The Baker Dearing Educational Trust (abbreviated as the Baker Dearing Trust or BDT ) is a UK-based registered charity established to support, advocate and develop university technical colleges (UTCs) in England. An official partnership with the Department for Education has been made for this purpose. All schools with UTC status must have a licence agreement with the BDT as it is the creator and owner of the UTC model, trademarks and brand. This agreement is fulfilled via a license fee.
15-678: Black Country UTC was a university technical college (UTC) located in the Bloxwich area of Walsall , West Midlands , England . The University of Wolverhampton and Walsall College were the lead academic sponsors of the UTC, and Siemens acted as the lead business partner for the UTC. The UTC closed at the end of August 2015. Black Country UTC opened in September 2011, and was the second university technical college to open in England as part of
30-399: A non-academic careers adviser. These advisers are expected to discuss UTCs with pupils, promoting them whilst doing so. Many schools have failed to follow the clause, resulting in threats of legal action from Baker. The trust has also attempted to introduce a technical baccalaureate with Andrew Adonis. From 2012 to 2019 the trust's chief executive was Charles Parker. Upon his resignation he
45-439: A range of GCSE options. For sixth form education, students chose between three routes of study: University technical college A university technical college ( UTC ) is a type of secondary school in England that is sponsored by a university and has close ties to local business and industry. University technical colleges specialise in subjects like engineering and construction, taught alongside business skills and
60-497: Is a non-selective free school funded directly by the Department for Education , free to attend, and outside the control of the local education authority . University technical colleges specialise in subjects like engineering and construction, and teach these subjects along with employability and IT skills. Pupils study core academic subjects, as well as practical subjects which lead to technical qualifications. The curriculum
75-489: Is designed by the university and employers, who also provide work experience for students. UTCs were introduced in 2010 by the coalition government under the free schools programme. UTCs are collectively distinctive in that they offer technically oriented courses of study, combining National Curriculum requirements with technical and vocational elements. UTCs must specialise in subjects that require technical and modern equipment, but they also all teach business skills and
90-558: Is sponsored by the Baker Dearing Educational Trust , which promotes the setting up of UTCs. The trust was co-founded by Kenneth Baker , a Conservative politician and former Secretary of State for Education and Ron Dearing . Each UTC pays an annual licence fee (£10,000 in 2019) to the trust. Baker Dearing's promotion of UTCs is supported by a range of organisations, including the Edge Foundation ,
105-644: The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation . Many large companies have pledged to co-sponsor UTCs including Arup , British Airways , Ford , Jaguar Land Rover and Sony . Baker Dearing Educational Trust Lords Kenneth Baker and Ronald Dearing conceptualised the UTC in 2009 and established the trust in the same year. Baker had previously served as Secretary of State for Education from 1986 to 1989, during which time he introduced
120-746: The National Curriculum and City Technology College through the Education Reform Act 1988 . Dearing died in February 2009 but he and Baker's ideas were approved by education minister Andrew Adonis of the Labour Party and the incoming Conservative-Lib Dem coalition . The first UTC opened in 2010 and further expansion soon followed. Since then, the trust has been tasked by the Department for Education to oversee
135-634: The UTC programme. It aids UTCs in deciding their curricular provision and technical qualifications (of which they specialise ) and also helps open more UTCs. This is provided through a partnership with the department which is reviewed per annum. Baker has used this to promote the programme and influence the government's education policy, introducing the Baker Clause to the Technical and Further Education Act 2017 . This clause requires schools to provide all pupils in years Year 8 to Year 13 access to
150-532: The end of August 2015, with all pupils either graduating or being given places at other local schools. The decision to close the UTC was made after two Ofsted reports stated that the school required improvement, and overall low student numbers. The UTC specialised in engineering and science , and offered education for pupils aged 14 to 19. At ages 14–16, pupils studied a Higher Diploma in Engineering or BTEC First Diploma in Engineering in conjunction with
165-522: The sponsor university and partner employers. Pupils traditionally transfer to a UTC at the age of 14, part-way through their secondary education, though many UTCs now accept pupils at a younger age. The first UTCs were established in 2010, and there are 44 of them in 2023. It was announced in August 2023 that two more UTCs would be established in Doncaster and Southampton. A university technical college
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#1732798055791180-532: The university technical colleges programme. The UTC was located on the site of the former Sneyd Comprehensive School , a secondary school in Walsall which closed during the Summer of 2011 due to falling pupil numbers. The school site was extensively refurbished to accommodate the new UTC. A second phase of renovation was completed in September 2013. In April 2015 it was announced that Black Country UTC would close at
195-402: The use of information and communications technology (ICT). UTCs are also supposed to offer clear routes into higher education or further learning in work. When operating, UTCs receive the same per capita funding as other schools in the local authority, calculated by the same formula, and £87 extra to cover UTC-specific administration. The university technical college programme as a whole
210-513: The use of IT. Pupils study academic subjects as well as practical subjects leading to technical qualifications. The curriculum is designed by the university and employers, who also provide work experience for students. The university and industry partners support the curriculum development of the UTC, can provide professional development opportunities for teachers, and guide suitably qualified students on to industrial apprenticeships or tertiary education. The UTC's governors include representatives from
225-784: Was replaced by Simon Connell. Parker has remained in the trust as an adviser to its senior management . The trust has seen continued political and academic support, with the board of trustees having included Labour's Kumar Bhattacharyya and Andrew Adonis and educators such as Kevin Satchwell , Edwina Dunn and Mike Tomlinson . Other supporters include Conservative education secretary Gavin Williamson , astronaut Tim Peake , physicist Brian Cox , Rear Admiral John Clink and lords Peter Mandelson and David Puttnam . An eight-member independent policy group of MPs co-chaired by Kenneth Baker and Robert Halfon has been established to aid
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