Baker Dearing has been featured in education news outlet FE Week following a highly successful Level 3 results day, full of stories of UTC students securing degree apprenticeships and top university places.
Young people across the country received their A Level, T Level, as well as vocational and technical qualification results on Thursday 14 August.
For example, Jenson Burrows from UTC South Durham, who will be progressing onto a degree apprenticeship with County Durham technology firm Kromek after achieving a Distinction in his engineering T Level. Jenson recently appeared on BBC Look North, discussing why he chose to study at the UTC.
Ron Dearing UTC student Will Pinder will be studying natural sciences at the University of Cambridge after scoring four A* grades, despite undergoing brain surgery to remove a benign tumour days after his AS maths exam.
“I’m as happy as it’s possible to be. I’ve got into the university of my choice – my dream university, Cambridge, doing my dream course,” Will said.
Mikhe Kruger will be progressing from Aylesbury UTC to a degree apprenticeship with Airbus. She achieved Distinction* in her BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in information technology and her BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in creative digital media production.
Meanwhile, Lincoln UTC student Finlay Ingram achieved a Merit in his engineering T Level and will be progressing to a degree apprenticeship with BAE Systems in Cumbria. UTC Norfolk’s Katie Condie (pictured top) will be studying biochemistry at the University of Lincoln after achieving a Distinction in her science T Level.
Results day data shows T Levels “work for young people”
A notable revelation on results day was the upturn in the pass and retention rates for T Levels: The pass rate this year was above 91 per cent and 27 per cent of the cohort who started the two-year course in 2023 left early — an improvement on the 29 per cent and 34 per cent dropout rate recorded in 2024 and 2023.
Writing for FE Week, Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust Kate Ambrosi argued the improved rates show T Levels have now settled in the education landscape “as the gold-standard technical education pathway and an alternative to existing vocational and technical qualifications such as BTECs”.
T Levels, which rely on solid employer partnerships and a high bar for technical provision, have matured and are working well across the school and college system.
Industry placements are giving young people the experience of the workplace that helps them move seamlessly and confidently into apprenticeships and careers.
The course content and examinations for T Levels, while exacting, means students have the skills that industry needs and are prepared for the high expectations of work.
The article can be found in the above LinkedIn post, or through this link.
