Alternative Provision rooted in Wolverhampton, built around young people
ConnectFirst Academy provides safe, structured and relationship-led Alternative Provision for young people in Wolverhampton who need a different route back into learning, confidence and opportunity.
ConnectFirst Academy provides Alternative Provision in Wolverhampton for young people who need a safe, structured and personalised route back into learning. Based in the heart of Wolverhampton, we support learners who may be at risk of exclusion, struggling with attendance, experiencing SEMH barriers, requiring SEND-informed support or preparing for reintegration and progression.
Based at The Old Rectory on Waterloo Road, opposite Molineux Stadium, we offer a calm, welcoming and purposeful environment where learners can reconnect with themselves, reconnect with learning and reconnect with their future.
We work with schools, local authorities, parents, carers and professional partners to support young people who may be experiencing barriers to attendance, engagement, behaviour, confidence, attainment, wellbeing or progression.
Our purpose is simple: to help young people feel safe, supported, understood and ready to move forward.
Connect First. Collaborate Together. Succeed Together.
A trusted partner
For schools and referring partners in Wolverhampton, ConnectFirst Academy acts as a trusted extension of your school community. We understand that schools sometimes need additional support to help young people overcome barriers to learning, improve attendance, regulate behaviour, rebuild confidence and achieve positive outcomes.
Our role is not to replace schools. Our role is to work alongside them — providing personalised support, specialist intervention and alternative learning pathways while maintaining a strong focus on reintegration, progression and achievement.
Every referral represents a young person with potential. Our responsibility is to help unlock that potential.
ConnectFirst Academy supports young people who may require alternative provision because they are:
Our values
The values that guide ConnectFirst Academy shape our culture, our curriculum, our relationships, our safeguarding approach and the way we work with schools and families.
We encourage ambition, aspiration and purpose, helping learners and staff prepare for successful futures through education, personal growth and lifelong learning.
Everyone belongs. We value diversity, celebrate individuality and ensure every member of our community feels respected, supported and able to succeed.
We develop confidence, perseverance and adaptability, encouraging everyone to learn from challenges and keep moving forward with determination.
We celebrate progress, effort and achievement, supporting every learner and colleague to achieve their personal best.
Trust is the foundation of everything we do. We build it through honesty, consistency, accountability, respect and genuine care for one another.
Our approach
Our approach is built around four important connections that help learners rebuild confidence, develop positive routines, strengthen relationships and prepare for their next stage.
Every journey starts here
We help learners develop self-awareness, confidence, self-belief and a positive sense of identity, so they are better equipped to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities.
Curiosity, engagement and achievement
We provide personalised, high-quality education that helps learners develop knowledge, skills and recognised qualifications while discovering the joy of learning.
Strong relationships help young people thrive
We create a culture of respect, inclusion and belonging where learners build positive relationships with staff, peers, families and the wider community.
Education should open doors
We help learners develop the skills, experiences and aspirations needed to progress confidently into further education, employment and adult life.
Schools and referring partners choose us because we combine high expectations with high support. Our provision offers:
We work transparently and collaboratively with schools, providing:
Attendance, behaviour and engagement are often signs of a deeper story. Our approach is calm, consistent and relationship-led. We help learners develop better routines, improve self-regulation, make positive choices and experience success in a structured environment.
We work with schools and professionals to understand relevant information, including EHCPs, SEND support plans, risk assessments, safeguarding context, attendance history and previous interventions. This helps us create support that is realistic, respectful and personalised.
Alternative provision should not be a holding space — it should be a bridge. We help learners build the communication, teamwork, resilience and readiness needed for reintegration, qualifications, post-16 transition or employability.
ConnectFirst Academy is based at The Old Rectory, 57 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4QH. The building gives young people a calm and purposeful place to learn, develop and grow. Its location opposite Molineux Stadium also offers a powerful local symbol of ambition, teamwork, perseverance and community pride.
Frequently asked questions
We welcome conversations with schools, academies, SENCOs, inclusion leads, safeguarding teams, local authority colleagues and wider professional partners across Wolverhampton and the Black Country. We are particularly keen to work with partners who want alternative provision that is:
To discuss a potential referral, partnership opportunity or placement for a young person in Wolverhampton, please contact ConnectFirst Academy.
ConnectFirst Academy
The Old Rectory, 57 Waterloo Road
Wolverhampton, WV1 4QH
We welcome conversations with schools, SENCOs, inclusion leads, local authorities, parents, carers and professional partners looking for safe, structured and purposeful alternative provision in Wolverhampton.
