Students from Holy Family School, Keighley, are on a high after finishing the top team in Yorkshire, and in the top ten in the UK, in a competition which saw them investing £500,000 in stocks and shares.

Over 70 groups around the UK competed in a stocks and shares Internet simulation programme called Who Dares Wins, and when the national results were announced, Holy Family pupils were delighted to see they had finished fourth.

Four of the groups were from the local area, representing Holy Family School, Oakbank, Greenhead High and Bingley Grammar.

All four groups met and completed the simulation over two weekends.

The programme culminated in the pupils having to give a business style presentation to their parents and outside groups to show how they invested their money.

The activity, funded by the Government's Excellence in Cities initiative, was one of a number of events organised by the Three Valleys Cluster to enable their gifted and talented pupils to work together. The pupils in these groups were all recognised as having special ability in business studies by their schools.

Jon Zeb, who co-ordinates business studies at Holy Family and organised the activity, was delighted with the pupils from all four schools. "They approached the activity in a mature and enthusiastic manner, which shows in the fantastic results all four schools achieved," he said. "Many question the funding of activities for gifted and talented children in schools, calling it elitism.

"However, I think it is important that pupils who are able in particular areas are stretched to their full abilities, be it academic, vocational or physical education."

The Holy Family pupils Katie Gledhill, Beckie Hannon, Liam Keenan and Natalie Lajszczuk, qualified for the grand final.