A FREE school set up by Bolton Wanderers will close at the end of this academic year.

The announcement by the trustees comes just four months after a damning Ofsted report which graded it inadequate it all areas.

The trustees are blaming the failure to recruit sufficient students, meaning the school, a post-16 establishment, “is not financially viable into the future”.

The school will not accept applications for entry from new Year 12 students for September, and it will close on August 31.

Trustees say the decision has been reached “only after extensive discussion with the department for education and the education funding agency to explore all available options”.

They said “resources made available to schools and colleges are irretrievably linked to the number of students on roll and, unfortunately, we have struggled to recruit sufficient students within Bolton”.

Principal, Toni Carr said: “Existing students in Year 13 within BWFS will, of course, continue to follow their current courses and complete these in the summer term.

“I also wish to assure you that we will endeavour to ensure that teaching and learning within the college will continue with the present teaching staff and therefore ensure that students are prepared for examinations this summer.

“We will be working closely with Bolton local authority and other local education providers to bring about a smooth transition for existing students in Year 12.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure this process is both detailed and thorough.”

Zubair Hanslot, provost of the University of Bolton, was brought in as the new chairman of governors to help turn around the troubled school’s fortunes following the Ofsted inspection.

He said: “Closing BWFS is hugely disappointing for all those who have worked so hard to deliver the vision of the free school.

“The wellbeing and success of all our students remains our highest priority.

“Every effort will be made to ensure students get the support they need to complete their studies successfully and appropriate guidance for transition to their new place of learning.”

Human resources support and guidance will be offered to staff and meetings and discussion have started with the local education authority and local colleges to say trustees “ensure transition for students is as smooth as possible with minimum interruption to their education”.

Bolton Wanderers Free School was found to be “under serious threat” by Ofsted inspectors who published their report at the end of October.

A report criticised all aspects of the school and highlighted a ‘culture of low aspirations’ which has resulted in too many students making poor progress.

The school currently has just 95 students on its books, fewer than half of the 200 which was recommended in its first year. This is despite inspectors stating that management has been able to achieve a ‘significant increase’ in students in the current year.

The blame for low pupil figures was laid at the door of managers and Ofsted said a failure to meet recruitment targets over the past three years means that the “financial future of the school is under serious threat”. Wanderers opened the 16-19 school in its temporary home inside the Macron in September, 2014, with the plan to move into a purpose-built development with room for 400 students.

It was the first free 16-19 provision opened in Bolton under the Government’s flagship free school programme.

It formed part of an overall £100 million ‘Middlebrook Masterplan’ which also included plans for apartments, a hotel and offices.

While the school was launched by the club, The Bolton News understands it is now run independently following the change of ownership at Whites earlier this year.

At the launch, school bosses said they wanted to offer young people specific training in sports studies, health and social care, later adding public services to its curriculum with an ethos aimed at developing the skills, confidence and qualifications of all young people — including disadvantaged youngsters.

It was designed to build on the work it was doing with teenagers, some of whom were at risk of being classed as NEET — not in education, employment or training.