PUBLIC CONSULTATION REPORT
University Technical Colleges (UTCs) are a brand new type of school for 14-18 year-olds. Students join at 14 or 16 and attend from 8.45am—5.00pm for 40 weeks a year. This means students can do a full set of GCSEs and A Levels and also gain high quality technical skills. UTCs are free to attend and are supported by a university and leading local employers. South Wiltshire UTC will open in September 2015 on Wilton Road in Salisbury, close to Salisbury railway station. It will specialise in Science and Engineering and use the context of the defence and protective science industries to give students real examples and challenges from the work of work. The UTC is supported by the University of Southampton, 43 (Wessex) Brigade, Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire College and a host of major local employers including QinetiQ, Public Health England, Dstl, Serco, Chemring, Esterline and Tetricus Science Park. Applications to join the UTC in 2015 open in September 2014.
For information about South Wiltshire UTC go to www.wiltshire-utc.co.uk Tel: 01722 344238 Email:
[email protected]
Cover designed by Callum Aitken
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Contents
Introduction
1
Consultations during previous stages of the process
1
Design of the public consultation platform
2
Publicising the consultation
4
Participation in the consultation
5
Responses
5
Conclusions
16
Appendix 1: Press release announcing the consultation Appendix 2: Comments in response to open questions
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Introduction Under Section 10 of the Academies Act (2010), proposers of a new Academy (which includes University Technical Colleges or “UTCs”) must “consult those they think appropriate on the question of whether the arrangements should be entered into” before entering into a funding agreement with the Department for Education. This report provides analysis of the views of 171 people who responded to an online consultation survey regarding South Wiltshire UTC’s plans. At various points in the report the word Response in bold indicates the Board’s formal response to issues raised in the consultation. South Wiltshire UTC’s public consultation began on 23 July 2013 with an initial response deadline of 6 September. This was later extended to the end of September following the rescheduling of the UTC’s opening date. The Board decided to use online response as the primary means of gathering stakeholder’s views, although key organisations (for example schools and the four local authorities in the proposed catchment area) were contacted initially by letter. The UTC’s postal address is also publicised on the UTC website. No dedicated public consultation events were staged. This was mainly driven by the need to ensure that the UTC’s pre-opening budget will last until September 2015, when normal school funding will start. However the consultation was informed by a series of public events that occurred during the response period and by feedback from earlier stages of the process. It also took place at a time of heavy media interest (press, radio and television news) in the story of the UTC and the proposed premises on the current Salisbury Police Station site.
Consultations during previous stages of the process The initial application to establish a UTC was submitted to the Department for Education in November 2012. In the few months before and immediately after this submission, a combined online and written self-completion survey was conducted to test public support for the idea. 90 people responded to this survey comprising 40 parents, 35 local residents, 9 potential students and 6 employers. 90% of respondents felt that the proposed UTC would “probably” or “definitely improve the choices for young people in the area”. 89% of respondents rated the idea “to set up a Defence Industries UTC in Salisbury” as 7 out of 10 or better (where 0/10 is very bad and 10/10 is very good). The mean rating was:
How good an idea is it to set up a Defence Industries UTC in Salisbury? 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Mean out of 10
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Four major public events were held prior to the opening of the formal consultation period:
•
•
•
•
An open meeting for the public in Salisbury Guildhall on 25 May, which combined information about the UTC with a careers evening featuring leading local employers. Notification was sent to over 5,000 local households and there was considerable media coverage. Over 100 residents, representatives from local schools, local politicians and the local MP attended. A meeting in Salisbury Guildhall on 17 July, at which Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Police and the UTC explained the thinking and planning behind the proposed refurbishment of Salisbury Police Station to house the UTC. Around 100 residents, police officers, local politicians and the local MP attended. A meeting in the Quaker Meeting House in Salisbury on 25 July to explain the planning submission to local residents. There was considerable media coverage for the event, all local councillors were informed directly and a notification postcard was sent to 1,300 homes in postcode sector SP2 7. Around 70 residents attended and 56 left formal comments that helped shape the planning proposal. 88% supported the plan to establish a UTC in Salisbury, despite strong views on parking and site access. A briefing seminar for employers on 5 September, organised in conjunction with the Federation of Small Businesses, Chamber of Commerce and City Management Group.
Those attending each of the latter two events were advised of the forthcoming statutory public consultation and provided with a link to enable them to take part. Design of the public consultation platform The public consultation was accessed either directly from embedded hyperlinks in key documents and communications to: www.wiltshire-utc.co.uk/public-consultation or by clicking a link on the homepage. The public consultation page (overleaf) provided:
• • • • • •
a copy of the UTC education vision; a catchment area map; a copy of the draft Admissions Policy; details of the planned location; an explanation of the working day; and an overview of the curriculum
The aim was to allow respondents easy access to all the detail required to make an informed response to the survey. The page was updated for the revised opening date when this changed and a new statement alerting readers to the change was added. The screenshot overleaf shows the revised version. A specific question relating to the signing of a funding agreement to open in 2014 (Question 13) was also revised to remove reference to a specific opening date. It was not felt necessary to re-launch the survey, since the only negative comments concerning the opening date had come from those who believed the plans were being rushed.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report The Public Consultation webpage
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report The link took respondents to a short online survey hosted on the market research web tool Survey Monkey. Respondents were then faced with 13 questions, most of which allowed for comments as well as quantifiable responses. Respondents could complete the survey anonymously if they wished (another reason why the survey was not re-run in response to the date change) but could leave their contact details if they wished. Whether the response was anonymous or not, respondents could only participate once from any IP address. Publicising the consultation Considerable promotional effort went into publicising the opportunity to take part in the survey. A press release on 25 July (see Appendix 1), embargoed until 28 July, was sent to all local newspapers and radio stations serving the wider catchment area, some 19 media organisations in all. This included specialist publications and radio stations serving Army families as well as general media. Take-up of the story was high, including several live interviews. A series of radio adverts for the BFBS Forces radio station, Salisbury Plain FM, were also recorded and broadcast free of charge by the radio station. A second press release was issued to the same media organisations on 17 August to alert them to the extended deadline. Once again there was considerable take-up of the story. A direct link was attached to the bottom of email communications from the UTC and more than 800 emails were sent during the public consultation window. Links were also placed on the websites and/or internal newsletters of the UTC’s education and employer partners. Direct notification of the public consultation1 was made to the groups listed below.
• •
More than 350 potential students, parents, potential staff and local residents who had signed up for the UTC’s regular e-updates. 52 other stakeholders, by direct email, comprising: o 14 science and engineering employers; o 6 employer representative bodies (Chambers and associations)2; o 10 council officers in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset3; o 4 Army contacts; o 7 University of Southampton contacts; o 7 senior managers at neighbouring colleges and UTCs; o 4 school consortia covering Wiltshire and South Hampshire; and o 4 senior police officers.
Reminders will be sent out to all these groups around a week before the consultation closes. A separate briefing event for employers, organised in conjunction with the Federation of Small Businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and City Centre Management was held on 5 September in Salisbury. 20 employers attended. 3 In addition, the Department for Education wrote formally to the Directors of Children’s Services in the four local authorities within the proposed catchment area. 1 2
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
• • • • •
All 12 Members of Parliament with constituencies wholly or partly in the proposed catchment area. 45 Hampshire Councillors representing wards in the catchment area. 59 Councillors representing Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council wards in the catchment area. 42 followers of the UTC’s twitter feeds. 47 Headteachers of all secondary and middle schools in the proposed catchment area (accompanied by explanatory brochures and an invitation to work in partnership).
