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TeachingUK/comments/s9m59t/what_are_your_thoughts_on_utcs/ (2022)
https://epi.org.uk/publications-and-research/utcs/ (2018)
https://cfey.org/2017/07/utcs-whos-going-care/ (2017)

So I'm looking for views or links to more up to date info.

I know from MN they were pretty patchy but I don't know if the less good ones have gone by the wayside.

As you have 'bright' children I would look very firmly at:
. what subjects are actually offered
. grades for core subjects
. where/ what do pupils do post y11

My concern would be it would be filled mainly with kids who were disenchanted with school, possible behaviour issues, aiming for passes rather than good/high results.
However if it is a place where aspirational tech minded kids actively choose to go that would be a different matter.

@FrazzledQuoka your use of the word "propaganda" suggests that you've already made your mind up and are looking for negative views to back it up, yes?

It is obviously the students and their parents who should be doing the research and visiting the school before making conclusions. Hopefully you'll let them do that with an open mind. I expect that, like all schools, some UTCs are better than others and that therefore it wouldn't be fair to paint them all with the same brush.

Local authorities and 11-18 schools are required by law to share information about UTCs and studio schools, but from what I've seen they do it very begrudgingly because they obviously don't want to lose students (i.e. funding) to those schools.

If a UTC is attached to a "normal" school and shares some resources, that can only be a good thing.

@lundunworterloo Nah, my use of "propaganda" wasn't saying I'd made up my mind, just reflecting I'm a cynic :-)

The website makes the school look good, but really all that shows is they're good at writing a slick website - which is a start...

Open-days aim to be well choreographed events with the best children selected to present the best view of the school - again not always the full story.

Sorry I realise I wasn't clear in my original post - I'm not a teacher - they're my kids, and yes we'll be going to the open day and rereading the Ofsted report, but I am attempting to find out more. (I will be interrogating teachers I know though :-) as sometimes they have networks of colleagues)

The tech aspect and the toys appeal to our kids (and both of us) but I'm concerned the school may, as @TeenDivided suggested, have disenchanted kids just looking for a pass.

Our two are lucky enough to be in their respective top sets of maths in a largish "normal" school without having to work particularly hard. They're both STEM focussed (this month) but they are literate and have some artistic & musical ability too. They've always got sickeningly glowing reviews at parents' evening in everything other than PE.
As they're capable at everything academic there is part of me that thinks GCSE is perhaps too soon to specialise.

"The website makes the school look good, but really all that shows is they're good at writing a slick website - which is a start...
Open-days aim to be well choreographed events with the best children selected to present the best view of the school - again not always the full story."

This is true of any school. Doesn't make it a bad school.

Just approach this as you would any school decision - be wary of the views of individuals online. Go and visit the school and talk to the teachers. Look at the Head in particular and think about whether they seem like an inspiring leader that would attract good staff. Read everything you can find online. Stand outside at the beginning an end of the day so you can see how students behave. If necessary, ask to see Governors minutes so you can get a feel for how the school is being managed.

@FrazzledQuoka Can I ask if you made a decision about Portsmouth? How did visits work out for you? Would you recommend?