AN academy is to receive government funding to allow it to offer military training to students.

The King’s Academy in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, is to launch a new Royal Marines cadet force.

The unit will open next spring, initially giving up to 35 students access to training, an annual campy, overseas expeditions and courses from scuba diving and sailing to mountain leadership.

King’s Academy is one of just a handful of schools to be given approval and funding to establish a cadet unit under the Ministry of Defence’s Cadet Expansion Programme.

David Dawes, principal of The King’s Academy, said: “We are delighted that our bid for a cadet unit has been approved since it will offer our students outstanding and unique opportunities that align perfectly with our character-first education programme.

“We are all for young people stepping outside their comfort zone, being challenged and building their self-confidence through new experiences.

“It will be a fantastic opportunity, contributing not only to students fulfilling their potential and developing their leadership, communication and other life skills, but also for our staff to gain additional training qualifications.”

The unit will make use of the academy’s high ropes course, climbing wall and fields for escape and evasion training, whilst the cadets will also receive weapons training in the sports hall.

Mr Dawes is a former Army captain with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and served in Bosnia and Germany.

"When the approval team visited they were delighted with our superb facilities to support the training, and the fact that we can work closely with local Air Force and Army cadet units to share resources," he said.

"It will take a huge amount of work and energy to get it up and running but the positive impact will be enormous.”

The academy cadets will be trained initially by staff from HMS Caliope, based on the Tyne, and staff volunteers.

It also intends recruiting an ex-Armed Forces non-commissioned officer or warrant office to lead the unit, which it hopes to grow to around 100 cadets.

An‘experience day’ is also planned to launched the unit, which will see Marines bring equipment and vehicles to the academy.

To prepare further, staff at the school recently spent a week at the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon.

"It was a hugely satisfying experience for our staff to see a world-class unit at work and undergo his commander training there.

"It’s hugely exciting and an enormous privilege for The King’s Academy to benefit from such prestigious links.”