INSPECTORS at Ofsted have graded South Devon UTC as being up to standard.

Since the regrading of Ofsted’s inspection ratings, good and requires improvement have been replaced.

The aim is to give a fairer and more detailed picture rather than a one word rating and there is now a five point grading system.

The Newton Abbot based UTC’s grading of ‘expected standard’ means the college is performing as it should, to a high standard.

The areas judged by Ofsted are; inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing and leadership and governance.

In their report, inspectors described the school as calm and orderly and pupils as motivated to learn and succeed.

They also praised the school’s leaders for establishing a kind and caring culture, where pupils feel known as individuals.

The report also states that pupils are supported to lead healthy lives, make sensible choices and form positive relationships with staff and peers.

Inspectors also highlighted the focus on future employability, saying leaders ensure pupils regularly hear directly from relevant employers, including the military and NHS, for instance and that as a result pupils are well prepared to make informed decisions about their next steps.

Other comments in the report included pupils deepen their knowledge and skills over time in their specialist qualifications.

Leaders ensure teachers have the subject knowledge to implement the curriculum effectively and the expertise to teach the different, industry-relevant pathways.

Claire Plumb, Headteacher at South Devon UTC, said: ‘We are really pleased that the inspection recognises the calm, purposeful environment we have built and the strong relationships at the heart of our college.

‘We work with a cohort of young people who often arrive having faced barriers in education, so it is particularly meaningful to see their progress, confidence and ambition reflected in this report.

‘I am incredibly proud of our staff and students for the way they work together every day to create a supportive, aspirational community where everyone can succeed.’