Pupils at Crane Park Primary School, Feltham, were given a chance to shine by taking their studies further in a series of hands-on projects.

The Shine programme, which has been run by Hampton School on Saturdays for the last few months, was offered to local feeder primary schools to enable a group of children to have a learning experience that went beyond their own classrooms.

From using Bunsen burners to making dragster cars, the five Crane Park boys stretched their brain power and imaginations to become mini-scientists, mathematicians and artists.

Kieran Reid, one of the pupils, said: "I enjoyed chemistry because I liked learning how to use all the chemistry equipment such as a Bunsen burner and test tubes."

The busy youngsters gained confidence in their mathematics and English by tackling new ideas and skills.

They also had a lot of fun during their time at Hampton School with one of the highlights being building a dragster car, using recycled CDs and a soldering iron, and then pitting them against each other in a time trial.

Pupil Jamal Afzali said he thought all the art work was "brilliant".

He said: "I liked doing art because I liked using clay.

"I liked using the rolling pins because it was hard to flatten the clay.

"I've learnt to take time when you use clay or it will go wrong."

Hampton School was sent all the pupils' academic details before the Shine project started and the school is now looking to see whether achievement levels have been raised as a result of the extra leaning.

David Knapman, assistant headteacher at Hampton School, is hoping to run the project again next year, which has the backing of Crane Park Primary School.

Kieran added: "I have enjoyed Saturday school for the past fourteen weeks.

"It was fun, I learnt lots and met lots of new friends and would definitely go again."