Designs moving forward on 'state of the art' second UTC site in Doncaster focusing on health sciences and green technology

Doncaster Council's cabinet formally approved plans to construct a new UTC in May, following the government's announcement that the city's bid for a second site had been successful.

UTCs are government-funded schools which offer specialised education in vocational subjects alongside traditional lessons.

The initial Doncaster UTC, which opened in 2020, focuses on engineering and digital education.

The new UTC, which will be constructed next to the existing school site on College Road, will focus on health sciences and green technology.

Helen Redford, co-CEO of the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, said the UTC will look to build expertise and employer engagement in those two sectors.

"Green technology is one of the biggest markets in the area," she said.

"The idea is to support young people to access career paths in healthcare and green technology.

"It's really exciting because it builds on our ambition as a trust to be net zero carbon.

"It will be a state of the art building and will model for young people what green technology is all about."

The trust has worked with Doncaster Council on the project, and particularly thanked Damian Allen, the council's statutory chief officer for children and adults, for his support.

It also expressed its thanks to the NHS and its business partners.

The project has received backing from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, as well as Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, plus former Doncaster MPs Rosie Winterton and Nick Fletcher.

The new UTC will have an intake from Year seven as well as at post-16 level.

"It's a traditional curriculum but it will be specially geared towards employer engagement," Helen said.

"Some will go onto red brick universities but others will follow an apprenticeship route.

"It fits into the regional skills accelerator plans.

"We have Oliver Coppard's backing.

"Rosie Winterton and Nick Fletcher both championed this because they realise that traditional education is important but we need to be looking to the 21st century to ensure that we address the skills gap."

Garath Rawson, co-CEO of the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, said that the existing Doncaster UTC has a 13 per cent apprenticeship intake, compared to a six per cent national average.

"We want to build on that even further, continuing that momentum," he said.

"It's about creating opportunities for young people."

He added: "The pinnacle of this is that we can develop students even further to make these young people higher education and work ready."

UTCs are academies and are smaller than traditional secondary schools. They are not academically selective and charge no fees.

They typically have 600 students, are sub-regional and their catchment area may extend across a number of local authorities.

By working with a university and local employers, UTC students benefit from access to the latest research, industry experts and specialist facilities; real-life employer projects that stretch their technical skills and creative thinking; and teaching and mentoring from specialists who currently work in industry.