SIX Oxfordshire schools are in the running to win a project that will improve life for pupils and staff.

Once again the Oxford Mail has teamed with Abingdon-based construction firm Leadbitter to offer primary schools around the county the change to win £7,500 in its Schools SOS competition.

This year’s shortlisted projects include a reading house, refurbished toilets, sensory garden, a music room, changing rooms and an outdoor classroom.

Ian Batchelor, operations director at Leadbitter, said: “Leadbitter Group is delighted with the exciting and vibrant applications for the SOS for Schools competition this year.

“We were particularly pleased with the obvious involvement of the children and the detail into which they had gone.

“We are really looking forward to finding out which submission has been successful and to providing a project which will improve the school facilities for both the children and the teachers.”

Schools must now collect as many tokens as possible.

They will be printed in the Oxford Mail every day until Monday, July 16.

Anyone associated with the school may collect the tokens and at some point during the campaign a special gold token, worth five, will be printed. Readers should collect tokens and send them to their chosen school.

The school with the most tokens, which will be weighted according to the number of pupils at the school, will be awarded the grant.

Work will be carried out during the summer holidays.

The six schools in the running are:

  • Bampton
  • Bampton Primary School, in Bowling Green Close, wants to revamp its outdoor area and create an outdoor stage as well as a Jubilee-themed reading house.

Reception teacher Kate Gardner said: “We are ecstatic to have been shortlisted and all the governors are excited.

“It would be brilliant to get the work done and a really nice way to remember the Jubilee.

We hope that we will get the whole village behind us on this.”

  • Charlton-on-Otmoor
  • Charlton-on-Otmoor Primary, in Fencott Road, is hoping to refurbish part of an outdoor classroom to turn it into a changing room and storage room.

Headteacher Mike Wisbach said: “We are in the middle of nowhere and we thought we’d try and put that rural element back in.

“It has been one of those projects we have had going on for the last two years but have not been able to get it finished.

“It is good to have a crack at getting it done.”

  • Mill Lane School
  • Mill Lane School in Chinnor is hoping to use the opportunity to refurbish its outdoor toilet block.

At the moment the changing rooms and toilets are in poor condition.

School secretary Jenny Dunse said: “We are over the moon and the children are beside themselves.

“The children don’t enjoy using the toilet block and some of them are quite intimidated by it. Winning would mean a tremendous amount to the whole school.”

  • St Joseph’s, Headington
  • Sue Tomkys is headteacher at St Joseph’s Primary School, in Headley Way, Headington, which is hoping to get a revamped music room.

The school’s existing music room is small and crammed with instruments and its plans would mean knocking through into the next door storage room.

Ms Tomkys said: “I am thrilled our project has been shortlisted.

“It seems like it is not a very big thing but it will make an amazing difference. The children are so keen on their music.”

  • St Nicholas, Marston
  • St Nicholas Primary School, in Raymund Road, Marston, is hoping to spend money on a sensory garden to help its children, many of whom have difficulties such as autism, to develop in a safe environment.

Teacher Johanna McNulty said: “Being shortlisted is brilliant.

“We are a big school and have children with a massive social and language mix and some of them don’t have gardens or the ability to experience that.”

  • West Kidlington
  • West Kidlington Primary School, in Oxford Road, is looking to create an outdoor-indoor museum where its pupils can learn outside.

Deputy headteacher Matthew Coatsworth said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted and the children are very excited.”

The museum would have walls which could open and the “artefacts” would change depending on the lessons taking place in the museum.