Junior entrepreneurs!

Pride in Oldham nominee Limeside Primary School for project work and publishing a book.

RICHARD Branson eat your heart out — budding business brains at Limeside Primary are on a fast track to entrepreneurial success.

Year 6 pupils have earned themselves a Pride in Oldham nomination for their efforts to bring the borough’s diverse communities together.

The youngsters worked with residents from the Clarkwell estate in Coldhurst to produce ‘What If’, an inspirational book about visionary thinking, high achieving and social responsibility.

The children wrote, illustrated and designed the book before devising a plan to sell it, even sending a copy to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The scheme, which formed part of the curriculum, earned the students a Level Two Qualification in Business Enterprise for contribution to project planning which is equivalent to two thirds of an English GCSE.

Other projects organised by the children include smoothie-making sessions, art clubs and a competition in the style of TV’s “Dragon’s Den”.

Pupils have also started Limeside Growing where they produce their own fruit and vegetables with the vision of selling it within the local community.

Head teacher Helen Arya said: “We are the only primary school in Europe to do this kind of work so we are very proud to be nominated for a Pride in Oldham award. We will keep going with the programme so as many children as possible can benefit from the entrepreneurial skills they gain from doing it.

“It raises aspirations and standards and the children that you wouldn’t expect to do well have been flourishing — it’s wonderful to see. We will continue to work hard and we enjoy doing things for the local community.”

Councillor Kay Knox, cabinet member for children, young people and families, who nominated the school, said: “Pupils at Limeside School never cease to amaze me. They are always brave enough to try new things and they embrace new initiatives with such enthusiasm that the children are constantly taken up to a new level.

“The leadership by Helen Arya is outstanding. I would like the borough to recognise that work that goes in at a school that always goes the extra mile.”