Health Futures UTC found to be failing three years after opening
A school that only opened three years ago in West Bromwich has been labelled ‘inadequate’ in every category in its first ever government inspection.
Health Futures UTC, set out to prepare youngsters for careers in healthcare but is in special measures after Ofsted said it was failing pupils.
Inspectors said children were not being taught the skills and knowledge needed to work in the NHS.
The school, which is sponsored by the University of Wolverhampton and has partnerships with Sandwell Council and numerous health trusts, opened its new multi-million pound building in September 2015.
But now the 419-pupil school has been described as ‘failing’ in its leadership, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, behaviour and welfare, outcomes for pupils and in its sixth form programmes.
What did the inspectors say?
Inspectors reported: “Leaders and governors have been ineffective since the school opened in September 2015. They have failed to secure an acceptable standard of education for students over that time.”
They also said the school failed in its central aim: “The school claims to have a curriculum focus on healthcare and health science.
“In practice it does not. Leaders have failed to provide students with the health-focused curriculum they were promised.”
In criticising teaching practice, they said: “Students are regularly not taught by subject-specialist teachers, or not taught at all.”
Inspectors did comment that there was some improvement since the appointment of a new head teacher: “Since the arrival of the interim principal, a much clearer view of teaching and better targeting of training are apparent. However, it is too soon to see impact from these changes.”
What was the response on behalf of the school?
The chairman of governors, Professor Linda Lang – who used to be Dean of the Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing at the University of Wolverhampton – in a letter to parents, said since the inspection in May new appointments had been made to improve teaching and a new careers programme to support students wishing to pursue health careers had been implemented.
She added: “Our aim continues to be to inspire young people to become the health professionals of the future through an academic and practical education experience, which equips them with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities they need to have a successful careers.”