A mailshot of a UTC brochure was being sent to 12,300 parents of 10-14 year-olds throughout the catchment area in the week beginning 9 September. This was designed to drive traffic to the website although it did not mention the consultation (to avoid it going out of date). Participation in the consultation There were 1,504 visits to the UTC website during the public consultation window, made by 1,136 unique individuals. 442 of the visits (around one in three) were direct to the consultation page, which indicates that publicity for the direct link has been extremely effective. Around another 90 people went subsequently to the public consultation page having started elsewhere on the site. Clearly not all of these visits resulted in a completed online survey, although analysis of website traffic indicates that around two-thirds either viewed supporting documents or followed the link to the survey. Visitors may have had other reasons for going to the page, for example to view or download information about admissions or the premises. In all, 171 people completed the formal questionnaire, accessed from the public consultation page. The direct link to the survey has not been publicised, as respondents need at least some knowledge of the documentation displayed on the consultation page before they can give informed answers. Responses Respondents were asked to give their main reasons for taking part in the survey. This wording was used to discourage multiple responses unless there were genuinely several reasons why a respondent was taking part. Throughout the report one respondent contributes approximately 0.6% to each figure.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Which of these explain why you are taking part in the survey? 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
I'm a local resident
38.0%
I'm a parent/carer of a potential student at the UTC
35.1%
I'm interested in working at the UTC
24.6%
I work for one of the UTC's partner organisations
19.9%
I work for an organisation that might employ UTC students I'm a teacher or manager at a local school or college Other (please explain) I'm a potential student at the UTC I'm an MP or local councillor I represent a local community group
40%
12.3% 6.4% 5.8% 4.7% 4.7% 4.1%
Source: Question 1. Base: 171 responses.
The percentages in the chart add up to more than 100% as respondents could tick more than one category. The number of potential students taking part was relatively low, but this is perhaps understandable for an “official” consultation. Even the oldest potential students for September 2015 are only 14 at present. Around 7% of those signed up for e-updates are potential students. However it is reasonable to assume that many of the 60 parents/carers who responded had discussed the issues with their children. The number of councillors and MPs taking part is surprisingly low, given the intense local publicity regarding the potential site for the UTC. Those ticking “other” generally did so in conjunction with other categories and were expanding on their other responses rather than indicating “missing” categories. Around 8 in 10 respondents live in Wiltshire. Where do you live? 3.6%
1.8%
7.7% Wiltshire
8.9%
Hampshire Somewhere else Dorset 78.0%
Southampton
Source: Question 2. Base: 168 responses.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Publicity about the UTC has been especially intense in Wiltshire. The Salisbury Journal, BBC Radio Wiltshire, Valley News and Spire FM have all given regular coverage to the UTC, which is seen as a big local news story. This was especially true given the long-running discussions over the police station site. The importance of building awareness of the UTC outside Wiltshire was a primary objective of the September brochure mailshot. Take up of press releases around Andover has been good and this may explain the Hampshire figure.
The UTC will specialise in Science & Engineering, using examples and experts from the defence & protective science industries. Will this help young people to get started on good careers? 2.4% 7.8%
Definitely Probably 32.9%
Unsure 56.9%
Probably not Definitely not
Source: Question 3. Base: 167 responses.
Around 9 in 10 of the respondents believe that the UTC’s proposed focus on Science and Engineering in the context of the defence and protective science industries will help young people to get started on good careers. Only four respondents disagreed. Explanations given by respondents for their response are reproduced in Appendix 2. Some have been edited where they repeat the response of others or where respondents made the same response to more than one question. Response: In the light of this response the UTC Board has resolved to maintain its focus and continue to build close relationships with Science and Engineering employers throughout the proposed recruitment area.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
The UTC will be on Wilton Road, Salisbury close to the railway station. Will this be a good site for students to get to?
3.6%
3.0%
7.2% Definitely Probably Unsure 55.1%
31.1%
Probably not Definitely not
Source: Question 4. Base: 167 responses.
The consultation did not directly ask about the plans to move police services out of Salisbury Police Station, since this has been a long-term plan that has not resulted from the UTC development and is an issue for the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable, not the UTC Board. The consultation press release and two public meetings informed local residents of the correct channels through which to raise any concerns about the Police’s plans and/or the UTC’s formal planning application. The survey concentrated instead on the suitability of the general location of Wilton Road, Salisbury. 86% of respondents thought the area around the railway station would definitely or probably be a good location and only 7% disagreed. The respondents who objected mainly described themselves as local residents and cited either problems with local buses or concern over increased road traffic. These issues are expanded on in the comments in Appendix 2. Response: Response Respondents have raised some very valid questions about public transport and the impact of the UTC on the A36 trunk road. The UTC is in detailed discussion with bus, train and park & ride operators to maximise the alignment of public transport options for staff and students and the provision of special discounts. The UTC Board is also working with the Salisbury Vision Board to encourage South West Trains/Network Rail to open up the northern access tunnel to the railway station, further increasing the accessibility of the UTC. In the light of the consultation, the UTC Board has confirmed the Wilton Road site as its preferred option and signed a memorandum of understanding with Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner on a detailed timetable to make this happen.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report A question about the UTC’s Admissions Policy produced a lower level of agreement and a higher level of uncertainty. The title below abbreviates the question but it is reproduced in full below. The long question wording assumed (correctly given several of the comments) that not all respondents would follow the request to read the Admissions Policy before taking part in the survey.
Do you support the approach set out in the Admissions Policy?
7.2% 7.2%
38.9%
Definitely Probably
19.2%
Unsure Probably not Definitely not
27.5%
Source: Question 5. Base: 167 responses. Full question: We'll have 600 students aged 14-18 eventually (see our Admissions Policy for details). We'll guarantee places for students with statements of special educational needs (as all schools do). If we then have more applicants than places we'll give priority to: looked after children; Armed Services families; children from disadvantaged backgrounds; children of school staff (because of the long hours); children with brothers or sisters at the UTC; and then - anyone living within 20 miles of the UTC. Do you support this approach?
One in five respondents felt unable to answer the question, in some cases because they had not read the detailed Admissions Policy. However this shows a need to use the period between now and the opening of applications in September 2014 to explain clearly why the criteria are being proposed. For example, all schools have to give places to any students with the school named on a statement of special educational needs. However this led some respondents to conclude that the UTC curriculum would be especially aimed at (rather than accessible to) such students. The question and answer section of the UTC website (www.wiltshire-utc.co.uk/what-is-a-utc) has already been updated to clarify this and other issues raised in the comments in Appendix 2. In particular, this makes clear that the Admissions Policy criteria will only apply if and when the UTC is over-subscribed. Response: The overall size of the UTC, 600 students at capacity, has been based on the experience of UTCs in other areas and it is not expected that demand for places will be strongly in excess of this.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Overall, 66.4% of respondents positively supported the approach compared to 14.4% who opposed it. Several respondents queried the priority being given to Armed Service families and contrasted them with “local” applicants. In practice almost all service families likely to apply to the UTC will also fall within the 20-mile definition of “local”. Response: The Board recognises a need for greater clarity in the priority being given to local residents and also wishes to retain the special help for service families and contribute to Wiltshire Council’s long-standing efforts to address the statistical under-performance of Service children. Some respondents wanted some (unspecified) test of how dedicated applicants are to a career in Science and Engineering. This would not be possible under the national Admissions Code, which with the UTC has to comply. Other respondents clearly want a much narrower definition of “local” applicant and a priority for Salisbury residents. This approach could reduce the UTC’s intention to become a regional centre of excellence and to avoid a disproportionate negative impact on any single local school. Response: In the light of the broad support for the Admissions Policy and its compliance with national guidelines, the UTC Board has reaffirmed the Policy but undertaken to ensure that it is fully explained to potential applicants.
