Mulberry UTC

Inspection of Mulberry UTC 64 Parnell Road, London E3 2RU

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Daniel Seed. This school is part of the Mulberry Schools Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Vanessa Ogden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jane Farrell. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is successful in preparing pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to enter the world of work. Pupils benefit from specialist facilities which replicate workplace environments. The vast majority of students in the sixth form and pupils in Year 11 go on to ambitious destinations. The school has high expectations of pupils and builds a culture of professionalism. Staff model respectful behaviour and teach pupils how to act professionally. Pupils in turn treat each other and staff with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A rich programme of enrichment that runs alongside the academic and vocational curriculum broadens pupils’ horizons. Staff help pupils find new interests. For example, pupils learn about aspects of theatre production such as lighting through the chance to work backstage at ‘Abba Voyage’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils, particularly in Years 10 and 11, join the school with negative experiences of education. Staff look after pupils well and keep them safe. They help pupils to develop positive character traits over time, such as self-esteem, confidence and resilience. For example, pupils meet and talk to industry professionals, arrange work experience and push themselves to achieve challenging vocational projects. A wealth of leadership opportunities support pupils to develop teamwork and responsibility.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s success stems from the commitment and care of school leaders, trustees, governors and staff. They are dedicated to making a difference to the lives of their pupils. An ambitious curriculum is enhanced by support from successful industry providers. This gives pupils opportunities to work with professionals and experience different roles in their chosen sectors. Subject curriculums are well designed and tailored to reflect the needs of pupils and their different starting points.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders provide regular training for staff to develop their teaching practice. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and the school draws on external expertise when needed. Staff feel well supported by leaders and enjoy working here. Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ understanding. They identify where pupils have gaps in their knowledge, often due to disrupted previous education. Teachers make suitable adaptations to address these gaps and help pupils to achieve well. Current pupils’ attainment is higher than published outcomes suggest. However, in some areas, the delivery of the curriculum is not as strong as in other subjects. Where this is the case, pupils do not achieve highly and attainment outcomes at the end of Year 11 and in the sixth form are variable as a result.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff have thorough processes to identify the specific needs of each pupil, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide teachers with clear information about pupils with SEND and keep this under review so that the information is up to date. Teachers adapt lesson activities appropriately to suit pupils’ abilities and needs. For pupils who struggle with their reading and writing skills, staff give pupils appropriate support. The school encourages pupils to read, such as in weekly reading sessions with form tutors or through additional reading in subjects. 18 and 19 March 2025

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Classrooms are calm environments and pupils behave well in general. This is notable in the sixth form, where students value their education and show a mature attitude to their learning. In Years 10 and 11, pupils are often disaffected when they arrive. The school helps most pupils to improve and manage their behaviour successfully through personalised support. Attendance is an ongoing priority for the school. Staff identify barriers to pupils attending school and are tenacious in their work to overcome these. This results in marked improvement in many pupils’ attendance. A minority of pupils, however, are negative about their learning and do not behave well. Poor attendance and punctuality also affect their learning.

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The school plans personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education carefully to suit pupils’ needs and experiences. In Year 10, the school prioritises topics such as managing change to help pupils when they join. Pupils are taught about potential risks, including substance misuse and toxic masculinity. In the sixth form, PSHE prepares students for adulthood and independence. The school promotes citizenship through, for example, work in the wider community and school charity events.

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Pupils appreciate the school’s focus on careers including the engagement with different employers and access to a careers adviser. Pupils have many relevant and high-quality opportunities to experience the world of work, including a weekly programme of subject- related lectures and guest speakers. All pupils in Years 10 and 12 undertake work experience in a sector that matches their aspirations. For example, students studying health and social care and T level health spend time in Marseille working in pharmacies and care homes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is some variability in the way the curriculum is implemented. Where this is the case, pupils' outcomes are not consistently strong at both key stages 4 and 5. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well and that pupils' attainment is equally high across subjects.  A small number of pupils do not develop positive attitudes to their learning quickly enough. For example, their attendance, punctuality and approach to their studies are not in line with the school's high expectations and ethos. This affects how well they learn. The school should ensure that they continue to develop strategies to support disaffected learners at an early stage. 18 and 19 March 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Type of school Other secondary/Technical

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School details

School category University technical college

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form

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020

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Information about this school

 Mulberry UTC is part of the Mulberry Schools Trust and is sponsored by: Goldsmiths, University of London; Barts Health NHS Trust; the National Theatre and the British Film Institute.  The school’s specialist subjects are health and social care and creative and digital media. It works with a range of employer partners, primarily the school’s sponsors, in the delivery of the school’s curriculum.  The headteacher took up post in June 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Most pupils join the school at the start of Year 10 or Year 12. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 10 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and other members of the school leadership team. Inspectors also met with the CEO, the trust’s chief officer for performance and operations, the chair of the trust, the chair of the local governing committee and other governors, including sponsor governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, health and social care, performing arts and creative and digital media. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’

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Information about this inspection

work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils and staff and evaluated responses to the online staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors considered responses to the survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Jude Wilson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Claudia Harrison His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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