A mentoring scheme to help ease the transition for pupils moving from primary to secondary school has been launched following a successful pilot.

Peers Technology College at Littlemore, Oxford, piloted the OX4 Mentoring and Transition Project this year by training Year Nine and 10 students as mentors for Year Six pupils preparing to start secondary school.

It is part of a series of projects paid for and managed by the Oxfordshire Children's Fund, the Youth Offending Team and the Thames Valley Partnership.

The initiatives are designed to reduce the threat of pupils being excluded from school or playing truant, and steer them away from drugs and crime.

Cheney School in Headington, Oxford and Oxford Community School in east Oxford have also sent older pupils on workshops to train as mentors and learn protective behaviour skills.

At Drayton School, Banbury, the charity funds a series of team-building and arts activities.

Student mentors at Peers visited feeder primary schools to talk to younger pupils about what life is like at secondary school and answer questions and concerns.

They also produced a guide to starting secondary school for new students.

The 30-page booklet, posted to all new Year Sevens over the summer holiday, contains advice about the school, a map to help them find their way around and a section on how to deal with bullying.

During the schools' reorganisation in Oxford, the project targeted children who would be particularly vulnerable during the transition.

Now it is working with all children, to equip them with the personal skills and support to help them cope with what can be a traumatic transition.

Ros Crook, behaviour support coordinator at Peers, said: "The project is making a significant impact in terms of building pupils' self-esteem and confidence.

"From the start of the school year, the mentors have worked regularly with Year Seven students to help with the settling in period and supporting them to resolve any problems."

Alison Partridge, manager of the Oxfordshire Children's Fund, said: "What's unusual and exciting about the project is that it was led by young peoples' needs in response to their concerns about personal safety.

"It's been very successful and has made a visible difference to the behaviour of children at transition."

Tony Crabbe, Oxfordshire County Council's executive member for schools, said: "This is an excellent example of how pupils can be encouraged to work together and support one another.

"It can be unsettling for many children when they move from primary to secondary school and it is important that we make this transition as easy as possible."