For the last three years, the Manchester United Foundation has worked with Brentwood School and Community College, with a full-time coach based on site to support the physical and wellbeing needs of the students.
Brentwood is a special school for pupils aged 11-25 with severe learning difficulties as well as complex medical needs.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the Foundation's support for the school has been needed more than ever.
And recently, Man Utd captain Harry Maguire and goalkeeper Tom Heaton went along to meet the children and take part in a physical activity session.
"Some of the children struggle with communication, so to use these exercises as a way of expressing themselves and getting their energy out is great," Heaton said during a visit filmed by BBC Match of the Day. "You can see the enjoyment is there."
Like all of the partner secondary schools and colleges, Brentwood received £10,000 in funding from the Foundation to help provide essential resources to ensure students' educational development remained unchanged during time away from the classroom.
"The impact the partnership has had across the school and college has been fantastic," said Brentwood headteacher Jude Lomas.
"Some students stayed at home, some had a part-time placement in school or college; we were able to use that money on an individual basis to support students and their families who were normally reliant on their child coming to school.
"This had a really positive impact on the wellbeing of our families and gave some much-needed respite to parents and the continuity that the students had missed throughout the lockdown."
