FUEL

Inspection of FUEL Unit 7, Ellesmere Business Park, Haydn Road, Nottingham NG5 1DX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

When pupils arrive at FUEL, their previous experiences of school have often been unsettled, and their perceptions of education are sometimes negative. Over time, they come to understand that this school is a positive and safe place where they can learn and grow. Committed staff have a deep understanding of pupils’ needs and backgrounds. Pupils learn to trust others and build their confidence and self-worth. Parents and carers appreciate the positive changes in their child’s behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils embrace the school’s motto of ‘Imagine, Believe, Achieve’. The school sets ambitious expectations for learning and behaviour. Most pupils rise to this challenge. From whatever their starting points, their conduct, attendance and academic outcomes improve significantly. As pupils leave statutory education, they are well equipped to access further education, training and employment. This reflects the school’s commitment to equity and equality for the vulnerable young people in its community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum helps pupils to make links to their day-to-day lives. For example, they use their knowledge to lay the new floor in the school’s extension and fix the outdoor fence. They learn how their knowledge will benefit them in the careers they wish to pursue.

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better?

Many pupils join the school with significant gaps in their learning due to extended absences from education. The curriculum defines the essential knowledge that pupils need to recall clearly, both in academic and vocational subjects. Teachers identify gaps and adjust lessons skilfully, ensuring that pupils revisit and strengthen missed learning. Over time, this structured approach helps staff resolve any weaknesses and build pupils’ knowledge and skills. Most pupils earn a set of qualifications and accreditations that open pathways to further education, training or employment.

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better?

In many lessons, pupils benefit from reflecting on previous learning and correcting any misconceptions. For instance, in vocational lessons, pupils revisit spelling errors linked to their trade. However, some activities do not support pupils fully in writing with accuracy and purpose across the curriculum. As a result, they sometimes struggle with confidence, fluency and independence in their writing.

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better?

The school recognises pupils’ varied experiences and confidence levels in reading. The curriculum provides frequent opportunities to practise reading across subjects, helping pupils to understand its purpose. Teachers introduce diverse and meaningful literature that reflects pupils’ lives. For example, pupils read poems from around the world and literature exploring gang culture and peer pressure. Teachers gently prompt pupils to apply learned strategies to decode complex words. An age- appropriate phonics programme supports pupils who need extra help with reading. 20 to 22 May 2025 Teachers identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) promptly. In lessons, teachers carefully adapt their questions and instructions to ensure that pupils achieve the intended learning. Where necessary, pupils with SEND benefit from a range of well-considered resources and equipment that support their

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better?

Attendance remains a priority for the school. It collaborates with other schools that pupils attend to implement targeted strategies and support plans. As a result, most pupils see rapid improvements in their attendance from their starting points.

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better?

The school offers a well-structured careers programme. Pupils receive individual guidance on further education and career paths, celebrating those who pursue roles that challenge traditional workplace norms. They gain valuable work experience in industries carefully matched to their talents and interests, including Michelin-starred restaurants, accredited builders and government departments.

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better?

The school’s personal development programme is exceptional. It collaborates with external professionals to educate pupils about risks in and beyond school, including substance misuse, knife crime and online safety. Teachers and health professionals provide age-appropriate guidance on consent and healthy relationships. Debates and discussions form part of the everyday curriculum. Pupils learn to understand how current affairs and the law impact their place in the local, national and global community. They learn how they can have a positive impact on those around them.

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better?

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They fully embrace its vision to provide pupils with a positive educational experience. Staff value the support from school leaders and the proprietor in managing their workload and well-being.

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better?

The proprietor maintains strong oversight of the school and ensures full compliance with independent school standards (the standards). Policies are up to date and reflect the latest statutory guidance. The school site meets the required standards. The curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to help maintain the school building to these standards. The school has recently acquired an additional site. This will provide a purposeful space for physical activity in addition to the outside space at the main site. At this location, the school will enhance its role in the local community by providing support to pupils and their families outside of usual school hours. The school adheres to schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Sometimes, the activities that pupils complete do not promote their knowledge and skills in writing across the curriculum. This affects how well pupils build their 20 to 22 May 2025 confidence and fluency in writing across different subjects. The school should ensure that pupils benefit from well-considered opportunities to develop their writing knowledge and skills securely.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 20 to 22 May 2025

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £147 to £155 per day (group places) £246 per day (one-to-one target group places) Telephone number 01559 690139

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School details

Email address education@fueleducation.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 to 15 September 2022 20 to 22 May 2025

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Information about this school

 The school operates from Unit 7, Ellesmere Business Park, Haydn Road, Nottingham, NG5 1DX. Since the previous inspection, the school has acquired an additional site at Melbourne Park Hub, Melbourne Road, Nottingham, NG8 5HJ.  The school caters for pupils with a range of needs, including social, emotional and mental health needs.  Some local secondary schools commission short-term placements for pupils at the school. These pupils are dual registered. All the pupils that attend the school are at risk of permanent exclusion from their commissioning school.  The school’s previous inspection was a standard inspection in September 2022.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, biology and vocational courses. The inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about their learning.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the proprietor, and with leaders for teaching and learning, special educational needs and those responsible for health and safety at the school. Inspectors also considered the school’s personal development offer.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  The lead inspector toured both school sites to gather evidence about compliance with the standards.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 20 to 22 May 2025  Inspectors reviewed a range of other documents and policies, including on the school’s website. Inspectors considered documents, policies and plans linked to the health, safety and welfare of pupils, including the fire risk assessment, checks on fire safety equipment and site safety.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils. They also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Lowther Ofsted Inspector 20 to 22 May 2025 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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