We are a full-time football education programme that allows students from the age of 16-19 to train and play competitive football alongside their studies. The Academy was founded by ex-professional footballer Richard Forsyth (Formerly of Birmingham city, Stoke city etc.) in 2015, and now ran by Mason Birch (Formerly of Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers etc.), the football Academy is now in its 8th year of running and has grown significantly with many students having successful careers in the game, both on and off the pitch. Over the years we have developed and produced several professional footballers, with many others forging brilliant careers in men’s non-league at a very high standard.
As an Academy and school, one of our foci is to ensure all players are provided opportunities in football to showcase their talents, to hopefully progress into clubs in both the football league and non-league pyramid. It is the aim of Head coach (UEFA B Licensed) and mentor Mason Birch (Ex professional player & current semi-professional player) to help nurture and improve students technically, tactically and physically to enable them the best chance to succeed both academically and sportingly.
The academic progress and pastoral care of students involved in the programme is led by Mr Grimes, Assistant Principal for Key Stage 5.
Bespoke individual timetables fitted around studies & training.
Opportunity for Maths & English resit.
Level 3 Sport Pathway.
A Level PE pathway.
An array of other A Level & Level 3 subjects available to study.
High emphasis on education.
Level 1 FA Coaching qualification.
4 other FA Licensed qualifications.
Opportunities to go into local primary schools to practice coaching / teaching.
Help with UCAS applications.
Numerous educational trips / visits / in house talks.
Our scholarship is not designed to steer all those who join it towards one specific direction. At heart, the fact that it combines competitive team sport with academic study and coaching qualifications should enable those to join it to pursue many different career options. In recent years our scholars have graduated and progressed to the following:
Students opting to progress to either university of employment at the end of the football programme are fully supported with their applications on a weekly basis. In recent years students opting to progress to higher education have joined sports-related courses including sports science, sports management, physiotherapy and sports coaching. Others have used the qualifications gained during the programme to progress to entirely different courses including engineering and architecture.
In order to join the football programme, students are expected to have a good level of fitness and be a competent football player. Those applying for a place on the scholarship are also required to undertake a football trial which is used to judge ability and the potential to be put forward to Tividale FC’s floodlit team
In addition, those applying for the programme are required to meet the normal entry requirements for the A level and/or BTEC courses they are interested in taking alongside training. Full details of the specific entry requirements for every course can be found here.
You can apply for a place on the football programme by completing either an A level, vocational or medicine pathway application form and then indicating on the form that you wish to join the programme.
Application forms can be found here.