Not many students get the chance to study in classrooms overlooking a Championship football pitch — but pupils at Bolton Wanderers Free School do. Reporter Kate McMullin was given a sneak peek behind the scenes and met teachers and staff at the new school.

BASED in the Macron Stadium, Bolton Free School began as an education programme for 'neet' students — not in education, employment or training — and was set up by Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside.

Although the programme was very successful, bringing students from 40 per cent attendance at lessons up to 100 per cent, it was not sustainable due to funding.

And so the club put in an application to build its own free school.

A new purpose built facility is planned to open in 2016 but until then pupils can enjoy lessons in the plush surroundings of the Macron.

Pupils are taught in small classrooms — previously corporate boxes where businesses entertained clients.

With nine classrooms, including an IT suite, shared between 90 students and 18 staff the school inhabits half of the stadium's east stand, where students are taught sports, business, heath and social care, as well as GCSE maths and English.

Each classroom looks out on to the pitch — a view which is described as "aspirational" by principal Toni Carr.

She said: "The school is an opportunity for something different for these young people.

"It's an opportunity for them to have education which is not in a education environment its more like a real life working environment.

"They come to the stadium every day they get to see the pitch and they get to see the football players around the place.

"They get opportunities here that they wouldn’t necessarily get doing the same course somewhere else.

"A traditional classroom environment is not for everyone and that is absolutely fine — so it's about giving these young people options and this gives them that real life working experience."

Each student in the school chooses one subject catered to their ambitions and future employment or education plans, which is discussed in an interview before students are accepted on to the course.

Student Callum Cornez said: "I really like coming to Bolton Wanderers Free school as its different, its friendly but we also like the tutors as they push us with the work. It’s really good.”

Currently the school is 78 per cent male and 22 per cent female with sport dominating in subject choice — Mrs Carr says students are mixed like any other college.

She added: "We have students who are high achieving, good at sports and we do have children that come here that have been home schooled or haven’t been in education.

"It is like a typical college — we have a mixed profile of students.

"Students typically do one main subject — however we do offer shorter qualifications that would enhance their learning like coaching badges and things like that.

"We do a level two qualification which requires four GCSEs and a two-year level three course which requires five grade Cs and above."

Following the initial success of the school, work to expand the free school and take over the entire of the East Stand accommodating 15 classrooms, is to begin this month ready for the new school year in September.

But the plans do not end there as the free school will be moving permanently to a new home next to Bolton Arena in September 2016 — an expansion which will cater for a maximum of 400 students.

Mrs Carr added: "It was always the plan to open a permanent school and if we could have a new build tomorrow we would move in to that.

"It is a warm positive school and I strive for pupils to be successful in their education and in their every day life in whatever their future aspirations are and I hope that this gives them the foundations to move on to bigger and better things that are right for them.

"Staff have forged relationships with the children based on respect it is a positive environment and atmosphere and that makes all the difference in getting the young people to perform and getting them to do what they need to do in their lessons to achieve their qualifications."