The UTC day will operate on a "business day" from 08.45 to 17.10 and for 40 weeks a year. This will prepare students for work and allow them to learn technical skills alongside academic subjects. Is this the right length of day for the UTC? 6.7%
1.8%
10.3% Definitely 47.9%
Probably Unsure Probably not
33.3%
Definitely not
Source: Question 6. Base: 165 responses.
There was strong support for the proposed working day, with more than 8 in 10 supporting the 08.45 to 17.10 approach and positive comments in Appendix 2. The few respondents with concerns generally thought it might be too much for younger students. Response: The UTC Board has confirmed its approval of the length of the working day but will stress to students and parents that this is not an end in itself but is necessary to support the broad curriculum offer. The UTC will also work with local transport companies to ensure service timetables support the day.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
UTC students will have no formal homework, because of the long day. Instead they'll have study time during the day and be encouraged to go online to research the next day's topics. Do you support this approach? 2.4% 5.5% 11.5% Definitely Probably Unsure 21.2%
59.4%
Probably not Definitely not
Source: Question 7. Base: 165 responses.
There was very strong support for the idea that, given the long working day, homework should be built into the timetable. 8 in 10 supported this and less than 1 in 10 opposed it. Response: The UTC Board has endorsed this approach and will ensure that information for parents and students will stress that it will enhance the UTC’s standards. In particular, it is important to be clear that in-day study time will be guided and supported. The Board will also ensure that the balance of activities within the UTC day reflects both the age of students and their familiarity with an extended day.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report The next question used a lengthy introductory text to try and explain the 14-16 curriculum (assuming that respondents would not necessarily have read the detailed description on the consultation page). The full text is reproduced below the chart.
Is the curriculum approach for Years 10 and 11 broadly right for the UTC?
0.6%
2.5%
9.3% Definitely Probably
49.4%
Unsure Probably not
38.3%
Definitely not
Source: Question 8. Base 162 respondents. In Years 10 and 11, students will all study English, Maths, the Sciences, Engineering and Computing; have work experience and PE; cover a special pastoral curriculum exploring religion/morals, careers, ethics and practical business skills; and choose other subjects from options including a Foreign Language, History or Geography, Motor Vehicle Engineering, Environmental Science and possibly Food Technology. Is this approach broadly right for the UTC?
Almost 9 in 10 respondents supported this broad approach compared to just 3% who opposed it. Response: This level of support and the comments in Appendix 2 suggest that the offer is broadly right. A special working group including employers, the University of Southampton and a local headteacher will be working on the detailed curriculum between now and next spring. There was a fascinating response to a supplementary question asking what foreign languages should be offered. A small number of respondents felt foreign languages should not be offered at all in a technical institution. Initially, respondents were offered 5 possible foreign languages, plus the option to add another language to the list, and asked to rank them in order of preference from 1 to 6. Thus the higher the ranking, the lower the score in the chart.
Which foreign languages should we offer? Please rank these options (where 1 is the language you most support and 6 the one you least support): 1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
German French Chinese Spanish Italian Something else (please explain)
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report French, German and Chinese were all very close in statistical terms. Chinese had the most top rankings (50 of the 162 respondents compared to 38 for French and 37 for German). However, 36 respondents ranked Chinese 5th or 6th compared to 9 each for French and German. In all, 34 respondents ranked “something else” at position 5 or better. The top “write-in” languages (answered by more than the 34 cited above), excluding several respondents who said “English”, were:
• • • • • • • •
Russian (15) Portuguese (8) Arabic (8) Polish (6) Indian sub-continent (6) Latin (5) Japanese (3) Greek, Dutch, Malay, British Sign Language (1 each).
The next question explored the post-16 curriculum and once again the wording was detailed to ensure that respondents had sufficient information on what is being proposed. The full text of the question prompt is shown below the table. 9 in 10 support the proposed approach. Response: The very useful replies to both these questions and the comments in Appendix 2 will be fed into the work of the UTC curriculum task group.
Is the curriculum approach for Years 12 and 13 (Sixth Form) broadly right for the UTC?
2.5%
1.2%
6.2% Definitely Probably 27.8%
Unsure 62.3%
Probably not Definitely not
Source: Question 11. Base: 162 responses. In Years 12 and 13 (Sixth Form) students will specialise in Science, Engineering or both and study up to A Level or even higher; choose from subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths (and Further Maths), Engineering, Electronics, Computing, a Foreign Language and English; study Business Skills, including time management, project management, communications and presentations; and have extended work placements. Is this approach broadly right for the UTC?
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
The last two questions summarised respondents’ overall attitudes to the proposal to establish a UTC in South Wiltshire. The chart below shows the mean average rating out of 10 that respondents gave when asked how good an idea it was to set up a UTC.4
The UTC aims to give young people the qualifications, skills and attitudes they need to take up high quality jobs and university courses. On a scale of 00-10 (where 10 is the best rating), how good an idea is it to set up a UTC in this area?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Source: Question 12. Base: 161 responses.
88.9% of respondents rated the idea of setting up a UTC as 8 out of 10 or better, with two-thirds giving the idea a rating of 10 out of 10. The mean rating was 9.1 out of 10. The mean was around 9.5 for potential students and their parents, employees of partner organisations and for other employers. The rating was lower, at around 8.5, for employees of local schools and colleges and respondents identifying themselves as local residents. The comments, which are reproduced in Appendix 2, indicate that the lower mean average rating given by local residents resulted from a small number of residents in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site who have concerns about the impact of the development on traffic and parking. The UTC is working closely with Wiltshire Council and the Highways Agency to minimise any problems with these aspects. Some respondents were also concerned that the UTC could have an adverse impact on existing schools and colleges in the area and it will be important for the UTC to be clear in its publicity that it is bringing a unique and different offer to young people in the area. Response: Overall, the UTC Board views the responses to Question 12 as a strong endorsement of the plan to establish a UTC in South Wiltshire.
4
This is based on 161 respondents who gave a rating. 10 chose not to give a specific rating, indicating in some cases that this depended on issues they had raised elsewhere, for example clarification on admissions.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Taking everything into account, should the UTC enter into a funding agreement with the Department for Education? 2.5%
2.5%
12.4% Definitely Probably Unsure 20.5%
Probably not 62.1%
Definitely not
Source: Question 13. Base: 161 responses.
The final question used precise wording recommended by the Department for Education to check whether, in the light of all the aspects set out in the consultation documentation, the UTC should enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department. In its initial format, this question included the words “to open in September 2014” but this was revised after the opening date was rescheduled. The pattern of responses was marginally more positive after the change, as some of the early respondents had indicated concern that opening was being rushed. Comments to this effect have been retained within Appendix 2 although these concerns may well have been alleviated by the additional year of planning. The concerns, in most cases, related to wider concerns about the timescale for the planning of changes to Wiltshire Police’s services. 82.6% of respondents felt that the UTC should definitely or probably enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department. Only 8 respondents disagreed but more than 1 in 10 were unsure and several explained that this was because they did not understand what a Funding Agreement entailed. This is not surprising, indeed the question could be seen to imply that there are alternatives to this funding route which, in reality, there are not. There was unanimous support among the 10 respondents from neighbouring schools and colleges and the 7 local representatives who responded (perhaps indicating a greater understanding of the terminology of “Funding Agreement”).
