About the Founder
About the Founder
The experience, insight, and purpose behind Quality First Education
I am Fozila Akhtar, the founder of Quality First Education.
I hold a BA in Childhood Studies from the University of Leeds, along with a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status. I have over ten years of experience working across a range of educational settings, supporting children with different needs, backgrounds, and starting points.
More than anything, my work has been shaped by a deep interest in how children learn, what helps them feel secure, and what allows confidence to grow over time.
That understanding has not come only from qualifications or professional roles. It has come from years of observing children closely, listening carefully, and recognising that progress looks very different when teaching truly meets the child.
Founder Portrait
A founder image can be placed here.
Qualifications & experience
- BA in Childhood Studies, University of Leeds
- PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status
- Over ten years of experience across a range of educational settings
- Extensive experience supporting children with varied needs, backgrounds, and starting points
Early Experience
Where it began
My journey into education began with a deep interest in child development, which I explored through my degree in Childhood Studies.
During this time, I developed a strong understanding of how children think, learn, and grow — not just academically, but emotionally and developmentally.
I then worked as a bilingual teaching assistant, supporting children who were learning English as an additional language.
That experience was an important turning point for me.
I noticed that while some children struggled with reading because of language barriers, they were able to do exceptionally well in mathematics — a subject that does not rely on language in the same way.
It showed me that ability is not always immediately visible. Very often, what appears to be struggle is really a gap in access, language, or understanding.
Teaching Career
Learning from the classroom
I went on to complete my PGCE at the University of Huddersfield and spent the next ten years teaching in schools.
During that time, I taught a wide range of children across different abilities, backgrounds, and learning needs.
I later took on the role of SENDCo, where I worked closely with children who required additional support.
What this deepened
This role deepened my understanding of learning differences, barriers, and the importance of adapting teaching to meet the child — not the other way around.
It made even clearer to me that progress is far more likely when children feel understood, when teaching is responsive, and when gaps are addressed with care rather than ignored.
Turning Point
The pattern I kept seeing
Over time, I began to notice the same pattern again and again.
At this point, I was tutoring, and many of the children I worked with were struggling — not because they lacked ability, but because they had gaps in their understanding that had never been properly addressed.
The system continued to move forward, but those children did not. As a result, the gap between them and their peers continued to grow.
What became clear to me was that these children did not need more pressure. They needed structured teaching that went back, identified the gaps, and rebuilt their foundations.
In many cases, with just one hour a week of structured, focused input, those gaps began to close.
Children who had been falling behind started to catch up. Many went on to work in line with their peers — and some moved ahead.
They had not changed. The teaching had.
Personal Connection
A perspective shaped by lived experience
This is something I understand personally.
I did not speak English until the age of seven, and at that point I was falling significantly behind.
It was a teacher, Miss Jackson, who changed that. She went back and structured my learning from the basics, meeting me where I was, not where I should have been.
Without that support, I would have continued to struggle and play catch-up.
That experience stayed with me. It shaped how I see children, how I approach teaching, and what I believe education should provide.
It is one of the reasons I care so deeply about making sure that no child is rushed past what they have not yet had the chance to understand securely.
Why QFE Was Created
Creating the kind of education children actually need
Quality First Education was created in response to everything I had seen and experienced.
Too many children were being overlooked. Too many were being rushed through learning without true understanding. Too many were left to carry gaps that were never properly addressed.
QFE was built to offer a more thoughtful, structured, and genuinely developmental approach.
It is a psychology-led approach to learning that focuses on:
- strong foundations
- clear understanding
- confidence building
- long-term progress
The Vision
Preparing children for more than the next lesson
My intention for QFE goes beyond teaching core skills.
I believe that learning is a lifelong endeavour. The goal is not simply to help children read, write, or calculate.
The goal is to help them become learners who:
- feel confident in their abilities
- understand how they learn
- can approach new challenges with clarity
- are not afraid to think, question, and try
Because when a child develops that mindset, they are not simply better prepared for academic work.
They are better prepared for life.
QFE is the result of years of experience, reflection, and a deep commitment to doing education properly — with clarity, care, and intention.