First Thought Independent School

First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 1 First Thought Independent School 164 Hucclecote Road, Gloucester, GL3 3SH

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report:

Overall outcome The school is unlikely to meet all the independent school standards if it is registered

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report:

The purpose of this inspection was to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the proposed school's likely compliance with the independent school standards and associated requirements that are required for registration as an independent school.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

When we carry out pre-registration inspections of proposed independent schools, we report on the provider's likely compliance with part 8 of the independent school standards first. Under part 8, the proprietor is required to ensure that the school meets all of the independent school standards consistently. The standard in part 8 is intended to ensure that the quality of leadership and management at the school is sufficient for that purpose.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Since the previous pre-registration inspection, the proprietor and school leaders have addressed aspects of the independent school standards (the standards) that were unlikely to be met if registered. For example, they have improved the design and sequencing of the curriculum so that it better meets pupils’ needs. However, the proprietor and leaders have still not ensured that the standards are likely to be consistently met. For example, the approach to support pupils’ early reading skills is in its infancy. Systems to check the progress that pupils make across the curriculum and how staff use this information to inform future teaching and learning lack clarity.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor has appointed a suitably qualified head of education and one assistant headteacher. The head of education has social care experience and has been leading the unregistered alternative provision that shares the same site as the proposed school. They have the necessary knowledge to fulfil their statutory First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 2 duties effectively, for example, with regards to safeguarding. The assistant headteacher also has appropriate experience of education. Leaders are currently completing qualifications to better equip themselves with the skills they need to lead the proposed school. However, it is too early to see the impact this is having on their understanding of the standards and how they will ensure that they will be consistently met.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor has put in place systems to quality assure the school’s work, for example, through the use of an independent education consultant with independent school experience or through their checks on safeguarding or behaviour. However, the proposed framework to check the quality of teaching and the impact of the curriculum does not focus clearly enough on what constitutes high-quality teaching and learning.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Despite the deficits that exist, the proprietor has a clear vision for the proposed school which focuses on meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It aims to provide these pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to continue their journey in education. Leaders have put in place effective systems to actively promote the wellbeing of pupils, which will focus on positive relationships between staff and pupils.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The standards in this part are unlikely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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Curriculum

At the previous pre-registration inspection, the proprietor had not ensured that the independent school standards (the standards) in this part were likely to be met. The proposed curriculum and schemes of work did not make clear the essential content, particularly in mathematics and reading, or how it would be adapted to meet the needs and aptitudes of pupils the proposed school intended to admit. Leaders have reviewed the curriculum offer and made its structure clearer through the use of ‘informal’, ‘semi-formal’ and ‘formal’ pathways which are specially designed to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum

The intended curriculum framework and associated schemes of work provide a suitably broad curriculum offer that staff will tailor to the needs of the pupils who will attend the school. It considers pupils’ strengths and barriers to their learning, and aims to help pupils secure their communication, language and personal, social and emotional development as these will form the building blocks for pupils’ future learning and success. Long-term and medium-term plans are in place for the First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 3 different pathways. These set out the intended learning and activities which will enable pupils to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills from their relative starting points. The curriculum sets out clearly the way in which skills build progressively. For example, the development of number.

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Curriculum

Leaders have established an appropriate personal, social and health education curriculum, along with an appropriate relationships, sex and health education curriculum. Pupils will learn important life skills, such as cooking, how to look after their physical and mental health and develop their understanding of the world they live in. The curriculum promotes fundamental British values and should help to prepare pupils for modern Britain.

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Teaching

Leaders intend to provide teaching and non-teaching staff with professional learning opportunities that help them to deliver the curriculum effectively. However, leaders’ expectations for teaching, in terms of routines, lesson delivery, how teaching will build pupils’ knowledge over time and strategies to adapt the curriculum to meet pupils’ individual needs and education, health and care (EHC) plans, lack precision.

