WHEN the school bell goes, pupils at one Swindon comprehensive don't stop learning.

Teenage entrepreneurs at Kingsdown School are just two steps away from a trip to New York after a company they set up in their lunch hour won the North Wiltshire heat of the Young Enterprise competition.

And year seven students have been starting school an hour early to brush up on their reading and writing over breakfast.

The Young Enterprise scheme is an international project set up to give youngsters a taste of the business world.

And Budz, the company run by Kingsdown pupils in October selling candles and stress balls, is now set to go up against companies from the whole of Wiltshire.

If they win they will go forward to the national finals, where the winning company will fly to New York to test themselves against the best Young Enterprise firms from around the world.

Budz managing director Lawrence Hagen, 15, from Swindon said: "It has been a big challenge being at the head of the company but everyone has worked together and it's been a success.

"I had to give a presentation at the trade fair in North Wiltshire about our company report, and that wasn't easy.

"I don't know if it has made me want to become a business man but at least if I do I will know what to expect."

A grant from the government's New Opportunities Fund meant the school could set up a breakfast club where 30 pupils were invited to come to school an hour early to work on their basic skills for 10 weeks.

The first 10 week block has just come to an end and has been a big success.

Teacher Lynda Bacon said: "The school canteen is open for them to come and we have a good breakfast, because pupils can't work until they have had something to eat and something to drink in the morning.

"Then we work on a computer programme designed to help them improve their spelling and reading.

"We have a really friendly atmosphere and pupils and their parents have made a real effort to get in so early."

Craig Lewis, 12, from Kingsdown said: "I was tired when I first started coming to the breakfast club but I soon got into it.

"It has been worthwhile and I've really enjoyed it. My spelling has improved too."