Over the past year pupils from Carlton J&I, South Elmsall, Stockingate Mill Junior School, South Kirkby, Fitzwilliam Primary and St Helen’s J&I School, Hemsworth, have taken part in activities and visits to Leeds Metropolitan University.

The West Yorkshire Aimhigher project encourages youngsters to apply to colleges and universities.

Pupils were given another taste of university life this week when they took part in a graduation ceremony to mark the end of the project.

Roy Long, Aimhigher primary project director, said: “This is the second year the project has been running in this area. When we first come into schools to introduce this project the children always seem curious. When they start asking questions about university life they get more excited.

“It is important to try and impress children at an early age. We compare their lives to university students’ lives just to try and plant a seed in their minds.

“Parents are invited to the graduation ceremony so they can continue to encourage their children to apply to universities. I think this project really helps to capture their imagination. Their faces always look so excited at the graduation ceremonies.”

During the ceremony pupils were given student discount cards to use during the summer holidays. The cards offer discounts at places like Bradford Ice Arena, the Eureka! museum for children, Game, SNO!zone at Xscape, Thackray Medical Museum and Zavvi.

Dr Long added: “This is another incentive for pupils to go to university and enjoy the same discounts that students get.”