WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) Review 2026: A UTC built around engineering, employer projects, and longer working days

This is a University Technical College (UTC) that asks a clear question early, do you want an education shaped by engineering and the world of work, from age 14 onwards. Opened in September 2016, it is part of the WMG Academy for Young Engineers Trust and is closely linked to WMG at the University of Warwick.

The day is deliberately longer than many local schools, with a start at 8:30am and later finishes on two days each week. The academy frames this as preparation for professional life, and it shows up in expectations around punctuality, behaviour, and business dress rather than traditional uniform.

The most recent Ofsted inspection took place on 1 and 2 October 2024. Key judgements included Requires Improvement for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management, with Good for personal development and Good for sixth form provision.

The academy aims to treat students with a more adult set of expectations. The UTC model suits students who respond well to being trusted with responsibility and who are motivated by purposeful, applied learning rather than a traditional 11 to 16 school experience.

The physical environment is designed to reinforce that mission. The academy highlights a Jaguar car displayed in the atrium, and the specialist engineering spaces are positioned as a core part of the student experience rather than an add-on.

A practical detail that matters for day-to-day learning is technology access. The academy states that students are issued with a personal Chromebook and that phone use is permitted at certain times, which will appeal to some families and worry others. The underlying message is that digital tools are treated as normal working instruments, not contraband.

Leadership is currently under Associate Principal Mrs Claire Morris, who is presented as the day-to-day operational lead. The 2024 inspection notes that the associate principal was appointed two years before that inspection, placing the appointment in 2022.

Because this is a 14 to 19 provider, the most relevant published measures are GCSE and post-16 outcomes.

At GCSE level, the academy’s average Attainment 8 score was 33.5 and Progress 8 was -1.29. In FindMySchool’s ranking based on official outcomes data, it is ranked 3712th in England for GCSE outcomes and 99th within Birmingham, which places performance below England average overall.

Post-16 results show a similar headline picture. The proportion of grades at A-level at A* was 2.82%, at A was 9.86%, and A* to B combined was 21.13%, compared with an England average of 47.2% for A* to B. In FindMySchool’s A-level ranking, it is ranked 2312th in England and 48th within Birmingham, again indicating results below England average overall.

The key point for parents is not that technical education replaces academic outcomes, it does not. Families considering this option should look for clear signs that the technical mission is improving students’ engagement, attendance, and day-to-day learning habits, because those factors tend to be the route to stronger outcomes over time.

The curriculum structure is explicitly STEM-led and is built to integrate employer-set challenges alongside examined courses. At Key Stage 4, the academy sets out a core of GCSE Mathematics, GCSE English Language and Literature, GCSE Triple Science, and Cambridge National Engineering Manufacture, with additional options including subjects such as Computer Science, Electronics, Engineering Design, Product Design, Business Studies, and Art.

The 2024 inspection describes the UTC mission as central, with engineering and employer links valued by students. It also identifies weaknesses that families should take seriously, including inconsistencies in curriculum sequencing across subjects and uneven checking of students’ understanding, which can allow misconceptions and gaps to persist. The same report indicates that this is more secure in the sixth form than in Key Stage 4.

Facilities are a meaningful part of the teaching model here, not marketing garnish. The academy lists major engineering equipment including a Hurco 5 Axis Milling Machine, a CNC Water Jet, Boxford CNC lathes, Boxford CNC 3 Axis milling machines, a professional CAD suite, and eight 3D printers, alongside science laboratories and recreational spaces.

At sixth form, the advertised mix is broader than many people expect from a UTC. For September 2026 entry, the academy lists A-level subjects including Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Electronics, Product Design, plus vocational routes and T Levels including Engineering Manufacturing, Processing and Control, and Digital Software Development.

Where Students Go Next

The academy’s most recent published leaver destination snapshot (2023/24 cohort, cohort size 75) shows 19% progressing to university, 17% starting apprenticeships, 33% entering employment, and 3% moving into further education.

