What arrangements are in place if my child requires accommodation?
We cannot provide accommodation for students at Silverstone UTC.
What are the term dates?
Full details of term dates can be found in News and Events
Is there a bus from my village?
Please see full details about student transport on the Student Transport page.
My child will have done a year of their French GCSE and was struggling a bit and you only do German – how are they going to catch up?
We have chosen German as the modern foreign language because it is so relevant to the engineering industry. German is an optional subject, and we would not recommend it unless German has been studied previously.
How many students have applied and got places?
Applications open at the start of the autumn term. We have been oversubscribed in the past, so apply before the end of October to give yourself the best chance of obtaining a place in Year 10, or by the February half-term break for 6th Form – apply now.
Laptop Requirements:
Silverstone UTC is a ‘bring your own device’ institution and as such students need to be equipped with a laptop. Laptops come in varying degrees of complexity and specification but as we find that most packages we now use are web based, we do not recommend any particular laptop requirements other than that it should be able to connect to the web and access a range of online learning platforms. We also suggest NOT buying Apple products as they do not support software used in school.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Students who are studying High Performance Engineering will require a laptop with the following spec:
The system requirements for CAD are:
• Operating System: 64-bit Windows 11 or 10 version 1809 or above.
• Processor: 2.5 GHz (3+ GHz recommended), ARM processors not supported.
• Memory: 8 GB (16GB recommended)
• Disk space: 10.0 GB.
• Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution with True Colour.
Are lunches subsidised?
No – the UTC does not subsidise the catering. Harrison Catering (http://www.harrisoncatering.co.uk/) have the contract for providing restaurant services to Silverstone UTC and provide healthy meals to suit different budgets.
Do UTC students do PE?
Yes. There are pitches and facilities at the UTC but limited indoor equipment. All students are expected to have a PE kit – Kit can be ordered from Orchard School Wear.
How big are the classes?
Classes will have a maximum of 30 students; however it is more likely that classes will have 28 or 29 students.
How much homework do students have every day?
We recognise that the students have a longer school day and may have to do more travelling than their counterparts at other schools. Due to the extra time in classes that students will experience at the UTC, there is less reliance on learning through homework, but we can’t guarantee there will be none. In the run up to exams, students will have to use their own time to revise.
Can you apply to 6th form without having studied a language?
Yes, a language is not a pre-requisite of our Year 12 courses.
Are students who have studied for their GCSEs at the UTC guaranteed a place in Year 12?
There is an entry requirement for Year 12 which students will have to meet but if they get the grades then they will be offered a place. We will hold enrolment days in August for Year 12 students to bring along their GCSE results and claim their place.
Some students start their GCSE courses in Year 9, will you receive this information from their current schools?
Yes, we will receive all of this information from schools. We will also ask the students to sit diagnostic tests in the first few weeks at the UTC to gain a strong understanding of each student’s ability.
Will all teaching take place within the UTC?
On the whole, yes, but there are educational visits that form part of the learning. We encourage work experience and shadowing opportunities as part of each student’s development.
When can we expect reports on student progress?
We will issue reports or feedback regularly during the academic year.
If students are taking a level 3 qualification that is not an A-Level, how is this recorded on UCAS form?
The UCAS form already contains an option for A-Level equivalents. These will be translated into the same UCAS points system as A-Levels would. All students will receive independent advice and guidance.
When will students decide their GCSE/A-Level options?
The application forms allow you to state your preferred choice of options. For GCSE, we ask that you also give us a reserve option in case we cannot allocate your first choice. For 6th Form, we will confirm your options when we meet with you prior to starting.
What will happen if students don’t get their expected GCSE results?
We will have individual discussions in order to establish whether other routes into the UTC may be an option.
Is the time dedicated to core subjects the same at the UTC as it is in a mainstream school?
There will be more time dedicated to the core subjects at the UTC given the longer school day. Our engineering course is not a heavily practical course.
Are there any extra-curricular clubs for students?
There are sporting clubs as well as Greenpower and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. We encourage our students to let us know what they would like to do and we try to facilitate this wherever possible.
What do I do if my child needs medication during the school day?
You will need to complete the following forms:
Health Care Plan
Parental Agreement for School/Setting to Administer Medicine
Request for Child to Carry His/Her Own Medicine