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Among the reasonable-sized sub-groups,5 the level of support (defined as a response that the Funding Agreement should definitely or probably go ahead) was:
• • • • •
79% support among local residents; 82% support among parents and potential students; 88% support among potential employees of the UTC; 81% support among employees of partner organisations; and 85% support among other employers.
Response: The UTC Board has reviewed these overall responses. While there is still a need to explain the funding mechanism for UTCs to local stakeholders there is almost no opposition to the project going ahead and the consultation has demonstrated a very high level of public support. Conclusions There was been considerable publicity for the public consultation and it was open to all on the UTC website for more than seven weeks. A wide range of stakeholders were contacted directly and encouraged to submit their views. Although the absolute volume of responses is relatively low, this is not unusual for public consultations on a proposal that is viewed as largely beneficial. The responses have provided very useful evidence for the Board of aspects where further clarification is required, including matters of curriculum design and issues affecting those living in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site. These will all be taken into account in the planning process ahead. The overall feedback from respondents is overwhelmingly positive and the Board is confident that it has strong public backing in seeking to secure a Funding Agreement with the Department for Education and proceed with its plans to open the UTC in September 2015.
5
Although these groups all had at least 20 respondents, the differences are not necessarily statistically valid and are illustrative only.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Appendix 1: Press Release
Available Available for publication from 00.01 Monday 29 July Public invited to shape the UTC The new University Technical College being established to serve South Wiltshire, West Hampshire, Southampton and North East Dorset has launched a full public consultation. South Wiltshire Defence Industries UTC has invited potential students, parents, local residents and employers to take part and help shape its future. The UTC, which will specialise in Science and Engineering and admit up to 600 students aged 14-18, already has approval from the Government to prepare for opening in September 2014. However, the public consultation is an important stage in in fine-tuning those preparations. Project Manager, Gordon Aitken explained: “At this stage of development all new UTCs have to explain to the public what their plans are and invite feedback. This could be quite a limited exercise but we have decided to set out our plans across all key areas. We want confirmation from the public that the proposals meet local needs while there is still time to reflect and adjust our plans. The results go back to the Government which will then give us the final green light to start recruiting students.” A new page has been added to the UTC website with detailed information on:
• • • • • •
the UTC’s education vision; its curriculum offer; its plans for admitting students and dealing with any over-subscription; its planned catchment area; the proposed refurbishment of the site in Wilton Road, Salisbury (subject to final agreement and planning permission); and the planned working day.
The public are invited to read the documents and then take part in an on-screen survey to give their views on each aspect of the proposals. These range from general questions about the overall plan to specifics such as which foreign languages should be offered. The survey covers all aspects within the UTC’s control, so does not include the police’s plans to relocate services from the Wilton Road site which is covered by a wider set of public discussions being organised by the Police and Crime Commissioner. The survey is open now and will be available right through to 6 September at www.wiltshire-utc.co.uk/public-consultation. NB: A LATER PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCED THE EXTENSION OF THE DEADLINE TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 1
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Appendix 2: Responses to open questions All responses have been included and been edited only where respondents made the same point in response to several questions. All responses were made by just one person. Survey respondents who leave open comments typically have strong views either in favour of, or against, the matter under discussion. As a result, the views of individuals can help explain patterns in the more comprehensive quantitative analysis but should not outweigh it. It is also true that the same respondents tended to leave comments on each question (or not to leave comments at all). Spelling has been corrected in some cases but grammar has not. Comments in response to Question 3 The UTC will specialise in Science and Engineering, using examples and experts from the defence and protective science industries. Will this help young people to get started on good careers? •
I doubt the motivation of those who enter the UTC without any necessity to have reached the Educational Norm for their age Group. Currently the job's market is over provided with over qualified Job Seekers of their number those who attended Oxbridge and other good Universities. I have taken the trouble to ask others their opinion on this UTC idea. Some said they had heard nothing of it, and the word on the street amidst young people is that the idea was 'weird'.
•
We need to invest in technical education both practical and theory. I hope this bridges the gap between apprenticeships and university degrees. Working with industry is an excellent way of ensuring we teach the skills our young employees need.
•
Yes because they will be able to learn from employers what's required of them in the workplace.
•
School years have been extended and are continuing to extend. A new college that enables students to learn and support industries in the area can only be good.
•
Britain has always been key to the world’s greatest machines. Why have we fallen behind?
•
The loss of the Old Salisbury Technical College, since re-branded as Wiltshire College was a disaster. We as a country are short of Trades Persons and short of places for young people to learn a trade. I don't know whether the former Salisbury District Council, the then Wiltshire County Council or Central Government was responsible for making The Wiltshire College, but whosoever was, are hopefully un-involved with this proposed new enterprise at Salisbury Police Station. There is a mess up. The Police have no wish to leave, and seemingly the new College is deferred for another year. Apart from all that one reads that there will be no sixth form course available this year. When I was young one did sixth form studies at School, and it is no thanks to the then Salisbury District Council that we still have both South Wilts and Bishops Grammar Schools to educate academically inclined children.
•
Only if those employers are offering jobs. The forces are contracting so they aren't going to be a good option for any youngster.
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Fills a clear gap in current provision locally and strong local connections with appropriate industries.
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The potential is there so long as the UTC fully consults with employers and recruiting managers to discover what standards and knowledge employers expect prospective employees to have on day 1.
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Absolutely, there is very little opportunities for progression in the area.
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Until it is tried there can be no evidence either way.
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It adds vocational clarity to their education from an appropriate time yet leaves them well equipped to follow an academic route through University.
•
Obviously depends on pupil.
•
Applied coursework & practical experience driven by people with real, tangible and current experience of the business/science/technical workplace - a winning combination.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 1
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
•
Salisbury has a huge variety of STEM opportunities, and partnership working with the UTC provides employers with a sustainable source of skills that they have long told me they have been crying out for. It represents a unique opportunity for young people in the constituency, where opportunities for high quality vocational education are rare. Links to local industry essential to ensure the best possible advice and guidance.
•
Being an engineer then a teacher, this applied learning gives the students a better understanding so a greater level of enthusiasm and motivation for their education.
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As long as the needs between both education and the commercial world are clearly identified, understood and incorporated into the curriculum.
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It will depend on students making the most of the opportunities offered.
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The sponsoring organisations have a proven need for a regular intake of new employees with the skills that the UTC will provide.
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The UK has suffered from years of teaching soft subjects, the country desperately needs STEM at the forefront of education.
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Relevance of core curriculum subjects to the "real" world learnt during school and college years is an invaluable asset when it comes to employment as you can demonstrate hands on experience.
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Very few students will want to leave current school end of yr. 9. Especially as most schools are proactively pushing their own 6th forms e.g. Salisbury 6th form college.
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I say definitely, but do have some reservation but of the current economic situation.
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There are other engineering sectors that could be addressed, the current focus may be off putting to prospective students.
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In an area where there is little employment in the technical fields this will hopefully attract future employers to the area who will want to utilise the students once they have graduated and potentially the facilities provided.
•
Not all schools give students work experience, so this will show employers they can do a full day.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 2
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 3 The UTC will be on Wilton Road, Salisbury close to the railway station. Will this be a good site for students to get to (students will travel up to 20 miles from all directions)? •
The site seems to be far too small for such a large Catchment area, Southampton, Andover, Shaftesbury and Gillingham etc.
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It looks like a very good location with good transport links and close but not in the city centre.
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There is a good train and bus service to the area.
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Yes being close to the train station benefits the student, however a bus stop right outside the college should be put in place.
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Bus company should be asked to ensure a good regular bus service from City Centre along Wilton Road.
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Road can get busy for those driving.
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Great re-use of an existing central site.
