A Swindon school and sixth form has celebrated its 10th anniversary.

UTC Swindon has been supporting students focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics for the last decade at its Bristol Street campus in the Railway Village.

It opened in 2014 with a new approach to educating teenagers aged 14 to 19 through a focus on technical subjects that bridge the gap between the world of education and the world of work.

All All university technical colleges have certain specialisms – Swindon’s includes Engineering, Digital or Cyber Security - along with core GCSE subjects, with a more specialist curriculum available in post-16 education.

In July, UTC Swindon representatives Sam Knowlton, Hollie Danby, Clair Dallamore and Paul Holmes attended the Baker Dearing Educational Trust’s annual dinner and summer conference to receive a special award celebrating the milestone.

The trust that supports university technical colleges around England also marked 10-year anniversaries for other educational institutions, including Swindon’s sister school UTC Heathrow.

Both are part of the Activate Learning Education Trust.

CEO Jo Harper said: “Marking a decade of dedication and success, we reflect on the incredible accomplishments of our students, the commitment of our staff, and the vital support from our community.

“Watching our students achieve their goals and pursue their passions has been immensely rewarding.

“Thank you to everyone who has been part of this extraordinary journey. Here’s to many more years of inspiring young minds and transforming lives through learning.”

UTC Swindon is different to an existing traditional school as it delivers education in an environment that feels like the workplace by delivering the curriculum through employer-led projects which tackle real industry issues.

Students can apply to join UTC Swindon at any time of the year.

Chairs, governors, principals and staff networked at the Baker Dearing event and heard from a number of guest speakers, including UTC alumni and Baker Dearing chairman Lord Baker, who has recently been promoting UTCs at the House of Lords. Lord Baker said he was working to “expose the success of UTCs” to the new Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson MP.

The Swindon site was last rated as Requires Improvement overall by Ofsted, following an inspection on May 8, 2024, though it received Good ratings in the Personal Development and Sixth Form Provision categories.