UTC Derby Pride Park Review 2026: Employer-led technical education with strong behaviour and clear destinations

This is not a conventional secondary school. UTC Derby Pride Park is a University Technical College for students aged 13 to 19, set up to combine GCSEs and post-16 study with a technical specialism shaped by employers and university partners. Students join at Year 9 or Year 12, and choose between Engineering and Health and Life Sciences pathways.

Leadership is stable. Mr Lee Kirkwood became Principal on 01 April 2022, having previously been Vice Principal. The UTC is part of The Sheffield UTC Academy Trust and opened under its current status in December 2019.

The appeal is straightforward, a longer day, frequent employer engagement, and a practical route into apprenticeships, technical qualifications, A-levels, and related degrees. The question for families is fit. Students who want a careers-focused, STEM-heavy education can thrive; those looking for a broader, more traditional secondary offer may prefer a different model.

Purpose is central to the way this UTC presents itself. Its stated values are respect, resilience, and high aspirations, and the wider culture is framed around preparation for the workplace as much as success in exams. That tone is reinforced through structured recall sessions, mentoring, and employer projects, which are positioned as routine rather than occasional enrichment.

The environment is deliberately industry-facing. The Year 9 prospectus describes engineering facilities designed with Rolls-Royce and Toyota so that workshop machinery mirrors what apprentices use; it also highlights a healthcare suite configured as a hospital ward with simulation equipment. This matters because it signals intent. Practical work is not an add-on, it is presented as a core method through which students learn and apply academic content.

The UTC structure also tends to suit students who like clarity. Expectations are explicit, routines are tight, and post-16 students are expected to arrive ready to begin at 08:45. For some families, that predictability is a strength; for others, the longer day and stronger emphasis on professional behaviours can feel less flexible than a typical local secondary.

FindMySchool’s GCSE performance ranking places UTC Derby Pride Park at 3,684th in England for GCSE outcomes, and 18th locally (Derby), which is below England average. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 34.5, and the Progress 8 score is -0.73. These are important context points for families who prioritise exam outcomes above all else, particularly if a student is aiming for a highly academic, exam-heavy pathway.

At A-level, FindMySchool’s A-level ranking places the UTC at 2,526th in England and 12th locally (Derby), again below England average. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.) The A-level grade breakdown shows 13.33% of grades at B and 13.33% at A* to B, against an England average of 47.2% at A* to B.

Two cautions are worth holding alongside these figures. First, UTC cohorts are often smaller than mainstream secondaries and can shift quickly as recruitment grows, which can make year-on-year outcomes volatile. Second, many UTC students choose qualification mixes that include substantial technical components, and families should evaluate those options as part of the overall programme rather than viewing GCSE and A-level measures in isolation.

Parents comparing local performance should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to assess how this UTC’s outcomes sit alongside other Derby secondaries that offer a more traditional GCSE and A-level diet.

The curriculum is structured around two specialist pathways, Engineering and Health and Life Sciences, alongside a core academic offer. The UTC explicitly positions employer and university involvement as part of curriculum design and delivery, not just careers advice.

At Key Stage 4, the prospectus frames the experience as GCSEs plus Level 2 technical qualifications, with projects, placements, and site visits used to connect classroom learning to sector practice. The practical implication is that students who learn best by doing, building, testing, and presenting, rather than purely by written exam preparation, may find the approach motivating.

Post-16, the menu expands into a blend of A-levels, BTEC options, and T Levels. The Year 12 prospectus describes T Levels as equivalent to three A-levels and includes a minimum 45 day industry placement, with explicit examples in Engineering and in Health (Supporting the Therapy Teams). That structure can suit students who want a high-intensity vocational programme with a clear line of sight to sector roles.

Where Students Go Next

This UTC is designed to produce “destinations” in employment, apprenticeships, further study, or higher education, with employer projects and workplace-facing skills integrated throughout.

