The Project

GLK Solutions were originally procured to work with the UTC project group in May 2015.  The project group had identified the need for a University Technical College in the town and wanted project management support as expertise in the UTC sector.  We supported the group to develop an application to submit to the Department for Education.  The project development spanned three years with various delays to approval due to elections and Brexit.  In Summer 2018 Doncaster UTC received approval.  GLK Solutions were subsequently procured to support the project management for the pre-opening to enable the school to open in September 2020.

Our Contribution

GLK Solutions' initial task was to gain approval from the Department for Education (DfE) to open the new school.  In January 2016 a full application was made to the DfE.  In the following 18 months, we worked with the DfE and Baker Dearing Trust through a series of challenges which delayed approval including the Brexit vote and an election which effectively means central Government decisions are on hold. 

GLK supported the project team to provide further evidence and documentation to support the application.  In June 2018 Doncaster UTC gained conditional approval to open in September 2020.  GLK continued to work with Doncaster UTC to address the conditions of approval and formally move the project into its pre-opening phase.  

GLK provided project management support to co-ordinate various elements of pre-opening activity including:

Marketing and communications, Governance structures, Appointment of a Principal and Project Co-ordinator, Financial reporting and budget, development, Engagement with employer partners and stakeholders, Curriculum development, Capital project build, and Legal activity.

GLK provided the UTC with Project Director and Project Manager roles to act as leads whilst a Principal was appointed.  We then worked with the appointed Principal to hand over specific areas of the school’s development whilst supporting in expert areas such as marketing and the building design and development. 

In September 2020 Doncaster UTC opened at capacity in Years 9 and 12.  The UTC is going from strength to strength in its purpose-built state of the art facilities.  We are delighted Doncaster UTC are now thriving in their new building and look forward to seeing their students develop over time and become the next generation of STEM leaders. 

Outcomes

  • keyboard_arrow_rightSuccession submission (and approval) of the UTC application with the Department for Education
  • keyboard_arrow_rightCompletion of a number of conditions for approval to ensure the project could move into pre-opening
  • keyboard_arrow_rightManagement and co-ordination of a number of workstreams to act as the main point of contact and head up the UTC until a Principal was in post
  • keyboard_arrow_rightEnsure Doncaster UTC opened, as planned, in September 2020 to an oversubscribed Year 9 and the highest subscribed Year 12 for any new UTC
  • keyboard_arrow_rightSuccessful appointment of a Principal
  • keyboard_arrow_rightProvided the groundwork for a highly successful student recruitment programme