LO3: Planning content and justification of research

Source: UTC webpage

News Values: This has unambiguity as it includes detailed information, statistics and quotes.
Reference: UTCsheffield (2017) About, [Online], Available: http://www.utcsheffield.org.uk/about/   Accessed 03/04/2017
Summary: This is the UTC webpage with information about employment partnerships, school information and what they do. On this website they go on in detail about the opening on the UTC and the aspirations of the school, this also includes the Ofsted report of ‘good’ given in 2016.  This webpage talks about the different opportunities open to the students through employer events and meetings.                                                                                                                                      Justification: This source is good to use because it includes a lot of statistics and quotes which I can include I my article, this will increase the unambiguity of my article. This source is reliable as it come straight from the UTC website.

Source: Article from YorkshireLife

News Values: This has unambiguity as it includes detailed information, statistics and quotes.
Reference: Yorkshirelife (2014) ‘UTC Sheffield celebrates first birthday’, Yorkshirelife,[online] available:http://www.yorkshirelife.co.uk/education/utc_sheffield_celebrates_first_birthday_1_3792074  Accessed 03/04/2017
Summary: This is an article from the Star, this talks about different things the school has to offer. This article is used to advertise the first birthday of the UTC. This article includes statements of the students at UTC which I can use in my article. In this article it touches on the progress made at the school through its first year, this is interesting to compare this article to statements and statistics I find of recent progress.
Justification: The information in this article is important as it includes lots of statements from students and the head principle about the progress of the school, this is interesting because it relates to my article directly although I am doing mine much later.

Source: A Ofsted report from 2016

News Values: This has unambiguity as it has detailed information of the school and ratings of the school
Reference: Ofsted (2016) school inspection report’ [online] , Available: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/139695   Accessed 05/04/2017
Summary: This is the Ofsted report from 2016, this was the first report they receive. This Ofsted report goes into detail about the quality of the school and the structure of the school. This includes a section on how the school can improve, this would be interesting to see if they have acted on the improvements given. This is a good source because it goes into detail about different aspects of the school which I can include.
Justification: This includes a lot of statistics which I can include in my article. I can use this information in my interview with Mr Reynolds to see how the school have improved since the report was done. This gives a lot of statistics which increases the unambiguity.

Planning my article:

LO3: Primary Research Evidence

Primary research
Interview with Mr Reynolds (primary definer)- I want to interview the principle of UTC to get an aspect of how it is growing and how it plans to grow further. I will question him about the growth since the opening and since the Ofsted report. I want to do this as he is a credible source to interview.

Interview with former student (primary definer)-I want to get a student’s aspect of the school and how they feel it has improved overtime. I will ask the student what made them want to join UTC and how it has benefited them.

Former student questions:

1.What made you move to UTC Sheffield from your previous school?

2.Where have you moved now?

3. when did you move to UTC?

4. what specialism did you take at UTC? has this helped with your further studies at Lincoln Art College?

6. What do you want to do in the future for a career? Has UTC helped you decide that?

6. How has the school grown since you moved? if so, what areas?

7. How could the school improve and move forward in the future?

8. What were your favourite subjects at UTC?

9. What did you enjoy most about the school?

10. How do you feel about the new UTC2 opening (OLP)? Do you think it will help UTC1?

Former student answers:

1. It gave me more options in terms of subjects, for example photography and media which was not offered at my previous school. It also seemed like a more relaxed and mature environment and I felt like I would be treat more like an adult.

2. Lincoln Art College CHT

3. I moved to UTC in September of 2014.

4. I took CDM, photography and art. These subjects abled me to get onto my course and gave me basic knowledge which then helped me grow on my current course. 

5. UTC made me realise my love photography and I hope I can eventually peruse a career in portrait photography. 

6. I know more people are aware of the school and wish to apply for a better future. 

7. I think they could improve by paying more attention to the students and their wants and needs. 

8. My favourite subjects were art, maths, photography and media. I did enjoy most subjects though because the relationships between me and my teachers meant I felt comfortable and had fun in my lessons. 

9. I enjoyed the whole experience. In lessons I learnt things I wouldn't have learnt in my previous school. I liked how comfortable the teachers and students were towards each other, meaning there was mutual respect. I also made a lot of great friends who I am still in contact with today, and hope to be in the future. 

10. I think it will allow students to do more of what they want, being able to take classes in both UTCs. It also gives people in the area of Sheffield a wider range of choices without having to look outside the area or go to a more traditional school/ college. 

Principle questions:

Questions for interview:

1.What is different about the UTC compared to other schools?

  - curriculum as normally technical subjects have become devalued which is a struggle.

- another struggle is that subjects like arts aren't as recognised in the performance measures.

- UTCs have been put up to support technical education as they have all the resources needed to do this unlike other schools.

- its still broad curriculum but that means they can invest focus directly into certain subjects which adhere to the technical qualification.

-destination focused

-14-19 sart

2.How do the students chosen specialisms help them in the future careers?

 - students have an advantage over other students because they start either 2 or 4 year advantage doing that specialism.

- when you do an interview the conversation you have with an employer it can be more in-depth than a regular student because they have that knowledge.

- you do a broad spectrum of a specialism so you can decide what you like and don't like.

3.Since the Ofsted inspection, how have you improved?

  -self-reflect

-English results have improved

-areas for development : English-improved on

                                             attendance- the attendance is measured against less students

4.Has the school changed since you became Principle?

 - staff changes

-expanding leadership capacity

- second utc, staff working over both sectors

-expanded a-level options

-national level support

5.Are students more likely to do an apprenticeship or go to university after leaving?

-statically 48% went to university

- 28% went on to an apprenticeship (normal school 7% do apprenticeships)

- apprenticeship numbers are going up due to the improvement of them.

6. What subjects can students do along side their A-Levels? Why these subjects?

 -OCR Cambridge technical, they have both technical and academic content.

7. What are the pass rates for GCSE and A-Level subjects?

 Alevel: maths- 94%

              further maths- 100%

               English- 100%

                physics- 91%

                chemistry-100%

               creative writing- 100%

               fine art- 100%

               overall pass rate- 94%. 22% A*-B. 54% A*-C.

GCSE: English- 66%
            Maths-79%
            Science- 72%

8. How does the school prepare students for their future jobs?
-career focused
-every lesson you find out different parts of the sector they enjoy or not.

9.How has the opening of OLP UTC impacted the school?

 - grown the amount of alevels that are available

10. How does the school plan to grow in the future?

Principle answers:

1.