From the dataset for the 2023/24 leaver cohort (cohort size 29), 41% progressed into apprenticeships and 28% entered employment, while 7% went to university. This is a profile that will appeal to families actively seeking apprenticeships as a primary outcome rather than a fallback.

The school also publishes examples of Year 13 destinations, including degree courses such as Adult Nursing (De Montfort University), Chemistry (University of Liverpool), and a range of engineering routes, alongside employer-linked apprenticeship outcomes at firms such as Rolls-Royce, Toyota, and JCB. The key point is not that every student follows a single track, but that the UTC’s model is built to keep both technical employment routes and related university degrees viable, particularly within engineering and health-adjacent fields.

Entry is at Year 9 and Year 12, with applications made directly to the UTC (rather than through a local authority coordinated secondary transfer process).

For September 2026 entry, the UTC states that Year 9 applications close on 31 October 2025, with decisions during February and notifications on or around 01 March 2026. Late Year 9 applications are added to a waiting list. Year 12 applications for September 2026 open on 01 October 2025 and close on 31 January 2026.

Oversubscription is handled through a structured geography-and-allocation approach rather than pure distance ranking. The admissions policy defines two catchment bands based on concentric circles of 5 and 10 miles, and sets out a random allocation process within bandings if applications exceed places. For Year 9, the admissions policy states 120 places, split by specialism, 80 for Engineering and Manufacturing and 40 for Health Science.

Families considering admission should use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand practical travel distance and time, but also to sanity-check whether the UTC model is realistically commutable day-to-day, given the longer timetable.

Pastoral systems are designed around strong routines and a professional tone. Recall sessions, structured support for reading, and explicit work on interpersonal skills are positioned as part of the day-to-day experience rather than specialist interventions.

The latest Ofsted inspection (06 and 07 December 2023) judged the UTC Good overall, with Outstanding for behaviour and attitudes, and Good for sixth form provision. The report also states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For families, the practical implication is that the UTC is aiming for calm, consistent behaviour and an orderly learning environment, which can be especially helpful for students who want to focus and prefer predictable boundaries.

Enrichment is framed as a CV-building and personal development strand, not simply leisure. The prospectuses list activities that reflect the UTC’s technical identity, including CANSAT and F1 in Schools, alongside Lego robotics and STEM leadership roles.

There is also a more conventional mix of sport and social clubs, such as netball, football, running club, board games, and a school newsletter. The wider point is that the enrichment offer appears designed to keep students engaged while reinforcing employability and project experience, which aligns with the destination-focused model.

Duke of Edinburgh is explicitly referenced across the prospectus materials and is positioned as a structured development opportunity alongside technical competitions.

The UTC day is longer than many local secondaries. It opens to students at 08:00, teaching begins at 08:45, and it closes at 16:30, with enrichment, intervention, or detention scheduled from 15:30 to 16:30. Mondays and Fridays are shorter, with students leaving after Period 5.

The prospectus highlights Pride Park as close to Derby city centre and near the main railway station, which will matter for older students travelling independently. Wraparound care is not typical for UTC age ranges, and families should treat this as a secondary-and-post-16 setting rather than a childcare model.

• Outcomes vs model fit. The school’s FindMySchool GCSE and A-level rankings sit below England average. Families prioritising exam outcomes above all else should compare carefully with other local options.

• A longer, more structured day. A 16:30 finish on most days supports enrichment and intervention, but it changes transport, work, and family routines, especially for commuters.

• Specialism commitment. Students choose Engineering or Health and Life Sciences pathways, which can be highly motivating, but it is a more focused offer than many mainstream secondaries.

• Admissions mechanics. Oversubscription uses catchment banding plus random allocation within bandings, which can feel less intuitive than standard distance-based admissions.

UTC Derby Pride Park suits students who want a practical, employer-facing education in engineering or health, and who will benefit from a structured day and clear professional expectations. The strongest match is a student motivated by technical projects and apprenticeships, but who still wants GCSEs and post-16 options kept open. For families seeking a traditional secondary experience with a wider subject breadth and a more conventional exam-first rhythm, other Derby schools may align more naturally.