Baker Dearing Educational Trust

Bridgehead Education was appointed to raise awareness of the progress made by the UTC network, promote new delivery models such as UTC Sleeves, and showcase the value UTCs offer to employers, universities and students. BDET wanted to:

• Improve sector perception of UTCs following historic coverage focused on early closures

• Highlight improvements in enrolment and Ofsted ratings across the network

• Promote the introduction of the UTC Sleeve model

• Support partnerships with employers and universities

• Provide crisis and reputation management support where required

Activity needed to demonstrate the modern value of UTCs while supporting stakeholder engagement across education, industry and government.

We implemented a proactive media and stakeholder engagement programme to promote key BDET initiatives and thought leadership.

This included developing press materials around initiatives such as UTC Sleeves and a landmark partnership with the NHS to train 30,000 digital health professionals by 2030. We also aligned leadership commentary with key moments in the education calendar and secured interview opportunities to highlight the role UTCs play in addressing national skills challenges.

Alongside promotional activity, we provided reputation management support to the UTC network, including coordinating communications surrounding the closure of Watford UTC.

Our campaign delivered increased visibility for UTCs across national, sector and employer‑focused media.

Media Reach & Coverage

We secured:

• 47 pieces of media coverage

• Coverage reaching an estimated 91,000 readers

Highlights included:

• A speaking opportunity for Lord Baker on Times Radio

• National coverage in The Daily Telegraph

• Positive coverage in FE Week

This represented a notable shift in tone from previous reporting within the sector press.

Industry Engagement

We also delivered coverage in leading manufacturing, science and technology publications including:

• The Manufacturer

• The Foundation for Science and Technology

This coverage highlighted the benefits to local employers of partnering with UTCs, supporting engagement with potential industry partners.

Stakeholder Awareness

A coordinated journalist visit to a UTC provided first‑hand exposure to the work being undertaken across the network, enabling media representatives to better understand UTC delivery in practice.

Reputation Management

We supported stakeholder engagement and communications surrounding the closure of Watford UTC, including:

• Drafting communications to students, staff and parents

• Managing media enquiries

This ensured a clear and consistent messaging approach during a sensitive period for the network.

Strategic Impact

As a result of the campaign, BDET:

• Improved awareness of progress across the UTC network

• Promoted new delivery models such as UTC Sleeves

• Strengthened engagement with employer and university partners

• Reinforced the role of UTCs in addressing national skills challenges