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Yes but an even better site would have been the Wiltshire College Site in the Southampton Road. Or what of siting the new College at the Station Works Site, alongside Tisbury Railway Station, SP3.
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However, as a very local resident I am worried about parking pressures.
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I do not agree with the change of use of this building. It will still be a bit of a trek for students coming from the railway station, and Salisbury town centre
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Very local and not many secondary schools this side of town
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For many not quite walking distance from direct buses [apart from West] and train station.
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It’s not that close
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My son would travel by bus and would need to change to another bus taking him to the railway station or he would have to walk
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Depends on the local bus service. This will need to be reviewed.
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Not far from the railway station.
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There are transport issues that were supposed to have been addressed during the Maltings development consultation that would create a transport hub. These issues have been totally ignored by Wiltshire Council.
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High profile for the public as well as convenient for the students and staff.
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Will be coming from Gillingham so this is very relevant.
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Need to improve cycle access as Wilton Road is currently dangerous for bikes. Buses would need to be rerouted to drop students off at start and end of the day. Link start/end times to train arrival times from key locations. Trains from Warminster/Westbury only hourly.
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The road is a main A36 trunk road which is a single carriage way which at peak times is static, the road infrastructure in Salisbury is bad enough now, without extra students and teachers adding to the problem. We have a college in Salisbury why another one?
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I would imagine the majority of students would use the bus to get to college.
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The proposed site provides good access from all directions, with frequent public transport links already in place and good cycle and pedestrian routes.
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Needs to be within walking distance from bus and rail stations.
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In fact there are limited train stations & services in South West Wiltshire, so bus provision will be important for areas like Amesbury/Bulford, Downton, Wilton etc.
•
It is not in the centre of town and is easily accessible.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 3
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
It may be harder for students in rural areas within 20 miles to get to train stations to travel to Salisbury - the area around Salisbury is fairly rural in flavour.
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The site is not only close to the station but is also served by several bus routes including a link to the Park & Ride at Wilton.
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Easy walking distance from train station and well served by current bus routes.
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It's a central road in Salisbury that is easy to get to.
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Too much traffic in the area already making it hard to get there.
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Increased traffic on an already busy road. Will cause additional congestion. Not much outside recreational space for students.
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Transport costs and also irregular bus services from outlying districts.
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Parking may be an issue for students who drive, depends if you can convince them to use Park & Ride.
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Insufficient parking facilities are provided and will be detrimental to local residents. A site in the centre of the city, such as the soon to be vacated premises owned by Wiltshire Council in Castle Street would be much better.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 4
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 5 We'll have 600 students aged 14-18 eventually (see our Admissions Policy for details). We'll guarantee places for students with statements of special educational needs (as all schools do). If we then have more applicants than places we'll give priority to:
• • • • • •
looked after children; Armed Services families; children from disadvantaged backgrounds; children of school staff (because of the long hours); children with brothers or sisters at the UTC; and then anyone living within 20 miles of the UTC.
Do you support this approach? •
Why oh Why? None of these categories are good reasons for giving priority. One might fill the School up with Army Children from the word go.
•
I am not sure what will be different from schools that will aid disadvantaged children.
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The UTC has to define what reputation it aims to build over time, given its admission policy.
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You will want some of the best to boost your reputation. You won’t know if the best fit these criteria.
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I do not like the emphasis on Armed Services families.
•
I would have thought that local students should have greater priority than out of town/armed services families. The reason being that a lot of the armed services families have access to alternative education possibilities. It surprised me that local students in 20 miles were given such a low priority.
•
Is this to be a credible Educational Facility or merely an olive branch to everyone's social conscience? Why on the earth should Armed Services families, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, children of school staff (because of the long hours), children with brothers or sisters at the UTC and then anyone living within 20 miles of the UTC be given priority over everyone else? If there is to be a high demand for places, are the children of everyone else be they Doctors, Nurses, Hospital Porters, Engineers, Post Office Workers, or members of Parliament etc. to be excluded? It is very hard to take this question at all seriously. Why refer to the place as a UTC when seemingly it is to be a reincarnation of The Workhouse Schools?
•
Students should be let in on ability not on personal circumstances.
•
But will you be resourced for SEN? Other local schools appear to offer no support at all.
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Local children should be first on the list.
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With a degree of self-interest, it might seem unfair not to prioritise Salisbury residents over at least those living further away, for whom other options may exist.
•
Is any of the admissions policy based on an aptitude for science and engineering?
•
Children who have a desire to enter into the defence or science industries should be given priority. As your policy currently stands my child who is from a stable family background with a good education and has done all the right things, to date, is at the bottom!
•
We are an Armed Service family and my son has mild educational needs.
•
I don't know what 'looked after children' are so I can't comment on this. Also there is so little choice in Salisbury I think priority should be given to the people in the local area and definitely ahead of armed service families who seem to have more opportunities open to them.
•
As a single parent who works full time, I have found there is little help/support for my children. Given a priority would be a great boost in helping these otherwise disadvantaged children instead of forcing them into low paid shop work as other college courses are unobtainable.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 5
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
This is in Salisbury. Salisbury's potential students should come first in all respect. Anyone else should be assessed on academic merit only and not on any other basis.
•
Aptitude and personal circumstance should be considered
•
Why do armed services children get priority? Do not agree.
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I do but - it seems a shame that a huge genuine interest in technology subjects cannot be considered.
•
What are 'looked after' children? Why preference for Armed Service Families - those with no direct link to the armed services might have less knowledge of the opportunities these services can provide and may benefit more from preferential access to the UTC? Children identified by their schools as having a latent ability in the science/engineering/technology area might be given preference?
•
Not sure why armed forces children are so high up the list.
•
Some of the admissions policy will make it challenging for the UTC to be a true "Centre of Excellence" in the truest sense.
•
UTC is aimed at those children who want a technical education. It would be nice to find a way of quantifying that want and giving preference to those who will benefit most.
•
It would be good to see some form of recommendation or reference from their existing school or range of teachers.
•
I fail to understand why Armed Service Children should have priority - they are more likely to move therefore the place will not necessarily be used until the end of the 2 or 4 years. They should get equal preference with other students within the 20 mile radius.
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I am not sure children of Armed Services should be high up the priority list. Siblings should be higher.
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If the UTC is set up to supply the needs of local employers, their needs may, possibly, not be best matched by this approach.
•
Why should 'local' children be 5th and 6th on the list? Why are armed forces children higher on the list for example?
•
I live opposite the police station. The fact that children from 20 miles away have the same chance of being accepted as my child seems unfair given the level of disruption, noise, transport issues for local residents. Would like to see an extra category - children within a 3 mile radius so that the young people of Salisbury benefit from this new facility instead of shipping in children from the New Forest and still sending children from Salisbury to Brockenhurst College etc as lack of Sixth Form provision.
•
For teachers to then make an impact though there will need to be many opportunities for time to be spent with small groups of students or individuals as this is what makes the most impact with SEN students and students with troubled backgrounds.
•
This, coupled with the new grants to support LLDD/SEN provision at Wiltshire College will help meet a proven need.
•
The sibling rule being such a low priority could be an issue for families with one child in the school - however I appreciate that the school might not suit all children automatically.
•
Children with siblings should be higher?
•
Children within 20 miles should get higher priority because excluding the grammar schools there is a lack of 6th form colleges in Salisbury. I believed one of the reasons for this was to improve the provision for children in Salisbury but this is being given a low priority.
•
Wonder if some kind of selection procedure will be necessary to 'weed out' students who are applying to the UTC for the wrong reasons, i.e. because they live close by rather than have a genuine interest in technology.
