Baker Dearing has conducted thorough analysis of the new schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving. Our Chief Executive Kate Ambrosi has now made the following comment.

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s ambition to help, in his words, the kids whose gifts lie in their hands and who want a good quality apprenticeship in their community.

“We also welcome the Education Secretary’s target to halve the attainment gap between the country’s poorest pupils and their peers.

“However, this ambition must be matched by action.

“High-quality, properly funded technical education with a formal role for employers in guiding and supporting provision could help all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, thrive in education and life.

“The network of 44 University Technical Colleges that we support deliver that high-quality, employer-led technical education, to higher proportions of students on free school meals and with SEND than standard. But fewer of our learners leave become NEET upon leaving.

“To spread the advantages of a UTC education, we are calling on the government to pilot 10 UTC Sleeves which would develop a high-quality, employer-led technical education programme within a mainstream school. This proposal has already attracted substantial support from employers and multi-academy trusts.

“This pilot would target areas of high skills need, deprivation, and NEET rates, providing potentially transformative opportunities for young people to progress to professional jobs in their area. The pilot would also provide skilled labour for employers.

“We further call for the Department for Education to review its decision not to go ahead with a new UTC for Southampton. Its prospective parent, UTC Portsmouth, has recently been graded ‘exceptional’ by Ofsted and has sent incredibly strong evidence to the department for a green light for Southampton.”