JCB Academy

The school is named after its sponsor, construction equipment manufacturer J. C. Bamford Excavators Limited. It is a registered charity under the formal name The JCB Academy Trust. The lead academic sponsor of the school is Harper Adams University, and the school is also supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Sir Anthony Bamford remains influential. ==History==

The JCB Academy was the first of the new technical schools to open in the UK, opening in September 2010 in the converted and refurbished Arkwright Mill in Rocester, Staffordshire. Bamford had an historic interest in technical education. His company needed a steady supply of high quality apprentices. Since Victorian Times, the United Kingdom had not been able to develop a sustainable model for Technical Education, always giving a didactic academic education a higher status than a vocational education. The conversion of 1761 Tutbury Mill and opening the school cost £20 million. Bamford's ideas were in tune with government thinking - the academy was established with the support of senior business leaders adding their names as sponsors. Harper Adams, the agricultural college, that had recently been given university status agreed to become their University Sponsor. In 2013, the academy was reopened as a university technical college. The industrial partners would start by designing a 'work relevant' curriculum, set up the classrooms with modern industry standard equipment, then help with the staffing allowing AOTs (adults other than teachers)to help in the classroom. The sponsors had a two-day residential where they did team building and established aims and objective, defined industries potential role and started on curriculum design. All the sponsors had been involved in educational initiatives before. The first intake The JCB Academy opened in September 2010 for its first intake. The incoming students started the year on a residential team building course at Harper Adams. Here they were inducted into workshop safety. ==Partnerships==

JCB made a significant contribution to the setting up of the UTC: both financially to building and to setting up the workshops with industry standard equipment and overseeing the startup. This was the first UTC so there were no precedents. It employs teachers and engineering mentors who need training on teaching techniques. It has persuaded other internationally known companies to join, ==Facilities==

The school has learning areas, 12 full-size engineering workshops, break-out areas for relaxation and private study, and a sixth form common-room area. It has also sports facilities and an activity studio. Much of the learning is via virtual learning environment (VLE): students are provided with laptops. ==Curriculum==

A UTC's curriculum differs from standard secondary school, with a focus on providing all the subjects required in an academy, though with an engineering focus, plus BTECs and 40 days a year work experience. There is a longer school day. Arts and humanities were offered as after school clubs. The sixth-form is in a separate Grade II listed building called The Lodge. It offers a limited range of A Levels, principally in STEM subjects: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Product Design with BTEC level 3 diploma and extended diploma in Engineering or Business. ==Outcomes==

Ofsted inspected the school in 2018 and rated it 'Good'. "Pupils at key stage 4 make strong progress in a range of subjects from their low starting points. Outcomes in 2018, for example, showed further improved outcomes, particularly in English and mathematics." Ofsted inspected the Apprentice School in 2019 and rated it 'Good'. ==See also==