London Design & Engineering UTC has recorded exceptional technical results, while learners secure level six degree apprenticeships with Rolls-Royce, Disney, Costain and other leading employers.
London Design & Engineering UTC is celebrating its strongest technical and A Level outcomes to date, demonstrating how ambitious, employer-led education can translate qualifications into clear routes to skilled careers.
Every T Level (Technical Level) learner achieved a pass. More than 90% of learners on the Mechatronics T Level secured a Merit or Distinction, while the first cohort on the college’s new Craft and Design T Level achieved a 100% pass rate, with 40% awarded a Distinction.
These results show that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s vision is already in action. Technical education can be every bit as rigorous and ambitious as academic study, but its real power comes from connecting learning directly to careers.
Geoffrey Fowler, CEO and Principal, LDE UTC
In aviation, every learner achieved at least one Distinction in their final grade and half secured the maximum triple Distinction Star. The Engineering technical diploma also recorded a 100% pass rate, with more than three-quarters of learners achieving D*D or above.
Academic achievement was equally strong. LDE UTC recorded a 99% A Level pass rate, with more than half of grades awarded at A*–B and almost a quarter at A* or A.
For the college, however, the clearest evidence of success is what learners do next.
- Leia, who achieved three A Levels alongside a Double Distinction Star technical qualification, will join Rolls-Royce on a degree apprenticeship.
- Alex, who achieved three B grades at A Level, will begin a degree apprenticeship with Disney.
- Megan, who achieved A, B, B and C in her A Levels, is choosing between degree-apprenticeship opportunities with Dyson, Leonardo and Ofcom.
- Saium achieved a Distinction in T Level Mechatronics and will progress to a degree apprenticeship with Costain, one of LDE UTC’s sponsors.
- Anas, who also achieved a Distinction in T Level Mechatronics, will begin a degree apprenticeship with MCS.
They are among many more LDE UTC learners progressing to degree apprenticeships, Universities or skilled jobs this year, combining higher-level study with paid professional employment.
These outstanding outcomes follow Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement on 27 July of new technical pathways from the age of 14. The government’s proposals would allow young people to combine core academic subjects with technical education, work experience and meaningful contact with employers, placing technical routes on an equal footing with academic study.
LDE UTC has been developing that model for more than a decade. Through IndEX, the Industry and Educators Exchange, employers contribute to the curriculum, set live projects and help learners gain workplace experience and develop professional behaviours from the age of 13.
Ofsted recognised the quality of LDE UTC’s model; these results and destinations demonstrate its real impact. Our learners are not simply leaving with qualifications. They are moving into highly competitive opportunities with some of the country’s leading employers.
Anne Heal, Chair of Governors, LDE UTC
Geoffrey Fowler, CEO and Principal of LDE UTC, said: “These results show that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s vision is already in action. Technical education can be every bit as rigorous and ambitious as academic study, but its real power comes from connecting learning directly to careers.
“I often say that every young person should leave education with two golden tickets. The first is academic success, because qualifications open doors. The second is real-world experience, because it gives young people the confidence, professional behaviours and practical understanding to thrive once those doors have opened.
“Leia, Megan, Saium, Anas and Alex show what that means in practice. The certificate is not the destination. The destination is the young person’s future.”
Earlier this year, LDE UTC was inspected under Ofsted’s new report-card framework and received five Exceptional and two Strong Standard grades. On the basis of Ofsted’s published grades, this gives LDE UTC the strongest inspection profile of any technical school in the country.
Caroline Kennet, LDE UTC Director from Costain said: “These results show the impact of education and industry working together. As a proud sponsor of LDE UTC, Costain is delighted to see learners such as Saium progress from technical education into degree apprenticeships and high-quality careers.
“This is exactly what strong technical education should achieve: giving young people the skills, confidence and experience to succeed in the workplace.”
Anne Heal, Chair of Governors at LDE UTC, said: “Ofsted recognised the quality of LDE UTC’s model; these results and destinations demonstrate its real impact.
“Our learners are not simply leaving with qualifications. They are moving into highly competitive opportunities with some of the country’s leading employers.
“These outcomes reflect years of determined leadership and the commitment of our staff, learners, families and employer partners. As the country considers how to strengthen technical education, LDE UTC offers compelling evidence that an ambitious, employer-led approach can work.”
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