ST Andrew’s CofE Primary School in Chinnor was expecting to be preparing for a rebuild now, but budget cuts have put the project on hold.

As it prepared to submit plans for a £7m rebuild last autumn, it found the funding had been withdrawn in the Government’s spending review.

But determined not to give up on its dreams, the school wants to win the School Build SOS competition to create a spiritual garden for pupils.

Children of all ages have been designing the multi-sensory garden through model-making, drawing and in ICT classes.

It has also been designed with the school’s Autistic Resource Base in mind, with parents of the nine autistic pupils involved in the design process.

Teacher Fiona Ludlow, who helped draw up the plans, said: “The amount of £7,500 seems little compared with the millions of pounds the school was expecting from the Government as a rebuild, but it will enable us to create something really special, raising the morale of the children and staff and benefitting the local community as a whole.”

She added: “The garden would benefit pupils by giving them a quiet breathing space to relax and also to observe nature in all its varieties, reflect on their part in their environment and how they can care for it.

“It will be somewhere special to be, a sacred place, a place to gaze in wonder, to observe birds and wildlife and to stimulate creative writing and painting.”

Pupil Katie Garman, eight, said: “In my spiritual garden, there would be a berry bush to attract birds, a water fountain so birds could bathe in there and splash about, and so many flowers.”

The school has sought advice from conservation charities including the RSPB, BBOWT, Natural England and A Rocha, and the plans were shown to the Chinnor community at a recent green fayre organised by Friends of the Earth.

The garden includes seating, paths, a pond, rainwater collection, and raised beds.

Headteacher Wendy Heritage said: “This would mean everything to us, and our commitment to the spiritual life of the school and to the community.”

  • To support the school’s bid for the prize, send your vouchers to St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, Station Road, Chinnor, OX39 4PU.