A Liverpool school has created a special #163;200,000 bus to share its arts programmes with pupils and parents across the country.

Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts in Everton has funded an “Arts Bus”, which will take to the road next month to expand its audience.

The aim of the bus is to create a miniature version of the school’s creative arts department and will go into the community to celebrate the school’s “art for all” motto.

The bus includes a recording studio, software for interactive musical tuition and even a performance stage, and it will help to provide evening classes and community projects.

Children and adults will be able to use the bus and take part in courses including creative writing, visual arts, film, poetry, song-writing and TV.

Pupils can use the bus to stage their own performances and students from Notre Dame have already been booked for an education and arts conference in Warwickshire.

Lesley Bentley, art director at the specialist school, told the Liverpool Echo: “We want to make arts and culture accessible to every pupil on Merseyside and across the UK. Art is for everyone and should not be exclusive.

“Creativity and a desire to learn shouldn’t just exist in school hours in a classroom, this is something everyone should be able to explore.” rv.