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Teaching

Leaders have recently purchased a programme to develop pupils’ phonic skills. However, training for staff will not be in place until November 2026. Leaders are not clear as to how staff will address any gaps that arise in pupils’ phonic knowledge. This will impact directly on the progress that pupils make across the curriculum.

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Teaching

Leaders intend to check on the quality of teaching. An advisory board will be established to support and challenge the proprietor in the strategic oversight of the quality of education and provision. However, this board is not currently in place.

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Assessment

Leaders have not considered in sufficient detail how staff will use the checks they make on pupils’ progress to inform future teaching and learning. Staff will complete a series of checks on pupils, both prior to and when they join the school. They will use this information to focus on getting to know pupils, building positive working relationships and finding out how they will support and encourage pupils to access learning. However, beyond this, it is not clear how teachers will check pupils’ understanding, give clear feedback and revisit key ideas so pupils build their knowledge.

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Assessment

The standards in this part are unlikely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 4

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pupils

Leaders have developed a suitable programme to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Through a ‘whole-school approach’, which includes the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils will learn about themselves and others around them. They will develop an understanding of right and wrong and the importance of teamwork. Pupils will build their knowledge of their own identity and those from different cultures. Leaders have also planned opportunities for pupils to learn about fundamental British values, such as making decisions to improve the school which will develop their understanding of democracy.

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pupils

Leaders intend for staff to benefit from well-considered professional learning opportunities. These will ensure that staff acquire the skills and knowledge they need to address any issues that may arise, such as knife crime, online safety or bullying.

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pupils

The standards in this part are likely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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Safeguarding

Despite concerns prior to the inspection about the proposed school’s safeguarding policy not fully reflecting current statutory requirements, evidence collected during the inspection demonstrated that leaders do have a detailed understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and have put in place a policy that reflects this.

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Safeguarding

Leaders will implement a carefully planned programme of professional learning for safeguarding. Staff will access a detailed induction, relevant training, and regular team briefings which will help them spot, record and report any concerns that may arise. Leaders intend to build on already established relationships with local authority safeguarding partners to ensure that both staff and pupils are safe. They have put in place sufficient systems to filter and check technology use.

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Safeguarding

Leaders intend for safeguarding to be an integral part of the personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education curriculum, so that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in the real and online worlds.

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Behaviour, anti-bullying and supervision of pupils

First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 5 Leaders have put in place a behaviour policy that fully reflects the needs of the pupils who will attend the proposed school. It focuses on promoting positive and respectful relationships, clear expectations and supporting pupils to understand their actions. Staff will receive training to ensure that they manage behaviour effectively.

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Behaviour, anti-bullying and supervision of pupils

The proprietor has established clear systems to de-escalate more challenging behaviours, including through the use of physical intervention. Staff will use their professional learning to implement these strategies only when absolutely necessary. The proprietor and leaders will record and analyse incidents and use this information to inform future practice.

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Behaviour, anti-bullying and supervision of pupils

High staffing levels and clear supervision arrangements are planned to keep pupils safe and to support their levels of engagement.

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Behaviour, anti-bullying and supervision of pupils

The anti-bullying policy sets out clearly the arrangements to prevent and respond to bullying. Leaders intend to teach pupils about the different forms of bullying, including discrimination against the characteristics that are protected by law, such as race, and online. Leaders will ensure that leaders and staff will record, check and review any incidents of bullying when they occur.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

The proposed school has a health and safety policy in place. This makes clear how the proprietor, leaders and staff intend to promote pupils’ health, safety and welfare. Leaders have ensured that the school complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This includes regular checks of fire alarms and equipment and the swift recording of any fire drills or alarms.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

Appropriate facilities and staff professional learning opportunities will be in place to support the effective implementation of the school’s first aid policy.

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Admissions and attendance

An appropriate admissions process is in place. Leaders will use this to gather information which will help them to understand pupils’ needs and to put in place appropriate support before pupils join the school. This will include details from pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans, previous settings and professionals.

