Future First Independent School

Future First Independent School

Address: Hockley Port. All Saints Street, Hockley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B18 7RL Unique reference number (URN): 135422

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Insufficient evidence: Inspectors were unable to gather sufficient evidence to judge whether safeguarding standards are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Many pupils have experienced very low attendance in previous settings. The school has been successful in engaging them in education and helping them overcome any worries or anxieties about coming to school. When pupils are absent, the school works sensitively with parents, carers and pupils to overcome any barriers. Pupils typically want to come to school and share leaders' ambitions to reduce absence further.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour across the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils and parents say this is typical and contributes to pupils' sense of security and wellbeing. Leaders and staff set high expectations and model respectful and positive behaviours. In turn, pupils are polite, kind and helpful towards staff and their peers. They are understanding and respectful of one another. Any forms of discrimination or bullying are extremely rare. On the occasion that a pupil struggles to behave appropriately, staff are quick to offer help and reassurance. As a result of this supportive approach, the calm atmosphere and high-quality relationships are stand-out features of this school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and are typically enthusiastic about their work, particularly in the vocational options they choose. They are keen to do well and understand that doing so will broaden their opportunities in the future.

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Achievement Needs attention

Inconsistencies in teaching and in teachers’ expectations mean that the quality of pupils’ work varies across subjects. Gaps in pupils’ foundations in reading, writing and mathematics are not identified and addressed as effectively as they could be. As a result, there is variability as to how well prepared some pupils are for their next stages of learning. Staff's understanding of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is improving. This is a focus of staff's professional development. However, adaptations in lessons are not consistently effective. Consequently, pupils with SEND do not make the progress through the curriculum that they should.

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Achievement Needs attention

Many pupils have been out of formal education for a number of years. Some have considerable gaps in important knowledge. The school has been successful in engaging pupils and bringing about a culture in which they are motivated. Pupils work hard and are prepared to 'give it a go'. This includes when activities are challenging. In several cases, pupils do well and produce work of a good quality. In practical learning, they build up their skills, such as their tiling in construction. They have not been here long enough to have taken any national tests. However, they have achieved certificated qualifications, including in first aid.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There is variability in how well the curriculum is taught. This is in terms of consistency in how well information is presented to pupils. Adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not consistently effective. There is also inconsistency in the quality of work that staff expect. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers work hard to fill these. However, the school has not embedded a clear programme to do this. This means pupils' gaps are not addressed as quickly as they could be. Leaders have a realistic view of the curriculum’s strengths and the areas that require further development. They have ensured that staff have appropriate subject knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Considering the number of pupils in the school, leaders have been ambitious in the range of subjects the school offers. The curriculum includes significant vocational and practical elements. It is carefully structured and sequenced and has been shaped around pupils’ interests and potential career pathways. Pupils can choose from areas of study such as horticulture and physical training. In each area of study, leaders have ensured that qualifications are available for pupils to achieve. This gives them meaningful goals to aim for.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school's systems to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the right support vary too much in quality and effectiveness. This includes adaptations for pupils with SEND within lessons. Sometimes, staff do not take sufficient account of the needs of pupils or of their prior learning. This means that barriers to learning are not reduced as well as they need to be for pupils to access the curriculum fully. Expectations of how well pupils can thrive, including those with SEND, are not high enough. Leaders are aware of these weaknesses. The careful checks that are needed on the support that pupils receive are not sufficiently established.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Despite all pupils being new to the school in September, leaders know them well. This is particularly true in terms of their emotional, social and mental health needs. Because many pupils have been out of school for several years, the school makes some initial checks on their prior knowledge when they first join. This means that staff are able to identify whether pupils have additional SEND. The school has put in place training for staff to help them better provide for pupils with SEND but recognise that the implementation of this training is still at an early stage. Pupils known to social care get the help they need in school.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The proprietor knows there remains more work to do to ensure that all pupils achieve well and benefit from school. Some of the independent school standards are still not met.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

A new leadership team has started to make improvements. The school has taken great strides in addressing the underperformance identified by inspectors at previous visits. It has done so at pace, having only been open since September 2025. The proprietor now has an accurate understanding of the school's weaknesses and what strategies to implement to

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Insufficient evidence

address them. School leaders and staff put the needs of pupils at the centre of their decision-making and of how they manage resources.

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Insufficient evidence

The proprietor has a renewed ambition to provide high-quality education. This is shared by school leaders and staff. This ambition shows in the rate of change in such aspects as the school environment. The proprietor has appointed staff with the knowledge to begin to implement the ambitious curriculum that leaders have designed.

