The school was established by the Al-Hijrah Trust, a charitable organisation that was formed in Birmingham by a group of Muslims led by Mohammad Abdul Karim Saqib, on 17 July 1988.

In 1997, the Trust acquired the former Cherrywood Grammar School in Bordesley Green premises from the Birmingham Local Education Authority.

The building remained empty until it was purchased and an extensive renovation programme funded by the Trust commenced.

[5][6] Amid what Ofsted called “too heavy involvement” by governors in the day-to-day running of the school, it had gone through three head teachers in the 18 months to March 2014.

[11][12] In 2019, Ofsted reported that gender segregation in the school was significant and ongoing, including requiring girls to wait to eat until "all the boys had finished.