WORK is nearing completion at the school which won an Oxford Mail competition.

We teamed up with Abingdon-based construction company Leadbitter to offer one school the chance to have a dream facelift in the School Build, Save Our Schools (SOS) competition.

Scores entered and the 10 finalists battled it out to collect thousands of SOS vouchers. After amassing over 19,300, pupils at North Kidlington Primary School, in Benmead Road, clinched their dream project of a bird hide in the school’s garden.

Now the main frame of the hide – a type of shelter for students to observe wildlife from – is up.

Nick Bradley, managing surveyor with Leadbitter, said: “We should finish by the end of the summer holidays.

“We should be getting the dry stone waller back to do some repairs to the existing wall around the garden.”

The hide will measure about 3.4m wide by 2.4m and include a veranda. Leadbitter has also been talking to the school about adding seating and a small paved area.

Headteacher Ann Battersby said: “We weren’t sure how far £7,500 would go, but the structure will be bigger than we had envisaged.” The hide will be unveiled at the start of the new school term on September 3.

Leadbitter is also in talks with Eynsham Primary School, which came second in the competition.

The company hopes to refurbish the school’s swimming pool area.