CHRISTMAS came early for budding young entrepreneurs.

Children at Yorston Lodge Preparatory School stepped into an old fashioned sweet emporium, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Knutsford to find out how to run a thriving business.

Year 5 pupils have formed their own business club, Kidz Inc and plan to sell sweets to family and friends to raise funds for school.

Julia Chard, who runs the King Street shop, said: "I agreed to buy the stock at wholesale for them and invited them in for a Q&A session.

"They were asking various questions about my business and how much they wanted to make for the school. From this we agreed a price per sweet bag which would give them the profit they need to make.

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"They chose the sweets they wanted to use and which type of bag to present them in. They can now prepare their Christmas sweet bags ready to sell.

"It was a pleasure to be involved. I was surprised how business savvy the group were. I have no doubt they will be very successful in their future paths."

Yorston Lodge pupils discovered how to run a business after talking to Julia Chard at Mr Si9mms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Knutsford

Yorston Lodge pupils discovered how to run a business after talking to Julia Chard at Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Knutsford

The business club aims to teach children about business acumen, profit and loss, risk management, leadership and decision making, while gaining real life experience of running a business.

Pupils found out about the challenges traders face, especially during the pandemic.

The young shopkeepers took orders for sweets at their school Christmas fair on Saturday.

Dan Hatfield, deputy head at Yorston Lodge, said: "We ensure that all of our children develop future ready skills to become informed global citizens who are empowered to follow their passions.

"Business Matters Club will do just that, educate our pupils about the big wide world of business that they will one day become a part of."

Yorston Lodge encourages children aged three to 11 to develop a lifelong love of learning, supported by small class sizes, a nurturing environment and an enriched curriculum including advanced numeracy and literacy.