Buckinghamshire University Technical College joins Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust

Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust was delighted to welcome Buckinghamshire University Technical College into the Trust on 1^st November to join Wallingford School and Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School in its family of schools.

The UTC is based in Aylesbury and delivers technical education to young people aged between 14 and 19 in Buckinghamshire and beyond. Learning at a UTC is different to a more mainstream school as there is a focus on work-based learning and particularly working with employers. The UTC has specialisms in IT and Construction and a new specialism in Health is going to be introduced for the academic year 2022-23. Having Health as a curriculum strand reflects its prominence in the locality; Bucks NHS Trust has already signed up as an employer sponsor and many of the courses at Buckinghamshire New University – a key partner with the UTC - are health-related.

John Marston, CEO of Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust, said; “It is great to be able to finally confirm the transfer. The potential and demand for technical education in Buckinghamshire and beyond is clear and we look forward to working with a range of partners to move the UTC to the next stage of its development with the introduction of the new Health specialism to sit alongside IT and Construction. There are exciting times ahead.”

Ian Domville, Chair of the Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust Board, said; “The UTC adds another dimension to the Trust, and we are looking forward to working with Buckinghamshire New University and the UTC's employer partners, notably Taylor Wimpey, Cisco and McAfee Enterprise, the UTC's founding employer sponsors. We believe this is a win-win scenario, with the UTC's strong links with industry complementing the Trust's proven track record in delivering excellent GCSE and A-level results at Wallingford School.”

One of the Trust’s first steps has been to confirm Nick Lamb as Principal of the UTC from 1^st November. An Interim Executive Board has also been established to oversee the UTC for its first year within the Trust and this body will be chaired by Sir Mike Tomlinson Kt CBE.

John Marston, CEO Merchant Taylors' Oxfordshire Academy Trust