INNOV4TE Independent School

Inspection of INNOV4TE Independent School Blantyre House, Barrack Lane, Dudley, West Midlands B63 2UX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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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?

Innov4te Independent School is truly a special school. For pupils, the school feels like a second chance, a place where they are understood, supported and encouraged to succeed. Parents, carers, and members of the community combine in their praise of the difference the school makes for young people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations ensure not a moment is wasted in supporting pupils. This helps pupils to overcome difficulties they have experienced in the past. The ambitious curriculum, combined with caring and attentive staff, provides a strong foundation for success. Pupils build on this to reshape their futures.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that before coming to this school, they often felt overlooked or labelled. Pupils say that at Innov4te, they are not seen as ‘naughty children but as people who need extra support.’ When pupils need that help, staff are quick to offer a reassuring reminder or kind word. Consequently, behaviour is positive, and a calm sense of mutual respect prevails across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Key worker sessions allow pupils to reflect on their education and personal journeys. Reading clubs, table tennis, chess, and mixed martial arts training enrich their interests and hobbies. Meanwhile, the school council and charitable events, such as supporting youth homelessness, foster a strong sense of social responsibility.

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better?

In the very short time since the school has been open, leaders have worked tirelessly to develop the quality of provision for pupils. Driven by a moral purpose to make the right decisions for very vulnerable pupils, they are quick to identify areas where things can be improved.

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better?

The proprietors have ensured that all the independent school standards are met. They have robust systems in place to ensure these standards are regularly checked and maintained.

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better?

Innov4te provides highly personalised and responsive support to meet the specific needs of its pupils. One parent, whose views represented others, said, ‘They listen and truly care’. From the moment pupils start, staff work hard to understand their precise needs. Specialist staff, structured routines, and strong pastoral care support pupils in developing self-belief and confidence.

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better?

Across all subjects, clear expectations guide what will be taught and when. Lessons are planned to meet individual needs while maintaining high expectations. The curriculum is well-sequenced. This helps pupils to build knowledge over time. Staff utilise their knowledge of pupils’ interests and talents to make learning activities meaningful and engaging. For example, pupils enjoy writing postcards from a fictitious European coach trip as part of their English learning. 3 to 5 June 2025 Staff skilfully adapt lessons to engage pupils. They use questions and other activities to check pupils’ understanding and adjust teaching. Pupils say that this helps them to understand things in a way that makes sense finally. In subjects such as English and mathematics, teachers are quick to act to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge caused by absence or difficulties with engaging in lessons. However, in some other subjects,

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better?

there is variability in how well the school checks and addresses pupils’ knowledge gaps. This makes it harder for pupils to build their knowledge and be ready for their next steps.

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better?

Reading is a priority at the school. Targeted interventions help pupils build confidence and fluency. Across subjects, teachers embed reading opportunities into lessons. For example, pupils analyse sprinting records in science. Pupils visit the library to explore books, select their reading materials, or receive tailored support to overcome past reading anxieties.

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better?

Caring, respectful relationships define Innov4te School. Many pupils arrive with complicated, often traumatic past experiences that make trusting adults and engaging in school difficult. Nevertheless, pupils say that, at this school, staff genuinely care for them. They feel that everyone takes time out of their day to understand what is happening in pupils’ lives both at school and at home. The school’s work leads to improvements in pupils’ attendance and engagement with learning. Pupils and parents build trust and confidence in the school because they can see the impact of its work.

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better?

Innov4te fosters spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development through themed activities, diverse celebrations and community initiatives. The school helps pupils to develop an understanding of the world around them. Pupils are proud to share their files and work that they complete in topics such as personal safety, health and how they can maintain positive mental health.

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better?

The school’s personal development programme includes curriculum vitae writing, mock interviews and careers guidance which helps to prepare pupils for work. However, some aspects of the careers programme are not as well established. For example, opportunities for pupils to experience the world of work and learn about different career options are not as effective as they could be. This sometimes limits pupils’ ability to make informed choices about the careers they would like to pursue.

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better?

Whether they attend Innov4te as their school or through the alternative provision, pupils benefit from a caring and bespoke provision. For example, as part of the alternative provision service, pupils benefit from outdoor learning. This helps to build their confidence and practical skills. Rock climbing, canoeing, and fishing all boost pupils’ confidence, resilience. They help pupils to focus and make learning more accessible. Mathematics and English lessons ensure that pupils stay on track academically while building confidence in a structured, engaging environment.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. There is a suitable accessibility plan is in place. 3 to 5 June 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some subjects, variability in curriculum sequencing, assessment, and subject implementation leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This is particularly the case for pupils who have time away from school or find it challenging to engage in lessons. This affects their ability to build on their prior knowledge. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well and that the use of assessment is effective across different subjects so that all pupils catch up on missed learning when they return to school or re-engage with lessons.  While the school provides valuable career preparation activities, pupils do not currently have sufficient opportunities to experience the workplace. This limits their experiences and opportunities to make informed decisions about careers. The school should look to develop real-life work experience placements that provide pupils with first-hand exposure to employment environments and industry

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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. 3 to 5 June 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 150921 DfE registration number 332/6016

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School details

Inspection number 10374921 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Proprietor INNOV4TE Education and Training

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £23,400 to £55,000

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 3 to 5 June 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is situated in a large property in Dudley. The school is situated at 4 Barrack Lane, Halesowen, B63 2UX. The proprietor leases the property and the school site. The building was previously used as a children’s centre.  The school caters for boys and girls aged 11 to 16. Pupils are referred to the school by local secondary schools and local authorities.  This is the first standard inspection of Innov4te independent school since the school was registered on 5 August 2024  The school educates pupils with SEND, including those with education, health and care plans. It caters for pupils with cognition and learning needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties, and specific learning difficulties. Some of the pupils have been permanently excluded from their previous school while others are at risk of exclusion.  The proprietor also provides educational provision for pupils requiring sixth-day

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Information about this school

provision organised by the local authority and short-term alternative provision for periods of up to 12 weeks for pupils at risk of exclusion from their school.  The school does not utilise any alternative provisions.

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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

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

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  To evaluate the school's work in meeting the independent school standards, an inspector completed a site walkaround with the headteacher, a review of complaints for the last year and a detailed review of the information on the school’s website.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record, considered 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.  During the inspection, inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: English, including reading, mathematics, science and outdoor learning. In these

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Information about this inspection

3 to 5 June 2025 subjects, they visited lessons, looked at pupils' work, and talked with pupils and staff about how these subjects are taught. Inspectors also looked at other subjects.  The inspection team talked to pupils to gather their views. In these meetings, staff were present to provide extra support. Inspectors observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils' behaviour.  Inspectors held formal meetings with the school's directors, subject teachers, the chair of the proprietorial body and pupils. They also talked informally with parents and carers, pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  An inspector held conversations with and read emails from mainstream schools with which pupils are currently dual rolled.  An inspector held telephone calls with parents to gather their views about the quality of provision for their child and communication between the school and

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Information about this inspection

home.  An inspector spoke with one of the local authority social workers linked to pupils at the school and the school’s link police officer.

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Inspection team

Chris Pollitt, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Wells Ofsted Inspector 3 to 5 June 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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