•
List is fine apart from children of school staff - teachers will work no longer than most parents in 21st century jobs!
•
I need to review the admissions policy but hope that as local resident currently working as an engineer I hope it will provide training I could only have dreamed of.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 6
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
My son is keen to enrol and would be the right age for entry in Sep 14. We live opposite the Police Station.so it would be a 2 minute walk to get to school, compared with 30 mins bus ride at present. We do not come into the first 4 categories. Worried that he won't get a place despite living so close.
•
However the potential employers want the best students, IF this is compromised then the outcomes will not be a good success.
•
I see no reason why armed forces families should receive special treatment. Local residents within 5 miles should be more like it.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 7
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 6 The UTC day will operate on a "business day" from 08.45 to 17.10 and for 40 weeks a year. This will prepare students for work and allow them to learn technical skills alongside academic subjects. Is this the right length of day for the UTC?
•
Perhaps closing the day at 16.00 rather than 17.00 hours is better.
•
I think this is a good idea, but time for independent study should be in the day - not afterschool...I don't think these hours & homework expectations are appropriate.
•
Gives students the feel for the average work day.
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Working hours are represented, breaks to assist the students.
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A normal working day is either 8am - 4pm or 9am - 5pm - why the extra 25mins?
•
I feel that is too long for a training time period. I don't believe that 40 weeks of 8:45 to 5:10 would be effective learning environment because anyone would tire out and loose interest in the subject. This happens in some of the 2 to 3 day training sessions I have participated in during my professional career.
•
Yes- more like a normal working day, start getting used to the more restrictive work day requirement.
•
Most people work for circa forty nine or fifty weeks a year less Public Holidays. 8.45 AM will clash with the arrival of local schools, but 17.00 reasonable enough providing lunch break is no more than an hour. Many working persons work through their lunch hour.
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I suspect it will be challenging but makes sense when linked to no formal homework.
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Students need to learn that attendance at work is not a part-time thing (unless the hours contracted are part-time).
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Some young people can find long days very tiring, if they are to give all to their study. Care is needed that an acceptable work/life balance can be maintained as they get older, closer to the working world, consider shortening their holidays or put them into work placements.
•
Will certainly prepare for work environment.
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Technical skills have to be in tune with potential recruiters’ needs and skill levels.
•
In principle sounds a good idea but not much learning takes place if students are physically tired.
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I think the benefits of this need to be 'sold' a bit more, like the no formal homework.
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Core business hours which will stand them in good stead for the world of work.
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This does not define whether or not all students will always attend full days on a full week basis. Transport limitations may dictate otherwise.
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This sets an expectation for working life.
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Too long for an academic vocational learning day.
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It's realistic preparation for the real world of work.
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This will engender a business-like approach to studying and will be important preparation for a working life.
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It should give time for students to also take extra curricula activities which would benefit them.
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I strongly support the approach to emulate the working day for young people, teaching them skills of time management relevant to the real world of work.
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Major benefit of UTC concept, allows for real exploration of vocational subjects as well as getting young people used to the world of work
•
Anything that prepares the students for the rigour of working life at this stage will set them up appropriately.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 8
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Some concerns that this will cause maximum traffic problems due to pupils travelling in both morning & evening rush hours. Some staggering of hours might be more helpful to alleviate this.
•
Too late in the day to finish if they then have a 20 mile journey home.
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This does sound like a long day for students, there will need to be an interesting mix of activities.
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A pupil living 20 miles away will have a long travelling time - therefore their day may start at 7.15 and finish at 7pm. My son would need to get the train and then the bus plus walking. You are more likely to get high numbers of students dropping out by the winter, due to the length of day combined with long travelling.
•
Homework is an essential time to reflect and although reflective time is being built into the UTC day sometimes work at home will be more beneficial.
•
This length of day is fine for years 12 and 13, but I'm not sure about 10 and 11 - unless the 'enrichment activities are at the end of the day. Although now I've seen Q7, the longer day makes a bit more sense.
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High quality schools already offer this kind of day with enrichment opportunities aplenty.
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Plus side: it allows for an extended curriculum day length which is a good thing. Downside: the length of the day is going to be a real challenge for students at the younger end of the school and they will be tired!
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These hours begin to prepare students for a working day which they will carry on in employment
•
This does not allow for any outside interests if a child has to allow travelling time on top of this. A 14 year old is still a child.
•
Not for Yr 9 and Yr 10 - too long. What about sport/PE facilities?
NB: THE YOUNGEST YEAR AT THE UTC WILL BE YEAR 10. SPORT AND PE WILL BE DELIVERED OFF-SITE. •
Will students have any time or energy left for homework?
•
I like this idea...and not having homework will be a plus for students!
•
Will cause more congestion for those travelling at peak times. With homework as well and travelling times will it still allow students time for a social life as well. Important to balance studies with social activities.
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It is longer than students are used to, but with correct leadership they will adapt.
•
Not sure if this should be introduced gradually over time as they get older. However, once they are getting close to work or moving on to further education yes.
•
I believe that the length of day is reasonable, but the change to 40 weeks is not a sensible proposition. Parents will want the same term dates, staff will want the same term dates, and I expect the students will too. Public transport arrangements and external exams form part of a complicated national system that relies on everyone studying at the same time, and tagging on an extra week here or there will make life at the UTC very complicated for very little return.
•
Possibly for children 17 to 18, but not for younger pupils. Where is the evidence that this is of benefit?
•
This will need to fit in with local public transport.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 9
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 7 UTC students will have no formal homework, because of the long day. Instead they'll have study time during the day and be encouraged to go online to research the next day's topics. Do you support this approach? •
Age has made me a realist. Maybe one might instruct them during the day and let students research their subject after hours.
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Not having formal homework may disadvantage those heading into university where they will be expected to work outside of school time.
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As long as quality of online time is monitored to an extent. Disciplined use of online resources is required.
•
Less pressure on the student to complete a number of different subject homework
•
This is a great idea.
•
Without homework you can guarantee a student’s full interest during the day and no unnecessary detentions.
•
Homework or unassisted work would better prepare students for work at university.
•
This will help highlight dedicated students perhaps.
•
I can understand using the 'working day' for homework and the ability to apply the homework knowledge in the classroom. My personal opinion is that I wish revising was not always done 'online' but with generally accepted research methods.
•
My children are at school from 8.30 - 17.30 with two hours homework each night. The proposed study time during the day reduces teaching & then no homework. Children need to work hard to prepare for a career how will you achieve better results than an ordinary 9:00 - 15:00 state school with less study time?
•
I don't think this will be good enough. My elder (SEN) son goes to private school. He has this length day plus a long journey. He does homework as well, and it appears to be necessary.
•
Students need to learn how to work on their own in their home environments to prepare them for further study.
•
Providing there is adequate supervision to ensure the correct sites are used, and that tutors are available to deal with queries.
•
Not sure if that will help prepare for University.
•
Homework is a chore for most teenagers.
•
Balances some of the concern expressed in Question 6.
•
May need to be monitored.
•
So long as the younger ones are supervised and taught how to research.
•
Although some limited homework (for example reading) would probably be desirable if the aim is to engage them with the world of work.
•
This is advanced education. It is not a long day and those who have worked successfully in the private sector will recognise this. How is this preparing students for the 'real' world of work?
•
I'm not sure that there should be a no homework policy - modern working life is now associated with working from/at home and developing strategies to enable that to happen and also securing a work/life balance. Dealing with the requirements of sustained studies carried out at college and home gives them the opportunity to develop those skills.
•
It's an excellent way to promote individual learning.
