Aylesbury UTC
24%
Capacity
145
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Aylesbury UTC
Aylesbury UTC is a small 14-19 state school in Buckinghamshire, and the first thing parents will notice is that it is not oversubscribed. With 145 pupils against a capacity of 600, the school has significant spare places, which is unusual for a secondary in this selective local authority. There is no parent-view data available from the school, so we cannot report a recommendation percentage from current families. However, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in May 2024, rated it as Requires Improvement across every category, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was the same overall rating as its previous inspection in 2022, meaning there has been no change in the school’s official standing. For families considering this school, the lack of oversubscription and the consistent Requires Improvement rating are the two most important signals to weigh up.
Academically, the data paints a challenging picture. In the 2023/24 exam year, Aylesbury UTC’s Progress 8 score was -1.38, meaning pupils achieved nearly one and a half grades less per subject than similar students nationally. This places the school bottom of all 34 state secondaries in Buckinghamshire, and in the bottom 2% nationally. The Attainment 8 score was just 24.3, compared with a local authority average Progress 8 of +0.25, which reflects the high performance of the area’s grammar schools. Only 4.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, and no pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. The school’s EBacc average point score was 2.05. These results are significantly below the local and national averages, and parents should be aware that the school serves a cohort with 40.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average.
On the practical side, Aylesbury UTC offers a surprisingly wide range of facilities for its size, including a swimming pool, theatre, sixth form centre, and dedicated art and music spaces. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, and gymnastics, alongside more traditional options like football and netball. The school also lists a number of clubs, such as Young Enterprise, debate, and a newspaper club. For pupils with special educational needs, the school supports a broad spectrum of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. The school has a formal sixth form, so pupils can stay on post-16. Given the low Progress 8 scores and the Requires Improvement rating, this school is likely to suit families who value its specialist technical focus and small, inclusive setting over high academic outcomes, and who are comfortable with a school that is still working through its improvement plan.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 14 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 8PB |
| Headteacher | Joe Dunckley |
| Local Authority | Buckinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 145 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 40.4% |
| School Capacity | 145 / 600 (24% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.38)
3091st of 3,141
Nationally
458th of 461
In South East
34th of 34
In Buckinghamshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/238%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 26 pupils).
- FE college38%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained15%
- School sixth form (stay)8%
- Apprenticeship4%
77% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2315%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 13 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Apprenticeship38%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained23%
- University (HE)15%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
14Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British56.6%
- Asian11.7%
- White (other)7.6%
- Mixed4.2%
- Black0.7%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aylesbury UTC
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
Contact Information
Oxford Road, Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire, HP21 8PB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Reviews on Other Platforms
External reviews are provided by third-party platforms and are not verified by Classpot.