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Admissions and attendance

Pupil attendance will be recorded twice daily on electronic registers. Leaders have plans in place to promote regular school attendance. This will include appropriate support for families, if necessary, to help them to overcome any barriers that may prevent their child from attending school regularly and on time. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 6

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Risk assessment

The proposed school’s risk assessment policy makes clear how leaders and staff intend to identify, manage and review risk. Risk assessments are sufficiently detailed and provide staff with the information they need to ensure the safety and welfare of pupils.

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Risk assessment

The standards in this part are likely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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The recruitment checks made on staff, supply staff and the proprietor

The proprietor and leaders have a clear understanding of the statutory requirements for recruitment and vetting staff. Relevant staff have had safer recruitment training. The proprietor does not intend to use agency staff and is aware of their duty to refer a person deemed unsuitable to work with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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The single central record of these recruitment checks

The proprietor has established a single central record that reflects statutory guidance. All safer recruitment checks are appropriately completed and accurately recorded before staff begin working at the school. This includes checks on the proprietor.

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The single central record of these recruitment checks

The standards in this part are likely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

Overall, the school premises are appropriate. Leaders have considered the layout, classroom organisation, the aesthetics, ventilation, lighting and acoustics. However, despite the improvements made to the premises during the previous pre-registration inspection and while inspectors were on site for the second pre- registration inspection, too many adaptations, alterations and fixes needed to be made. For example, the work to remove the baths, as identified in the previous inspection, was incomplete and some sash windows presented a hazard as they could quickly and easily close on a pupil's fingers. While some of the individual standards are likely to be met, the oversight of ongoing maintenance is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure the health safety and welfare of pupils. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 7

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and showers

The toilets are self-contained. Each has a wash basin behind a full-height, lockable door. The hot water does not present a scalding risk. This is because leaders ensure the maximum temperature is set at a safe level and check regularly to ensure it remains within safe limits. Despite this, at the time of the inspection, a toilet had recently been removed, leaving exposed pipe work. The proprietor rectified this before the end of the inspection.

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and showers

Some toilet areas have access to a shower. At the time of the inspection, some remedial work was needed to ensure that these showers were in working order and maintained to a high standard.

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and showers

Leaders ensure all drinking-water taps are clearly labelled. Pupils can refill bottles using the automatic chilled-water dispenser.

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Medical room and accommodation for pupils' therapy needs

A first-aid room is well equipped with a bed, wash basin, shower and a nearby toilet.

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Medical room and accommodation for pupils' therapy needs

Despite not being on the same floor as the proposed school, there is an additional room which houses a lockable cabinet and medical fridge. Leaders have put in place systems to ensure that pupils have access to other essential medication, such as inhalers.

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Medical room and accommodation for pupils' therapy needs

Specialist spaces, such as ‘the ‘blue room’ and ‘sensory room’ show how leaders have planned thoughtfully for pupils’ therapeutic needs. However, these rooms contain potential risks, such as of trailing wires.

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Ensuring the health, safety and welfare of pupils

The proprietor has ensured that the premises are suitable for the age range and needs of pupils who are likely to attend.

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Ensuring the health, safety and welfare of pupils

Each room contains a smoke alarm with at least one fire extinguisher on every floor. Fire extinguishers and blankets are generally appropriately placed across the school site. They are routinely checked by a competent professional. Fire exits are clearly marked across the different floors.

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Ensuring the health, safety and welfare of pupils

At the time of the inspection, a fire alarm went off. Systems to evacuate the building, check occupants and record any learning to inform future practice were effective. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 8 Some pupils will have personal emergency evacuation plans that set out how staff will help them to exit the building in an emergency.