•
Work requires homework.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 10
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Homework for the sake of it (and to make up for a lack of teaching hours in the regular school day) is misguided. Longer hours, more teaching within the extended school day and support for self-driven work are good discipline.
•
Classroom, workshop and group work are clearly important -- but some students will benefit from out of hours studying in a different environment to reinforce the work at college and also show independent thinking.
•
This will discourage students from completing a whole day of working which is what is expected of workers.
•
Some study time needs to be for the (older) students to organise themselves in preparation for university life.
•
Long day plus travel make this the sensible approach.
•
So long as the appropriate planning and scheduling is made clear at the start of each term.
•
Given it is a long day this is probably the best approach. Although, there can be pinch points whereby older students may need to pick up brothers/sisters from school on occasions.
•
Any further research will be up to the students and essential for their time management.
•
Many students of that age are not responsible enough to do this unsupervised. Will there be enough study space plus supervision and technology to support this?
•
Homework may be difficult for many students in terms of facilities and support. Building this into the school day will be helpful as long as there is also a building expectation of individuals managing this and being fully accountable for assignment completion (work skills).
•
I feel that structured work is good and we should encourage reading around the subject possibly via homework, but have an open mind about this one.
•
Many students need to take a break. Parents/carers can be involved also gives oversight. Pupils who do well have involved parents. Why not some weekend homework? Excessive homework is generally a bad thing. However, a lot of people at work take work home.
•
I work in a residential school and homework (prep) that is properly supervised is of much higher quality.
•
Will year 10 students have the personal discipline to do this? I could see it working for year 12 onwards but not years 10-11.
•
This would need to be supervised and driven, otherwise it will not happen.
•
Sometimes even when you are working you will need to do extra tasks at home.
•
I agree that homework is a poor use of students' time. Most homework set by most teachers is irrelevant and poorly thought through, with very little opportunity for students to actually learn anything. However, 15 and 16 year old students are not very capable of independent research. They would be better off being given free study time to write essays and reports for exam subjects like English, languages and the humanities.
•
Unstructured time such as this, lends itself to doing nothing.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 11
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 8 In Years 10 and 11, students will: • • • •
all study English, Maths, the Sciences, Engineering and Computing; have work experience and PE; cover a special pastoral curriculum exploring religion/morals, careers, ethics and practical business skills; and choose other subjects from options including a Foreign Language, History or Geography, Motor Vehicle Engineering, Environmental Science and possibly Food Technology.
Is this approach broadly right for the UTC? •
Those are things that students should learn at Home, and at School, not at what might better be a Technical College.
•
Covering everything that a young student requires.
•
All Engineering and Science and Maths and literacy are what the place should be about. If Students haven't bothered to learn the rudiments of Foreign Languages Religion Morals Ethics either at Home or Away, then the Unitary Authority's Schools will have failed Pupils. Possibly a few heads should roll.
•
All children should be taught to cook as many families can no longer be relied upon for this basic skill. Also practical skill including how to run a bank account would be useful plus a chance to volunteer in the local community.
•
If children wish a broader curriculum they can stay at normal school.
•
Maybe they will need advice about living independently, managing money and managing a home environment.
•
Pastoral curriculum should also cover working relationships, attitudes and behaviours at work.
•
It would be good to see some further engineering specialisations as alternatives to motor vehicle engineering.
•
NOT FOOD - keep it defence/science based they can do food tech at Salisbury College. Try politics.
•
The "Sciences" must be split out into the three classic subjects (biology, chemistry and physics), taught separately and to standards both academic and practical with strong relevance to the work place.
•
No Religion please. Keep that for the parents.
•
This is advanced education and should be treated as such. Religion and morals are not subjects relevant to advanced education, neither is PE (presumably physical education), these are private personal matters that have no place in advanced education. They should always be extra-curricular.
•
Remove motor vehicle from the option list but allow it within the course opportunities.
•
Sounds great. Do they get to do triple science?
•
Religion should not be included.
•
I would hope that English would include Literature and Language
•
I believe the above approach provides the breadth of the national curriculum with vocational opportunities introduced from an early stage.
•
Employers want rounded people capable of thinking outside the box not simply "technicians".
•
No art, drama or music even as an option?
•
From personal experience of college (many years ago) I was only interested in the main subjects.
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 12
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Will the brighter students be stretched? The curriculum suggests this college is aiming at those who are disaffected by school. Will this appeal to grammar school pupils or top ability pupils who are interested in engineering but don't want to go to university due to the fees?
•
The practical business skills element and understanding of commercialism and enterprise needs to be integrated throughout the curriculum and not delivered solely as a discrete subject.
•
Business Studies would be a good option.
•
However the students may also benefit from opportunities for overtly cross-curricular activities.
•
An ability to study art and /or design is important so that any product that is designed has appeal to the consumer. In addition the ability to sketch in a meaningful way is an important part of communicating an idea.
•
What about design and technology, graphic design and art which would link with other topics?
•
I think geography should be an option (it is a science).
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report
Appendix 2 page 13
South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 11 In Years 12 and 13 (Sixth Form) students will:
• • • •
specialise in Science, Engineering or both and study up to A Level or even higher; choose from subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths (and Further Maths), Engineering, Electronics (includes Computing), a Foreign Language and English; study Business Skills, including time management, project management, communications and presentations; and have extended work placements.
Is this approach broadly right for the UTC? •
Brilliant subjects.
•
If you’re running a Remedial School, fair enough. But if so don’t make out it is a UTC.
•
Targeted work experience is so beneficial for students and is increasingly part of university degrees.
•
The Business Skills are an important addition to the core traditional subjects.
•
Two areas of specialist employment in the Salisbury area are in these fields, therefore the requirement for specific training facilities.
•
Heavens alive had no idea we were dealing with persons who left school early. If that is all you have in mind let them stay at school to learn such subjects, and keep the Police Station where it is.
•
Psychology might be useful.
•
It’s a shame Wiltshire College (Salisbury College) was made to drop the Sciences, Computing and Engineering as it had good facilities not so long ago. Students could have gone there.
•
Spot-On!
•
Your last two points are not currently or widely taught but are extremely important.
•
Having personal experience of such plans, through my son who is now 21 and working full time, these sorts of expansive plans frequently fail the students who undertake them. Try asking those who have recent experience.
•
I would expect Computing to be present at post-16 level for an engineering and science based curriculum. I would also like to see a core curriculum including English (communications), computing (programming and computational thinking) and ethics/morals element.
NB: THE WORDING OF THE QUESTION WAS MISLEADING. COMPUTING IS INTENDED AS A DISTINCT A LEVEL OPTION. •
Business skills key.
•
The UTC's approach strikes the right balance between the rigours of academic study alongside the skills and hands on experience valued by employers.
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Business skills must include personal finance.
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The business skills element is crucial as this will provide a fast track in to the workplace with larger, professional employers.
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Hopefully Electronics/Computing will include Software skills? It might be good to include an element of Art & Design in the curriculum.
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I assume there will not just be A Levels but also vocational and technical BTECs etc.
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A lot of engineering involves creativity and forms of art. I think these skills still need to be offered in some form such as graphic design, art or project design.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Students are being prepared for these areas but as they mature their personal preferences may mean they want to develop their skills in alternative areas. This could mean a big drop-out rate.
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However there seems to be lack of science and engineering associated with the environment which will be so significant in future employment areas. As the University of Southampton has many science/engineering orientated environmental initiatives this seems a missed opportunity e.g. one of the largest Schools of Oceanography in the world is at Southampton University down in Ocean Village.
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Application business acumen specifically to the trade they are studying. Pricing up for a job, estimate timings, understand and use Gantt charts.
