PUPILS in Charlbury are celebrating after community groups raised £18,000 to help improve their school.

Charlbury Beer Festival and Charlbury School Association both handed over cheques for £9,000 to the town’s primary school.

The donations were used to improve two teaching resource areas, which are used for cookery, art and one-on-one lessons, and to update the toilets and cloakrooms.

Headteacher Jane Holt said: “At the end of last term we were lucky enough to be presented with two big cheques, which meant we could go ahead with some much needed refurbishment plans. “We’re thrilled to have been able to renew these resource areas, where the pupils can spill out of the classrooms to do everything from art and design technology to one-to-one learning sessions.

“They have really transformed the school.”

She added: “Since the annual Government grant for capital projects like these in schools has been slashed by 80 per cent, we’re almost totally reliant upon charitable donations such as these if we’re to keep up with the demands placed on our busy and growing school. “We feel very lucky to have such a supportive community here in Charlbury.”

The Charlbury School Association raised much of its £9,000 gift by running a tea and cake tent at last year’s Wilderness Festival, held at Cornbury Park estate. Members raised more money at this year’s event.