A school staffed by ex-soldiers is close to signing up enough pupils to win government approval.

The proposed Phoenix School in Oldham would focus on self-discipline and use rigorous outdoor exercises to prepare students for the classroom.

Backers of the project – which would need to be approved by the government – say they have nearly recruited all the pupils they need to submit a formal application.

The school is the idea of teacher Tom Burkard and serving Army officer Captain Affan Burki, who say it could unite pupils from across the town.

Mr Burkard said 107 families had registered, just short of the 120 needed before a government deadline at the end of this month.

He said: "We’ve got next week to make this up and I’d be surprised if we didn’t reach at least 140."

Students at the school would be given intensive tuition in English and maths, mixed with outdoor activities.

The curriculum would include many subjects taught in other schools – and science, history and geography would be compulsory.

The Phoenix group, which has the backing of former Armed Services head Lord Guthrie, insists it will not use military discipline but says its teachers will be ex-military and therefore command respect. If the application is backed by the Department for Education, the school would open in September next year.

The government allows parents to establish their own ‘free’ schools, independent of council control but only if it can be shown that there is wide support from families and that existing schools are not meeting local needs.

Free schools receive start-up cash from the government and ongoing funding based on pupil numbers.

Oldham council is opposed to the new school, which it has labelled ‘unnecessary’.

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