Thomas Telford University Technical College

Thomas Telford University Technical College is performing strongly overall, with an overwhelming sense of community, mutual respect and a purposeful atmosphere. Pupils achieve well, behave exceptionally well and benefit from a highly ambitious curriculum, including effective support for pupils with SEND. The sixth form is a particular strength: students are exceptionally positive, engage in ambitious independent learning and make a significant contribution to school life. Personal development is a standout feature, with extensive careers guidance, employer mentoring, work experience and leadership opportunities preparing pupils well for life beyond school. Leadership is effective, staff feel well supported and governance knows the school well. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and follows a significant period of change, including new senior, subject and pastoral leaders. Inspectors identified some areas for improvement. In some subjects, teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding or adapt teaching to address gaps. The school's reading strategy is not yet fully developed, limiting opportunities for pupils to deepen vocabulary across a broad range of texts. The school also needs to strengthen its monitoring of, and communication with, pupils who are absent for long periods, including in safeguarding practice.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and mutual respect across the school
• Supportive and caring relationships between pupils and staff
• Highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND
• Effective support for pupils with SEND to access the same ambitious curriculum
• Swift identification and support for pupils who are not confident readers
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and exceptionally high attendance
• Exceptional personal development with extensive careers and enrichment opportunities
• Outstanding sixth-form provision with ambitious, independent learning
• Strong leadership and governance with a clear understanding of the school's context
• Well-thought-out staff professional development and consideration of workload

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not routinely check pupils' understanding carefully enough
• Teaching is not consistently adapted to address gaps in pupils' knowledge
• The reading strategy is not fully developed to support wider reading at school and home
• The school does not communicate sufficiently often with pupils absent for long periods
• Monitoring and recording of some absent pupils is not sufficiently rigorous

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Thomas Telford University Technical College attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 9.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.7% of pupils at Thomas Telford University Technical College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Thomas Telford University Technical College had 13.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.9% of pupils at Thomas Telford University Technical College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Thomas Telford University Technical College received £8,864 and spent £7,445 for each of its 946 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £5,701,000 (£6,027 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Thomas Telford Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,869 and spending £7,488 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Wolverhampton · Wolverhampton local authority: places and applications

Thomas Telford University Technical College is part of Thomas Telford Multi Academy Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Walsall Academy Walsall
• Sandwell Academy West Bromwich
• Thomas Telford Primary Free School Telford
• Redhill Primary Academy Telford
• Madeley Academy Telford

What is Thomas Telford University Technical College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thomas Telford University Technical College is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Thomas Telford University Technical College last inspected by Ofsted?

Thomas Telford University Technical College was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Thomas Telford University Technical College have?

Thomas Telford University Technical College has 993 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thomas Telford University Technical College cover?

Thomas Telford University Technical College for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Thomas Telford University Technical College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 53.5, and 62% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Thomas Telford University Technical College?

Thomas Telford University Technical College is at Springfield Campus, Cambridge Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 0JR.