A PROGRAMME to encourage students at the new Merchants' Academy to stay at school until 5pm is being expanded next term.

The secondary school in Withywood, sponsored by the Society of Merchant Venturers and Bristol University, splits its day into three sessions – the third of which is dedicated to extra-curricular activities and sports.

The sessions run on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and last term included rock band, dance academy, girls' fitness, hairdressing, technology club, string ensemble, netball and rugby.

From January, the programme will include working with Bristol Braves basketball team, coaching sessions with Bristol City football club and an Apple computer club.

Currently Year 7 pupils are expected to attend at least one session a week and students in the other years are being encouraged to attend.

Phillip Collins, director of co-curricular and community, said: "So far the co-curricular activities are going very well. When I walked around a session one day recently, over 120 pupils were taking part, which is an excellent start. We had over 50 pupils playing rugby, four teams of girls playing netball and over 20 in the choir, 20 in hairdressing and 20 in girls' fitness. Throughout the first term, about 300 students have taken part in at least one of the sessions involved.

"However, this is only the start of this programme. We are keen to expand and evolve the sessions to reflect what parents and children are interested in and what is available in the local community.

"It is a change for the pupils who attended Withywood Community School so it will take some time for the pupils to adjust to this, but we are proud of offering an exciting range of activities for these young people.

"We expect that in five years' time, when the current Year 7 pupils are in the sixth form, that all pupils would attend at least one session a week. The aims of these sessions are to develop skills, broaden horizons, keep fit and to provide a fun activity at the end of the day.

"They will also be an opportunity for students to develop their maths and language skills. In the future these sessions will also offer the chance to gain qualifications in areas such as first aid and sport coaching programmes."