A SCHEME to help support new students at school is still proving a success.

Staff at Christopher Whitehead Language College held the latest training day for its peer mentor programme on Tuesday (October 17).

For the last five years, the school has trained its year 10 students to help support year 7 students with settling in at secondary school.

Harry Evans, one of the mentors, said: "What makes this special is that the younger students know that we have been through a lot of what they are experiencing now, and sometimes quite recently.

"We can show them how to cope with things that might be getting on top of them and help them.

"The experience is great for us too, for us as members of the community and for our future careers."

Peer mentors met with each younger student once a week to support them with issues such as planning for homework, friendship issues and any other difficulties they are facing.

Their training helps them identify difficult issues that need to be passed on to staff.

The staff supporting the mentors, led by the school's counsellor Jane Humphreys, are delighted with the maturity and commitment shown by the students.

Mrs Humphreys said of the latest trainees: "We are incredibly proud of this valuable system and the students who make it happen."