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Is it work placements or day release? Employers would probably prefer regular weekly contact?
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Programming is important. A good grasp of C++ would be highly advantageous to students.
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It's a very narrow selection of topics which may put some students off.
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Computing should be sub-divided into different headings: Networking, Software Development, and BTEC focused on network/IT technician/engineer pathways.
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I do not think English should be studied at A Level - this is usually English Literature. I think Geography would be more appropriate.
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What about foreign languages?
NB: WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT A LEVEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report Comments in response to Question 13 and a final open question Taking everything into account, should the UTC enter into a funding agreement with the Department for Education? NB: SOME COMMENTS WERE MADE BEFORE THE PLANNED OPENING DATE WAS CHANGED TO 2015. •
Where else would the funding come from? If this means it will go ahead and help our children then funding from the DoE is fundamental to the UTC - we need the UTC in Wiltshire as we have to travel out of the county to find these subjects at the moment.
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One certainly doesn’t wish to have such a' sop to under achievement' on the Community Charges. Let’s have a Technical College, and let’s have better schools. Just talking to my daughter who learned French, German, and Russian at South Wilts. There only the brighter girls did the latter subject.
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Added guarantee of quality of education.
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What are the implications...not if Gove can have any say in the way the UTC's run.
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What are you really asking here? The UTC doesn't really have alternatives. My opinion of the agreement would differ depending on its details.
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Do people never learn?
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I don't understand what you mean by a funding agreement.
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Our son would definitely be one of the first applicants to start year 10 in 2014.
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As long as this is not rushed through.
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Just don't let Wiltshire Council near it!
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Salisbury already has competent schools. It has had them for generations. This just undermines those schools.
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UTC offers very good practical learning that schools don't.
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It’s all rushed.
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I am not sure what this would entail and if the UTC would be bound by difficult rules.
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Wiltshire's provision for higher education is lacking and any education initiative aligned with securing real jobs using applied skills is essential in today's marketplace.
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Salisbury has a college with good links to Bournemouth University. We need schools to offer 6th form options not another big expensive building in these money tight times.
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As the MP for Salisbury, I am wholly supportive of the proposals as they stand. I believe a UTC will be a tremendous asset for the young people of Salisbury and the surrounding areas, providing opportunities that are currently not available. The focus on a rigorous curriculum alongside exposure to employers from an early stage will create a unique institution providing opportunities for a wide range of pupils.
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The issue of public transport must be given consideration if children living within the 20 mile catchment area but in rural areas are to be allowed to participate.
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Please can you consider the use of the word 'behaviours' rather than ‘attitudes’? This is more professional and links with the use of Competencies in many organisations.
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It seems a good idea - my only doubts are due to my lack of knowledge re the principles of UTCs and whether these are in fact the best way forward for educating our young people.
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More choice is needed for students in this area.
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This is an exciting and innovative approach to education that is much needed nationally and which would benefit the Salisbury area very much. It would help many students have a quality alternative to the grammar school system that is so strong in the area.
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What is the choice if not D of E funding? Free school yes, keep away from D of E.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Become a free school if choice.
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Is Sept 2014 realistic? Will students want to move to a new unestablished educational facility?
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Is the premises suitable, would a purpose built building not be better to provide high quality specialist teaching environment for these students. Would it definitely be ready for September 2014? How will the UTC impact on other local schools? What about other children who do not have a statement of special needs but are still on the SEN register.
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If ready and well prepared.
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Keep up the high profile; it's crucial to get this off the ground and get the students in. Wishing you the best of luck.
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Relocate to better location because of local traffic generation will cause congestion, parking and safety risk.
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Yes teach Engineering and Science to those who wish to learn such things. What is proposed is a skive to allow those who go unwillingly to School, to fail elsewhere.
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It is re-inventing things, we had a good technical college here in Salisbury, and in other cities not so long ago. I think the biggest challenge could be training students in a proper attitude to work, not many young people have the work ethic these days. I also think young people need to have their energy and enthusiasm directed into something positive instead of them hanging about in town centres. They need to feel useful and have a sense of ownership in what they do, in other words it needs to become 'cool to go to school'! There, a free slogan for you!
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Please consider talking with prospective local employers and recruiting managers now and throughout.
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No account has been taken of the need to sort out the appalling traffic problems that already exist in the area. The 'Rat Runs' on Ashfield Road and Cherry Orchard Lane is already at a dangerous level, to the point where if something is not done soon someone will be severely injured. To increase the traffic even more with bicycles and 'student' driven cars will be irresponsible.
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Hold a local referendum on the matter including views on the implications of the closure of Salisbury's Police Station to achieve this. Local referenda are advocated for such issues under the current government’s localisation legislation. Should have happened already but it is not popular with local councils who wish to deny the local taxpayers any option. Try asking them!
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Emphasise the inclusion of the commercial, forces, universities participation in the process to give parents confidence that this is an academic as well as vocationally focussed enterprise.
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To ensure excellent neighbourly relations from the outset, can I strongly urge you to engage with the residents who border the Wilton Road site? Prior to the planning application(s) being submitted, it would be advantageous to both the college and those immediate residents to have a meeting.
NB: THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 23rd. •
I broadly support the college concept but as a resident whose property directly adjoins the Wilton Road site (Montgomery Gardens), I am obviously concerned about what will happen to the ancillary buildings currently on site - if demolition, replaced by what? An early meeting would help allay any such concerns. I would be interested to hear your views on this, and offer my help in organising such a residents meeting should you want to go ahead.
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I disagree with the approach being taken. Policing is being cut to make way for this college. This is the wrong way round. Salisbury will be worse off if the college is here. Also, how are you going to deal with the asbestos legacy of the building and the lack of car parking?
NB: SAFE AND PROFESSIONAL ASBESTOS DETECTION AND REMOVAL IS BUILT INTO THE REFURBISHMENT PLAN. •
As well as work experience I would consider getting the students involved in some local community voluntary work too. Many of the skills learned are transferable to employment and higher education. It will help raise the profile of the UTC amongst the local community too.
NB: VOLUNTEERING WILL FORM PART OF STUDENTS’ OPTIONS FOR ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY. •
Explain to everyone more clearly what it is and who it will cater for. This is a misunderstanding among parents that it won't cater for 6th form.
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Remove the inevitably noisy mechanical engineering building from next to residential properties.
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South Wiltshire UTC Public Consultation Report •
Any information on how you will be engaging with the local schools would be of use.
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I think it is really important to integrate what businesses require as competencies throughout the curriculum rather than viewing each subject as a content based option.
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Please outline how the pastoral system of the school will operate. As the intended student body may not be straightforward this may be a priority for students, families and teachers alike.
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Review all teaching plans at least two months before UTC opens its doors.
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Good luck with your future plans.
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Extra-curricular activities are important as you acknowledge by making a provision for the CCF. Sport is also vital to build self-confidence. Rugby, football, hockey, net ball and lacrosse coached in a meaningful manner would be very useful.
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There is very little open space and sporting facilities provided for this site. What are 600 children supposed to do during breaks? Hang around the local streets I imagine. Part of the existing property in which the police station stands is being retained to be sold off for development. This land must be included within the UTC to be used by students for sport and recreation.
NB: ONLY OLDER STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED OFF-SITE AND THEN ONLY UNDER CONTROLLED CIRCUMSTANCES. THE POLICE HAVE NO PLANS TO SELL OFF THE REMAINDER OF THE SITE. PE AND SPORTS ACTIVITY WILL TAKE PLACE IN LOCAL LEISURE FACILITIES.
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Appendix 2 page 18
