Spanner in the works

FAILED . . . The GM University Technical College on Middleton Road

STUDENTS at the failed £9m GM University Technical College are set to miss out on an engineering qualification as the only person able to teach the subject is set to leave at Easter.

The much criticised college notified parents via a letter stating the "only qualified member of staff" to teach the Year 11 Level 2 Design Engineer Construct was leaving and as a result students working towards the qualification would not be able to continue.

It said as the school is "unable to continue supporting this qualification" after Easter the learning time for DEC lessons will be re-allocated to either their other engineering qualifications or their core subjects as needs are identified.

While the Level 2 isn't available for Year 11, the school could facilitate the exam for the Level 1 programme, which is started in Year 10.

The news is another blow for GM UTC which closes at the end of the year ­- three years after opening ­- because it was unable to recruit enough pupils and is no longer financially viable. The decision followed calamitous GCSE results last summer when not one pupil obtained at least a C in both English and maths.

Darren Clarke, of Hollinwood, whose son Jack was completing the Level 2 course, raised concerns over whether other teachers may leave to secure their futures at the expense of students. He said: "We got letters telling us it wouldn't be continuing. Jack is gutted. First we find out the school is closing down and now this. We got told the teachers had the best interests of the children at heart and they would stay until the end of the year.

"I understand that teachers have mortgages and bills to pay, if they get offered another job you would expect them to take it, but the concern is that other teachers will leave."

After completing work experience with National Grid, Jack was asked to apply for their apprenticeship scheme, but he opted to stay at the college sixth form and when the closure was announced the apprenticeship intake had passed.

Mr Clarke said: "We had parents' evening a couple of weeks before it was announced that it would close and Jack said he wanted to continue in the sixth form. They said great, but then the following week we were told it's going to close. Would they not have known or had an idea before then?

"With this situation now would there not have been some form of notice given? What about having something in place in case a teacher did decide to leave?

"Another sixth form could turn round and say 'I'm sorry but you haven't got the grades to get in' because he has missed out."

Alan Green's son, Daniel, completed his Level 1 and was predicted a distinction * overall, but as he cannot complete his Level 2, the prediction has slumped to a D.

Mr Green said: "When we found out the school was closing I said the children would suffer.

"You can't blame the teachers, they have got to get a job. Come July when everybody leaves the positions are going to be full. The problem is the children are left in the lurch. Why should the children bother?"

Gordon Main, chairman of Trustees at GM UTC, said: "We have been working closely with the local authority and schools within Oldham to ensure a smooth transition for our Year 10 students.

"With the hard work, dedication and support of the GM staff, the majority of students have taken the DEC examination this week and have achieved excellent grades, a distinction for most.

"Unfortunately we are unable to staff this particular highly specialised qualification after Easter, therefore we will not be running the Level 2 (A*-C) element of the course.

"The remainder of our curriculum is however unaffected and students and staff are working hard to ensure students achieve in English, mathematics, science, geography and two engineering qualifications. We have invested in additional staff to provide interventions and smaller classes to ensure the students obtain the best grades possible."

The failure of the UTC to deliver engineering courses in Oldham comes at a time when the region has already identified an acute shortage of skills in the engineering sector.

And with the loss of the engineering course and time now short for others to pick up the slack, Oldham is facing the real prospect of not providing engineering as an option in the borough for the first time since the 1870s.

Engineering is still seen as a central part of the Greater Manchester Skills Plan making it vital that Oldham finds a solution to the problems caused by the demise of the GM UTC at the end of the school year.