YOUNGSTERS from a Kirklees primary school pitched their business ideas to the head of networking group The Yorkshire Mafia in a Dragons’ Den-style challenge.

An educational enterprise programme that teaches children as young as nine about running a business invited pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Dewsbury to take part.

The Schools Teaching Enterprise Programme was recently launched to introduce primary school children to the basics of business and help develop their self-belief to succeed as an entrepreneur at an early age.

A class of Year 5 pupils from St Joseph’s pitched their business ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs which included Geoff Shepherd, founder of business membership group The Yorkshire Mafia; Gareth Boot, owner of the PIC Group; and school head Maureen Fletcher.

The Dragons’ Den style event was the culmination of a two-day enterprise programme delivered by STEPteam, which saw the nine to 10-year-olds learning the basics of business and putting together plans for a business of their own.

The winning plan was ‘Reuse Recycle’, a business selling eco-stationery made from recycled products, which the school intends to help the students roll out and run.

Said Geoff: “In 20 year’s time it will not be today’s business leaders that shape our financial future and dictate the prosperity of our national economy. They won’t be the ones creating employment opportunities, generating wealth and driving UK PLC forward – it will be our children.”

Kathryn Rushfirth, managing director of STEPteam and co-founder of the programme adds: “The aim of the programme is to introduce children to the business world at a young age and help sow the seed of desire to become an entrepreneur.

“It’s also a fantastic opportunity for businesses to get involved with their local schools.”

Businesses interested in sponsoring a school to take part in the programme should email sponsor@stepteam.org