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Lighting and acoustic conditions

Lighting across the proposed school matches the purpose of each space. Classrooms, for example, have large windows overlooking the school grounds or the main road. This will give pupils bright, natural light for learning. All internal and emergency lighting is compliant with the required lighting standards. During winter months and evenings there is external lighting to help pupils and staff move safely around the building's exterior. Acoustic conditions in classrooms and other areas meet requirements. For example, the music room is soundproof to avoid disturbing other learners.

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Outdoor space

There is ample outdoor space for children's use during social times and for physical education lessons. Pupils will have access to a fenced green space which provides them with access to a range of activities, including an outdoor gym. Work is currently being undertaken on a larger outdoor space which will enable pupils to benefit from a recycling area, a music area and a woodland learning space.

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Outdoor space

The standards in this part are unlikely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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Part 6. Provision of information

The proprietor has a clear understanding of what the proposed school should provide on its website. Previous gaps in documentation identified prior to the inspection, for example, outdated policies, were rectified quickly. Relevant information and a wide range of policies are readily accessible for parents and carers, and other stakeholders.

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Part 6. Provision of information

Leaders intend to provide parents and carers with detailed annual reports. Information will include pupils’ attendance, their social and emotional development, progress across the curriculum and individualised developmental targets. End of term reports will also include pupil and parental voice.

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Part 6. Provision of information

Leaders understand their responsibility to make necessary information available to the commissioning local authorities.

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Part 6. Provision of information

The standards in this part are likely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 9

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

The proprietor has put in place a suitable complaints policy that meets statutory requirements. It sets out the difference between a ‘concern’ and a ‘complaint’ and makes clear the processes for raising a complaint as a pupil and an adult.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

The policy provides a clear three-staged approach, including informal and formal procedures. It sets out the expectations and timescales when responding to a complaint, including investigation, follow up and written response. The proprietor has also made arrangements for members of an appeal panel to be independent from the school’s leadership. The proprietor has put in place robust systems to record, store and learn from any complaints.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

The standards in this part are likely to be met if the DfE decides to register the provider as an independent school.

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The school's accessibility plan

The proposed school’s accessibility plan aligns to the relevant statutory legislation as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Leaders intend to make this readily available in both electronic and paper form. The plan makes clear how the proposed school intends to improve over time access to the curriculum, the physical environment and the delivery of information to pupils with a disability. The action plan identifies objectives, actions, timescales and success criteria. Leaders have established an approach to reviewing and updating the plan.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 99 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. Inspectors checked the school's likely 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

Inspectors checked the school’s likely 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 updated inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs. First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 10 Inspectors spoke with chair of the proprietor body, the head of education and the assistant headteacher during the inspection. An inspector also held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.

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About this inspection

This was the proposed school’s second pre-registration inspection. The first pre- registration took place in December 2025.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the proposed school:

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About this inspection

The proposed school operates at: 164 Hucclecote Road, Hucclecote, Gloucester. GL3 3SH.

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About this inspection

The proposed school intends to admit up to 18 pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), for example pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and complex needs. All pupils will have an EHC plan. Pupils are likely to be placed at the school by a local authority.

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About this inspection

First Thought Care Services Ltd will act as the proprietor body for the proposed school. It also oversees an unregistered alternative provision and a provider of supported accommodation which shares the same site as the proposed school.

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About this inspection

The proprietor does not intend to use any alternative provision.

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Chair of the proprietor body

Headteacher Hannah Dadge (head of education)

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Chair of the proprietor body

Type of school Other independent special school

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Chair of the proprietor body

Capacity 18 First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 11

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authority

Age range of pupils Provider's proposal: 5 to 11

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authority

Gender of pupils Provider's proposal: Mixed

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teaching staff

Number of part-time teaching staff Provider's proposal: 0

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teaching staff

Annual fees for day pupils £48,960 to £71,400

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teaching staff

Email address admin@ftindependentschool.co.uk

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 12 – 2(2)(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills;  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(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; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils' work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) 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- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and First Thought Independent School, 6 August 2026 13 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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