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Insufficient evidence

The proprietor body offers challenge to school leaders and provides support. Staff are proud to work here and feel supported by the leadership team. The proprietor is introducing the training staff require to deliver the curriculum better. Leaders have developed an open culture in which staff feel valued and trusted to contribute to the school's development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There is not a fully coherent personal development programme that is consistently embedded across the school. Much of the personal development provision remains at an early stage of implementation. Current provision is largely responsive to pupils’ needs, but not underpinned by a fully established long-term strategy. The small number of pupils somewhat limits the breadth of wider experiences that the school offers. For example, there are regular physical education lessons but no additional sporting clubs or activities pupils can participate in. Nevertheless, pupils are very positive about how the school helps them to prepare for the future. They particularly value the vocational and careers learning within the curriculum. This illustrates leaders' commitment to putting pupils' futures first.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There are early signs of effective practice in promoting pupils' personal development. This includes regarding preparation for adulthood and life beyond school. For instance, pupils demonstrate a mature and secure understanding of equality. Part of this is a respect for other people's faith, ethnicity and gender. This reflects the school’s emphasis on creating a safe and respectful environment. The personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum is extensive. It covers important content such as healthy relationships and personal wellbeing. Pupils learn about health and safety in the curriculum, and about financial matters such as how to cost and budget. Innovative ideas such as the earning and spending of 'future first pounds' are both effective and motivational.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have a clear vision for the development of personal development and understand the steps needed to strengthen this area and to ensure it supports disadvantaged pupils. A monthly focus on spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is incorporated into lessons and supports pupils in developing their understanding over time. Through the PSHE curriculum, pupils are beginning to understand fundamental British values, the difference between right and wrong and the consequences of choices.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a small school with a new staff team and a reinvigorated ambition to provide for pupils who have had negative experiences of schools in the past. Here, pupils find a caring team of staff, a warm welcome and a curriculum designed to inspire them and prepare them for later life.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are safe and feel secure in this small setting because of the positive, respectful relationships between staff and pupils. Bullying is rare, and pupils have faith in school staff to resolve issues. They feel valued and know that their views and opinions are listened to. There is a relaxed but purposeful ethos in which pupils are engaged and work hard. They behave very well and treat one another warmly and with sensitivity. Despite many of them having missed significant periods of schooling in the past, their attendance here is notably better than at previous settings.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to school and talk about the difference the short time here has made to their confidence and learning. They appreciate the small groups and the help they get. The quality of pupils’ work is improving, but current inconsistencies in teaching and expectations mean they are not achieving as well as they could in some areas of the curriculum. Many aspects of the school's work are at an early stage of implementation due to it having recently reopened following a long period of closure.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are beginning to benefit from a range of experiences and personal development opportunities. However, the programme is not yet fully embedded and lacks a coherent structure. That said, pupils relish the practical and vocational elements of the school's curriculum. This includes lessons in construction, hospitality and animal care. They appreciate how these opportunities are not available to many pupils their age and that they could lead to work in later life.

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Next steps

• Leaders should put in place effective strategies to support pupils to gain secure foundational knowledge in English and mathematics. • Leaders should ensure that teaching is effective, underpinned by consistently high expectations and embedded throughout the school so that pupils make successful progress across the curriculum. • Leaders should improve the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that learning is adapted as necessary, enabling pupils to achieve well. • The proprietor should ensure that all the independent school standards are met fully and consistently. • The proprietor should strengthen the personal development offer to ensure that it is coherent, well planned and meets the needs of all pupils effectively.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this standard inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, and checked the school’s compliance with 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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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with members of the proprietor body, including the chair, and the headteacher.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school reopened in September 2025, having been closed to pupils since May 2024. No current staff were in post at the last inspection.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, the school has had 3 progress monitoring inspections carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

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About this inspection

All pupils at the school started in September 2025 and were electively home educated before this.

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About this inspection

The school is registered for pupils up to the age of 18. At the time of the inspection, there were no pupils in post-16 provision and so inspectors did not grade this evaluation area.

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About this inspection

The school is registered to cater for pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. At the time of inspection, not all pupils had SEND.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school premises are situated at Hockley Port, All Saints Street, Hockley, Birmingham, West Midlands B18 7RL.

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About this inspection

The chair of the proprietor body is Barket Hussain.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is futurefirstschool@ymail.com

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Aaron Garey 1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

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About this inspection

The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 2(1)

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About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

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About this inspection

(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and

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About this inspection

(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– (i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and

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About this inspection

For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are–

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About this inspection

(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and (i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.

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About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school–

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About this inspection

(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; (c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; (d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons;

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About this inspection

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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About this inspection

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met All standards have been met.

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About this inspection

4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Standards met

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About this inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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About this inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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About this inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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About this inspection

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards not met

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About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

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About this inspection

The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school–

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About this inspection

(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Team inspectors:

Jonathan Leonard, His Majesty's Inspector Nicola Wells, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Insufficient evidence

Inspectors were unable to gather reliable enough evidence to grade an evaluation area. This is rare and normally only happens if there are no pupils on roll at the school.

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Insufficient evidence

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Insufficient evidence

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