Tiny Birmingham school turning round lives
Behind the door of a terrace house is the last place you'd expect to find a secondary school.
Blue River Academy pupils
But Birmingham's Blue River academy is anything but ordinary.
It is one of the city's smallest schools, with just 40 teenagers enrolled at the academy's centres in Small Heath and Sparkhill.
Many of the 14-16-year-olds who attend Blue River have been excluded from mainstream education, while others are refugees from war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
All who pass through the doors of the academy are there to improve their English and maths, but to also benefit from a curriculum that is as much about self-development as it is about getting qualifications.
Heading up the Sparkhill centre, which is housed in an end of terrace property on a suburban street, is school director Muhammed Abdullah.
He said: "The main difference between us and mainstream schools is that we look at the children holistically.
"These children have come from some quite troubled backgrounds, and there are a lot of underlying issues, so we work with them to overcome this and give them the skills to get on in life.
"I volunteered for a community project while I was at uni, and I realised when speaking to a lot of the young people they couldn't go on to further education.
"I was from the same sort of background as them, so I wanted to be in a place where I could inspire them and make a difference."
Blue River is an independent school, but it is still subject to Ofsted inspections and has to prove it is meeting the pupils' needs. The school also works in partnership with West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and organisations including Sky Sports and the British Heart Foundation on projects focusing on self-esteem, teamwork and healthy living.
Youngsters are referred directly from their own schools, the local authority and even word of mouth.
Every child who enrolls is then asked to complete a questionnaire, including a question asking where they see themselves at the age of 21.
"There are a few choices – at university, in employment, on the dole, or even in prison," Mr Abdullah added.
"More than 55 per cent said the dole, or worse. That is all the aspirations they have. By the time they leave here, we don't want a single person saying that."
For 15-year-old Abdul Jalil, Blue River is the only school he has ever known.
Abdul and his family arrived in Birmingham less than a year ago from war-torn Afghanistan, and Abdul had never set foot in a classroom, let alone harboured any ambitions for the future.
Despite having little English when he started, Abdul's thirst for learning has impressed his teachers and fellow students.
His dedication has even earned him a national award, after he was named Sky Sports Living for Sport Student of the Year 2011.
The youngster helped design a project called Clean Brake in a bid encourage people in the community to start cycling as a way of improving health and reducing pollution.
Abdul said: "I really enjoy it here at school.
"My English is getting better and I'm learning other things too. I think I'd like to be a policeman one day, so I can help others who deserve and need help in my community."
Also enrolled at Blue River is Ishaq Multani from Tyseley, who was referred by Birmingham City Council's Pupil Connect team after he was expelled from his former school.
The 15-year-old said: "When I was at my old school I would just get into fights.
"After I was excluded I just sat at home for months, spending all day going on the computer.
"I prefer it here now, it's smaller and I've made friends."
Blue River is staffed by teachers and volunteers, including students from the University of Birmingham.
In the attic office of the Sparkhill centre, the walls and desk are crammed with framed letters from the police, fire service and other community organisations commending the work of Blue River Academy.
But it is the endorsements from past pupils and their families that mean the most, said Mr Abdullah.
"The word gets around," he said.
"People see other young people getting GCSEs and they understandably want the same for their own child. I've had letters from parents saying they had almost given up on their child. They see them 24/7 so they are in a better position than us to see the changes happening.
"I've even had young people telling me that if it wasn't for coming here, then they would probably be dead."