A new school which claims to “guarantee” success for every child is to open in the West Midlands next year – despite concerns from the local authority.

Called The Excellence Academy, the school claims to be the first in the country offering a guarantee that every pupil will “graduate from the academy with at least 5 A*-C grade GCSEs including English, mathematics and science”.

And although the school will be non-selective, taking in pupils of all abilities, it will offer a challenging academic programme, with pupils beginning GCSE studies in year nine, a year earlier than normal.

While most pupils begin studying for A-levels in year 12 – the first year of sixth form – the Excellence Academy will get youngsters started a year earlier, giving them three years of A-Level studies and work experience placements.

The academy, which describes itself as a “university preparatory school”, is to open next September as one of 55 new Free Schools, funded by the taxpayer and free of local council control, approved by Education Secretary Michael Gove. It will join 24 that have already opened and eight more that had already won approval to open over the next two years.

A company called The Excellence Academy Ltd has been set up to run the school. Chairman Sundeep Singh, head of Sikh Community & Youth Service UK, a registered charity in Handsworth, Birmingham, said the school was likely to housed in premises on the border between Birmingham and Sandwell.

The aim was to serve inner city youngsters from both local authorities and push them to succeed academically – and win a place at university if possible – in a way that council-run comprehensives fail to do, he said.

A range of businessmen, professionals and teachers are involved in the school and a principal has already been appointed. The school will not be religious.