The wider narrative aligns with the UTC model. The 2024 inspection describes careers information, advice and guidance as a significant strength and links this to positive destinations, including access to apprenticeships, university routes, and employment.

At the very top end, Oxbridge outcomes exist but are small in scale. In the measured period, two students applied to Oxford and Cambridge combined and one student accepted a place, specifically via Cambridge.

Entry is not at Reception or Year 7. The key decision is whether switching at 14 is right for your child.

For September 2026, the academy states it will accept applications for Year 9, Year 10, and Year 12, with future plans to focus on Year 9 and Year 12 entry from September 2027.

Application routes are direct to the academy rather than local authority coordinated entry in the typical secondary sense. The academy is clear that it does not select by academic criteria.

Deadlines and demand indicators are unusually transparent:

• Year 10 entry for September 2026 shows a deadline of 1 November 2025, a planned admission number of 100 places, and 121 applications received for that cycle.

• Year 9 entry for September 2026 states applications close on 6 January, a planned admission number of 100 places, and 123 applications received, with random allocation used where applications exceeded places.

• For sixth form entry, the September 2026 page lists a deadline for applications of 31 January.

The formal admissions policy for 2026/27 describes a benchmarking test used for banding across the ability range, and sets out oversubscription priorities including looked after and previously looked after children, siblings, and distance-based allocation bands.

A practical suggestion: if you are comparing travel plans across multiple post-14 options, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for testing realistic door-to-door routes, not just straight-line distance.

Personal development is a relative strength in the most recent inspection, alongside sixth form provision. The same report highlights that students know they can raise worries with an adult and that the curriculum supports understanding of healthy relationships, safety, and wider civic values.

The main wellbeing-related concern is consistency. The inspection points to uneven behaviour management and attendance remaining an issue for too many students. For families, that translates into a sensible set of visit-day questions: how attendance is monitored, how quickly concerns are escalated, how behaviour expectations are applied across classrooms, and what support exists for students who struggle with the long day and the maturity model.

Safeguarding is a clear baseline requirement, and Ofsted confirmed safeguarding arrangements as effective at the time of inspection.

Enrichment here is closely tied to employability rather than a long list of traditional clubs. The academy describes activities such as car building, martial arts, public speaking, business skills, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and fitness.

Employer connection is presented as a distinctive thread through school life. The student-facing information names partners such as Jaguar Land Rover, Bosch, National Grid, and Rolls-Royce, and describes students engaging through placements, visits, and project work set by companies.

The inspection adds concrete examples of valued opportunities that sit within, or alongside, the taught day, including 3D modelling, women into engineering events, business engagement, and reward trips.

The school day starts at 8:30am every day. Students finish at 3:20pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 4:15pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Transport is geared to a wide catchment. The academy states there are frequent bus services and a train station within walking distance, and a travel guide names Marston Green as the nearest train station.

There is no traditional uniform, but there is a detailed business dress code for Years 10 to 11 and for sixth form. If your child dislikes formal dress expectations, this matters more than it sounds on paper.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature of UTCs and is not prominently advertised here. Families who need early drop-off or late collection should check directly what is available.

• Inspection profile and consistency. The October 2024 judgements point to inconsistencies in curriculum delivery and behaviour management. Families should probe how these are being addressed and how progress is tracked term by term.

• The long day and the maturity model. Later finishes on two days a week and a business dress code suit some students very well, but can feel demanding for others, especially with longer travel times.

• Switching schools at 14 is a big change. This works best for students who actively want an engineering and digital focus, and who are ready to reset friendship groups and learning habits in a new environment.

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) is a sharply defined option for students who want a technical, employer-facing education from age 14, delivered in a workplace-style setting with specialist equipment and a longer working day. The UTC mission is credible and distinctive, and personal development and sixth form provision read as strengths. The principal question is whether the current quality and consistency of teaching, attendance culture, and behaviour expectations are improving fast enough to lift outcomes. It suits students motivated by engineering and digital routes, who will respond to adult norms and project-based learning, and who can manage the demands of a post-14 switch.