TWO Oxford schools top the leaderboard in the race to win £7,500 worth of building work from Abingdon-based construction firm Leadbitter.

St Christopher’s CofE Primary, in Cowley, and St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, in Littlemore, are ranked first and second after collecting more tokens over the last week than the other seven schools vying to win the prize.

St Christopher’s wants to win the cash to create its dream outdoor learning area. It’s been designed by teacher Michele Harris, including a sundial, pirate ship, treasure map and maths puzzles.

If St John Fisher pips St Christopher’s at the post, the money will be used to create a new allotment and polytunnel for pupils’ work with Oxfordshire voluntary group Roots Allotment.

All the schools have until Saturday to collect the remaining tokens in this week’s Oxford Mails.

St Christopher’s parent Jayne Harrison said the whole school was behind the drive to collect tokens.

She said: “We have been putting in so much effort to get families to collect tokens.

“We have put flyers through local doors asking people to send them in, and we have got boxes in newsagents, a couple of whom have been really proactive in asking people to cut them out.

“We are selling the Oxford Mail at school, and we have got boxes in various shops and nursing homes.”

She added: “It would just be amazing to win the competition.

“A lot of our kids do not have the opportunities for outdoor exploration at home or do not have gardens, so to have a really usable space would be brilliant.”

At St John Fisher Catholic Primary, children, parents, and members of the local community are all bringing in vouchers.

Susan Wood, who leads the Roots Allotment project at the school, said: “We have all been making loads of effort, and asking everybody for their vouchers.

“The children are excited, but they do not want to come in second place – that is not a good place to be.”

She added: “They just love the idea of being able to grow all the year round and are so excited that the seeds they planted are now coming up.”

Send your vouchers to St Christopher’s CofE Primary School, Temple Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2HB or St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 6LD.

There will be a golden token published in Tuesday's Oxford Mail that will be worth 10 of the usual tokens