Ron Dearing UTC

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ron Dearing UTC Kingston Square, Hull HU2 8BQ

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Outcome

Ron Dearing UTC has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Sarah Pashley. This school is part of The Ron Dearing UTC, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Martin.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations of pupils are extremely high. Relationships between pupils and staff at the school are warm and professional, similar to those of colleagues in the workplace. Pupils respond extremely well to the trust placed in them and to the school’s aspirational culture. The school has a relaxed, friendly and industrious feel.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are knowledgeable, interesting and articulate. They express themselves confidently on a range of topics. They recognise the exceptional education that they receive and the benefits that this affords them. Many pupils reflect on the careful support that staff provide to them and how this helps them to succeed. As a result, pupils consistently achieve highly and secure high-quality next steps in education, employment or training. A very high proportion of pupils progress within the school’s specialist areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a broad set of experiences that extend their cultural understanding. This contributes to pupils’ welcoming and inclusive approach to others. They are confident to express their individuality, assured that they will be accepted by all. Pupils enjoy a breadth of opportunities that enrich the curriculum, including participating in industry linked competition, such as ‘Formula 1 in schools’. Many examples go beyond what is typical. 7 and 8 May 2025

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

Pupils study a highly ambitious, carefully constructed curriculum across all subjects. The school works closely with industry partners to ensure that the curriculum is relevant to the future employment that pupils aspire to. Pupils routinely work on employer projects that deepen their understanding of their subjects and apply this to real scenarios from industry.

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

Staff quickly establish what pupils know and the support that they will need. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified swiftly. Teachers skilfully adjust their teaching to respond to what pupils know and to meet their individual needs. This ensures that pupils’ knowledge builds over time. Consequently, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve very highly and feel successful. This is reflected in the school’s consistently impressive outcomes in national assessments.

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

Teachers are experts in the subjects that they teach. They explain new learning with precision. Pupils respond articulately to teachers’ skilful questioning, using technical vocabulary accurately. If pupils struggle, staff provide highly effective support and feedback, enabling them to catch up. As a result, pupils develop detailed knowledge of their subjects that they are able to use and apply across other areas of the curriculum.

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

Students in the sixth form study a highly specialised curriculum that builds carefully on their knowledge from key stage 4. They benefit from exceptional enrichments to the curriculum, such as through links to employer partners or the school’s artist in residence programme. Due to the quality of the curriculum, and how it is taught, students produce extremely high-quality work. Many outcomes in the sixth form are some of the highest in the country, showing the exceptional impact of the school’s work.

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

The school promotes reading and literacy well. Pupils develop a strong command of vocabulary that enables them to communicate effectively. Pupils who require additional help to improve their reading are quickly identified and well supported. This enables them to catch up and to access the school’s curriculum.

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

Pupils enjoy their time at school and are interested in what they study. This not only contributes to their consistently superb behaviour but also to the school’s extremely low rates of absence, which continue to reduce. Pupils very rarely miss school.

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

The school provides pupils with extremely high-quality careers advice and guidance. All pupils receive rich experiences that help them to understand what future next steps they may want to take. This helps pupils to form ambitious career plans. Subsequently, the school personalises support for pupils, ensuring that they have the best possible chance of achieving their aspirations. Enhancements, such as pupils gaining qualifications in health and safety in the workplace, further develop pupils’ readiness for life beyond school. Since the school opened, all pupils have progressed to further education, employment or training. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Stakeholders, including parents and carers, staff and pupils, feel privileged to be part of the school. Parents expressed to inspectors that they feel fortunate that their child attends the school and gratitude for how their child has developed, both academically and socially. Staff are trusted and feel well supported by leaders. They welcome the school’s innovative approaches to managing their workload.

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Leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, are relentless in their pursuit of excellence for pupils. Trustees have a detailed understanding of the school. They scrutinise the impact of its work effectively, challenging areas of underperformance and supporting school leaders to make further progress. They make a significant contribution to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2020.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

School category University technical college

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form

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has expanded its site. It now has an additional building adjacent to the main building. This is known as STEAM Studios. It houses the school’s new art and design specialist areas.  Since the previous inspection, the number of pupils on roll at the school has increased.  The school is funded by the Department for Education (DfE). It works with a range of 48 industry partners. The school’s founding partners include: The University of Hull, KCOM, Reckitt, Siemens Gamesa, Smith + Nephew and Spencer Group.  The school is part of The Ron Dearing Trust; a single academy trust.  Since the previous inspection, the school has appointed a head of school who works alongside the principal. They were previously the vice principal at the school. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 The school uses one registered provider of alternative provision and no unregistered providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  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.  The lead inspector met with members of the trust board.  An inspector spoke with representatives of some of the school’s industry partners.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the principal and head of school. They also met with other senior and middle leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding, provision for pupils with SEND, attendance and personal development.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation regarding the support pupils with SEND receive. They looked at the quality of the provision for pupils with SEND in lessons.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including minutes from governing board meetings as well as the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans.  Inspectors looked at a range of information regarding behaviour. They observed the behaviour of pupils in classrooms and at social times.  The views of pupils and staff who responded to Ofsted’s surveys were considered.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Thomas Wraith, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Lonsdale His Majesty's Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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