07:09 Wednesday 23rd September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
DOTTY MCLEOD: It might not have been the smoothest start for a new school in Peterborough, but next September the University Technical College will open its doors in the city, and hopefully there will be a few students there. The £10 million UTC was meant to open this September, but in March BBC Radio Cambridgeshire found that after only 40 students applied, the cutting of the ribbon was being postponed by twelve months. The Trust board said at the time it was to give more certainty to prospective students. Well today to great fanfare the keys to the new building will be handed over to the Greater Peterborough UTC. Dr Alan McMurdo is the Principal Designate of the new school. Morning Alan.
ALAN MCMURDO: Good morning Dotty.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So explain just briefly what the idea of a UTC is.
ALAN MCMURDO: Well our aim is to provide world-class vocational education to young people in the city and the wider area. Plug in that skills gap that we hear so much about in construction and in engineering. So the aim is to .. we’re opening a school for 14 to 19 year olds. They can come and experience a unique curriculum and a unique offer in the area.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And you’ve now got the keys to the building, or you will do later on. Actually it’s a year earlier than you need them I suppose.
ALAN MCMURDO: Well that’s right, but it does give us an opportunity to open the building and get some people in. We’ve got an open evening tonight for example between 6 and 8. On Saturday 17th October we’ve got a morning, 10 until 2. We’ve got activities going on. So we’re able to get in there and use the building, even though it’s not fully kitted out with all the state of the art stuff that we will be putting in next Spring.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And remind us why the opening was delayed by a year.
Continue reading “On the merits of Peterborough’s new University Technical College”