CONCERNS have been raised about the behaviour of some pupils at the newly opened UTC Warrington after people at a nearby business centre and the town centre bus station complained of students ‘unruly’ behaviour.

The Dallam Lane school, which specialises in an industry specific and vocational education for youngsters aged 14 to 19, asks pupils to dress in ‘smart business attire’ and emphasizes ‘first impressions count’.

But one employee at the nearby Warrington Business Centre said students were causing ‘bedlam’ by blocking the road, smoking, spitting and swearing outside the building and intimidating staff.

A spokesman for Helen Jones MP, who has offices in the business centre, said they had raised concerns about pupils’ behaviour and had spoken to the UTC’s principal about the issue.

Several complaints were also made about students’ behaviour at the nearby bus station.

A spokesman for the UTC said: “Our principal, Lee Barber, has personally liaised closely with the staff at the bus interchange regarding a one or two minor incidents over the last few months, viewing CCTV footage to identify and deal with the small number of students involved.

“Additionally, he has liaised directly with the team at Warrington Business Centre regarding concerns they have raised in the past.

“In order to alleviate concerns of our neighbours, two members of our senior leadership team are stationed outside the college and between the bus station and the college each morning and afternoon as students arrive and leave to ensure that our students behave in the expected manner.

“Professional standards are an essential part of our culture here at UTC Warrington and as such we take any complaints about poor behaviour extremely seriously.

"We are working hard to ensure our students are equipped with the skills required in the working world, including how to behave in a professional manner in any setting."

The £10 million school opened in September 2016 in the town’s stadium quarter with a first intake of almost 200 students.

It is sponsored by a number of companies and Manchester Metropolitan University, and focuses on science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, with around £1 million worth of equipment.