GPUTC Newsletter
October 2016 Edition
Principal's Note
It's just over a year since I interviewed the first group of students who were applying to join GPUTC in September 2016. Those first interviews are what convinced me to apply for the role of Principal here - what a great bunch of students they were then and have turned out to be since!
As our students welcome in our industry partner sponsors, visit their sites, attend special events at UCP and with Young Enterprise - generally showing a significant amount of initiative, interest and ingenuity - I am reminded about how important it is for us to continue to offer as many activities and events as possible to 'add value' to their experience.
Come and join us at our next open day on Saturday 26th November from 10am - 2pm to find out why our 142 students are on roll with us.
Steve Warburton
Principal
Celebrating the opening of Peterborough’s first University Technical College
We opened our doors to 142 students and over 20 members of staff on Monday 12th September. The day featured a number of nervous and excited youngsters clad in business wear being interviewed by BBC Look East and Radio Cambridgeshire as soon as they walked in through the door!
The first day was full of crisp new shirts, shiny lanyards, excitable chatter, new timetables but most of all a fresh start. This was how our Principal Steve Warburton started his introductory briefing to our Year 10 and Year 12 students on that very first Monday morning. Steve made it clear that every student had the chance to a fresh start, and by choosing to join us at the UTC that is what they had been given and it was up to them what they chose to do with that clean slate.
A new concept in secondary education, the UTC is the first of its kind in Peterborough and specialises in teaching engineering and the built environment alongside traditional A Levels and GCSEs to students aged between 14 and 19. Greater Peterborough UTC is part of a wider movement of UTCs across the country: as of this academic year, 41 UTCs will be open.
Greater Peterborough UTC has seen an exceptional number of applications, taking in almost 25% over the target number of kids. Through a combination of academic and technical learning, UTC students complete their secondary education with the skills and qualifications they need to get a head start at university, get an apprenticeship or go straight into a job.
Open Day
Saturday, Nov 26, 2016, 10:00 AM
GPUTC, Park Crescent, Peterborough, United Kingdom
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
VIP visit from the President of the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE)
The Greater Peterborough UTC received a very special visitor in the form of Sir John Armitt - President of the Institute of Civil Engineers as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Peterborough branch of the Institute. We felt that it was fitting that we invite along some of our students to have the opportunity to meet with Sir John and find out about his long standing career.
Sir John Alexander Armitt, CBE, FREng, FICE is an English civil engineer and Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (since 2007), the body which successfully built the venues, facilities and infrastructure for the 2012 Olympic Games. He is President of the Institution of Civil Engineers for 2015-16, having also been a vice-president since 2012.
The day featured an introductory talk from Sir John, followed by a networking buffet where students got to spend time with Sir John and other members of the ICE.
Students get a taste of Anglian Water
UTC's are unique in that they have sponsors and partners which play a large part in the way that students learn at GPUTC. From offering work experience, industry exposure and mentoring to a guaranteed job interview upon completion of study. Sponsors working with the UTC liaise closely with UTC staff to contextualise the teaching and learning with regard to industry workplace practices and all have set real-world challenges for students to undertake as their assessment.
Anglian Water is the lead sponsor for GPUTC and has been instrumental in ensuring the school had the necessary support to open successfully.
Our Year 10 students had their first opportunity to meet Anglian Water when colleagues came in to deliver the first interactive seminar of many. The session was delivered by Rosie who is a Training & Development Manager and Colin who started out as an apprentice 16 years ago and is now a Senior Water Programme Manager. Students were given a quick overview on how Anglian Water runs and their involvement in the community. A general introduction to the company was followed by an interactive quiz and a number of group exercises. Thank you Rosie and Colin, we look forward to having you back at GPUTC soon.
GPUTC students also got the opportunity to spend the day at an Anglian Water’s Water Treatment Works in Wing to further learn about how water gets to customers’ taps.
Did you know that Anglian Water borrows water from the environment, stores it and treats it to world-class standards to supply safe drinking water to 4.3 million customers in towns and villages from Grimsby in the north east of the region to Milton Keynes at its south-western tip?
Induction to all things Larkfleet
An important sponsor of the UTC, The Larkfleet group is a privately owned group of development and construction companies formed in 1998. Its aim is to produce high quality sustainable developments using innovative technology and construction methods. The Larkfleet group feeds into both the Engineering and Built Environment curriculum for students at GPUTC.
Our Year 12 students were lucky enough to have their first presentation from Karl Hick, Group Chief Executive and Paul Adams, Director of The Larkfleet Group. Our Larkfleet colleagues gave students an overview on how the company is committed to the environment, using highly energy efficient materials, the use of renewable energy sources and offsetting emissions by creating new woodland areas.
The visit from Larkfleet colleagues was the first of three chain sessions. As part of GPUTC’s commitment to enriching its curriculum offer outside the classroom, the second part of the induction involved a carousel visit of Larkfleet Smart Homes, Ketton Solar Farm, Hanson Cement and Larkfleet Homes.
Following this, their visit was followed up by a reflective session with colleagues from The Larkfleet Group and an open opportunity for Q&A's. Have a look below to see how our students got on.
Peterborough's very first STEM Festival
We had the opportunity to exhibit and meet young people at Peterborough's very first SOLD OUT STEM Festival. The aim of the STEM festival was to inspire young people and encourage them into considering a career within a STEM discipline, whether it is as a coder, writer, marketeer or designer. We had a great day chatting to enthusiastic young people keen to find out what options were available to them in Peterborough.
Not only did we get to exhibit at the event, our Principal was a speaker at the event, called 'Help! There's a robot in my classroom'. Steve gave students and parents an introduction to how robots give young people a great opportunity to take charge of their learning. Using several humanoid robots – including PiP and our 4 foot humanoid robot Pepper – as well as Robotic kits from VEX and Lego, Steve explored together how young people can interact with these devices, program them and use them to solve challenges and problems. Steve's presentation is available to watch on YouTube below.
Well done to the organisers Tia, Jonathan and Andy for organising such a fantastic event, we cannot wait for next year's to exhibit - we shall be sure to bring the 'Class of 2016' with us!
UN International Day of the Girl
Tuesday 11th October marked the annual UN International Day of the Girl. Here at the UTC we felt that it was an event we had to support and get involved with. Led by our female staff and chaired by our Student Support Worker Emma, we invited all of our female students for an opportunity to reflect on being girls in today’s often difficult world.
One of our Year 10 students had this to say about the event 'UN International Day of the Girl showed me how every woman can unite as one community. Spending this session with other UTC girls and members of staff has shown me that we are stronger when we work together and listen to each other'.
#dropinmondays
Did you know that we have a #dropinmondays session every week (except Bank Holidays) from 5pm-7pm? There is no need to book to come and see us, just drop in and we will take you for a tour around our £12 million state-of-the-art building and answer any questions that you may have.
Contact us
Email: info@gputc.com
Website: gputc.com
Location: Greater Peterborough UTC, Park Crescent, PE1 4DZ, United Kingdom
Phone: 01733 715952
Facebook: facebook.com/greaterpeterboroughutc
Twitter: @gputc