QUESTIONS have been raised over the viability over having a second University Technical College after figures showed the low pupil numbers at the existing one.

Opened in September 2014, the UTC at Bristol Street offers an education focused on engineering and has close links with local employers. Talk of bringing a second was announced shortly after it opened.

It serves pupils aged between 14 and 18 but although it has a capacity for 600 pupils, there are currently only 172 across four year groups.

Most notably only 27 pupils entered in Year 10 this year, with 59 in Year 11 and 86 in the sixth form.

Principal Angela Barker-Dench has defended the numbers and says there will be a huge jump in the number starting next September.

“We always expected a drop in the second year so this did not come as a surprise,” she said.

“If you look at other UTCs and new establishments many of them have seen the same thing. It is harder to convince people when you do not already have a reputation.

“But next year we already have 100 applications and will have our first set of GCSEs. The pupils we have here are doing fantastically well, with many looking at going onto a good university or apprenticeship.”

The number of exclusions is also high with 23 pupils given a fixed term exclusion in Year 10 during the 2014/15 academic year.

Angela said while there was a concentration of a couple of pupils who were struggling with the new rules, many had learnt to adapt.

She said: “We do have strict behavioural guidelines as we are looking to prepare the students for the workplace and university.

“For some this is hard at first but a lot of the pupils who were excluded are now doing fantastically well.”

There have now been calls for Swindon Borough Council to make sure the UTC is running properly before a second one is brought to the town.

The shadow lead for education, Councillor Carol Shelley (Lab, Gorsehill and Pinehurst), said: “I am very impressed with the quality of the education, building, and resources that have come together in this facility.

"However the UTC seems to be facing a real challenge in attracting students, especially at age 14, who are able and willing to take advantage of the education on offer. 

“Unfortunately two UTCs in other parts of the country have already had to close because of too few students.

“The number of fixed-term exclusions in the college in the opening year is much higher than I would expect.

“The council needs to do all it can to ensure the college a long-term success. We believe any talk from the Conservative administration of investing money in the provision of a second UTC should be abandoned until the Swindon UTC has the backing of local schools and become a success.” 

Council Leader David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick) said: “There are no talks going on to bring a second UTC to Swindon.

“We would like to bring a second to Swindon but at the right time. We clearly want to make the existing UTC a success but it is an academy so the council does not have any say in its running.”