South Wiltshire UTC 'reaches capacity' for first Year 10 entry

South Wiltshire UTC had been due to open in September 2014

A university technical college (UTC) due to open in Salisbury has said it has "already reached capacity" for its first Year 10 entry.

The South Wiltshire UTC will open as an academy in September 2015 following an £8m refurbishment of the former Salisbury police station.

Students have so far applied from across south Wiltshire, west Hampshire and north Dorset.

It will have capacity for 600 students and 45 staff when full.

The college - which will specialise in science, engineering and computing - will have places in its first year for up to 104 Year 10s and 136 Year 12s.

'Added ingredient'

It had been due to open in September 2014.

However, it was announced in August 2013 that the police station was to remain open for another year.

Principal Gordon Aitken said almost all of the teaching posts at the UTC had also been filled.

"All the staff have teaching qualifications but many bring an added ingredient of real-world experience," he added.

"Our head of computer science is a games designer and programmer, as well as a being an experienced teacher and faculty leader.

"Our psychologist has been a police criminologist and our head of maths was a defence electronics specialist before teaching further maths at the grammar school."

Applications for 2016 entry open on 1 September.