Ofsted conducted a monitoring inspection of UTC Reading on 4 October 2023, following the school's designation of serious weaknesses after a graded inspection in February 2023. The purpose of this inspection was to assess the progress made by the school since the last inspection, rather than to provide an overall effectiveness grade. The inspection involved discussions with senior leaders, trustees, and members of the interim executive committee, as well as visits to lessons and meetings with staff and pupils.
The findings indicate that while leaders have made some progress in improving the school, further work is necessary to remove the serious weaknesses designation. Since the last inspection, there have been changes in leadership, including the appointment of a new executive headteacher. Staff and pupils have noted an increase in expectations, particularly regarding safeguarding and behavior management. The Activate Learning Education Trust has established an interim executive committee to support the school, and several trust staff members are providing effective guidance.
The inspection focused on key areas such as safeguarding, behavior, attendance, and curriculum implementation. Improvements have been made in the culture of safeguarding, with an increase in trained staff to handle safeguarding concerns. However, the precision of actions taken in response to incidents needs enhancement. Most pupils are aware of staff they can approach with concerns, and an online reporting system has been introduced, which pupils appreciate. Despite these improvements, some pupils still feel uncomfortable in certain lessons.
Behavior management has seen a strong start, with clearer expectations and improved behavior in many areas. However, disruptions in a significant number of lessons persist, and a minority of pupils continue to exhibit challenging behavior that is not consistently addressed by staff. Attendance has improved due to systematic monitoring and effective actions to tackle poor attendance, particularly benefiting sixth form students.
Curriculum improvements are still in the early stages. Leaders have identified key knowledge and skills for pupils, and in some subjects, learning is sequenced effectively. However, this consistency needs to be applied across all subjects. Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) remains insufficient, with staff lacking training to adapt learning effectively for these pupils. Additionally, support for weaker readers is underdeveloped, necessitating further work to identify gaps in phonics knowledge.
The school has introduced a personal, social, and health education curriculum, but not all staff receive training to deliver these lessons effectively. Pupils benefit from dedicated time for personal and professional development, although some do not yet see the value in these sessions. Monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum are improving, but implementation consistency across subjects remains a challenge. Staff training has not yet focused on embedding strategies to support pupil learning effectively.
The trust is committed to the success of UTC Reading, and decisive actions have begun to improve the school. The interim executive committee, composed of experienced leaders, is providing appropriate challenge and support. The trust recognizes the need for sustainable improvements, and new senior leaders are being appointed to strengthen strategic leadership. Staff have expressed positivity about the changes, noting a more purposeful leadership approach. The action plan outlines clear intentions for improvement, although some actions could be sharpened, particularly regarding the timeliness of curriculum enhancements.
