A school for entrepreneurs as young as 14, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, could be built on the site of a Redbridge secondary school.

Beal 14-19 Business Innovation Hub, if approved, will be a separate school built on the current Beal High School campus, Woodford Bridge Road, for more than 100 full time students looking to become the Alan Sugars of the future.

Beal High submitted the free school application to the Department of Education in December and will be informed if it is successful at the end of next month.

If the plan goes ahead, it is hoped the new school will open in September 2014, offering routes into jobs in the legal, accounting and business sectors.

Executive headteacher Sue Snowdon said: “We hope to build on the Beal ethos of inclusion with high expectations linked to the success of our Communication and Learning Department (CLD).

“It will offer education for those learners who do not thrive in a post-16 further education environment.

“Setting up students to be entrepreneurs is something we are keen to do, so by offering trade pathways and business enhancement will help them do this.

“Our belief is that a school of this type shouldn’t be out of sight out of mind.”

The new school would also offer English and maths alongside more hands-on courses and the curriculum would be extended through outside providers including legal partnerships.

Partnership school improvement associate, Kathryn Burns, said: “From the feedback we have received, there are a lot of students who would be interested in joining.

“It would focus on the individual and their needs. Some may be integrated into the main school, depending on their interests. There isn’t just one route to success.”

The school day would be from 10.30am-5.30pm Monday to Thursday with enrichment until 7.30pm.