London Design and Engineering UTC

London Design and Engineering UTC is a highly inclusive and high-performing school where pupils achieve well and are exceptionally well prepared for future study and work. Inspectors found a positive, safe community with high attendance, excellent behaviour and strong mutual respect, supported by effective pastoral care and a clear focus on removing barriers for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum is ambitious and closely linked to the school's design and engineering specialism, with extensive employer partnerships that bring learning to life. The school's inclusive practice, leadership and governance are particular strengths. Leaders know their pupils and community well, support staff effectively and work closely with parents and the Baker-Dearing education trust and other schools. Personal development is woven through school life, including careers education and wider experiences, and pupils in the post-16 provision are well supported to become confident young professionals. Overall, the school is performing at a high level. Achievement and post-16 provision are strong, and the report identifies no areas requiring improvement; the main next step is to sustain current effectiveness and continue seeking improvement so that all pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils and those facing barriers, continue to benefit.

Strengths

• High attendance and excellent pupil behaviour in a positive, respectful school community
• Firm and effective support for pupils with previously low attendance
• An ambitious, exciting curriculum closely aligned to design and engineering
• Excellent employer links that make learning relevant and memorable
• Expert teaching that adapts to pupils' varied starting points and SEND
• Highly inclusive practice that removes barriers and helps all pupils succeed
• Strong support for disadvantaged pupils, with above-average outcomes in core GCSEs
• Forensic leadership with a clear focus on inclusion and breaking down barriers
• Effective governance by knowledgeable directors who fulfil statutory responsibilities
• A rich personal development programme, including exemplary careers education
• An excellent pastoral system that builds belonging and community
• Strong post-16 provision with industry-standard knowledge and workplace experience
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture

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 London Design and Engineering UTC attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.2% 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, 3.2% of pupils at London Design and Engineering UTC 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 London Design and Engineering UTC had 14.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.7% 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, 8.4% of pupils at London Design and Engineering UTC were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.4% 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 London Design and Engineering UTC received £9,473 and spent £10,350 for each of its 792 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £296,000 (£374 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.

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What is London Design and Engineering UTC's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for London Design and Engineering UTC is Strong standard, from an inspection in January 2026.

When was London Design and Engineering UTC last inspected by Ofsted?

London Design and Engineering UTC was last inspected in January 2026.

How many pupils does London Design and Engineering UTC have?

London Design and Engineering UTC has 854 pupils on roll.

What age range does London Design and Engineering UTC cover?

London Design and Engineering UTC for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is London Design and Engineering UTC?

London Design and Engineering UTC is at 15 University Way, Royal Docks, London, E16 2RD.