A PROJECT to eliminate loneliness from the school playground is proving a success at a Banbury primary school.

Pupils at Orchard Fields School on Bretch Hill are organising a playtime friendship scheme to make sure no-one gets left out of games and fun sessions.

The venture is part of the Thames Valley Schools Partnership Schools in Action programme, which supports schools in the region who want to run citizen projects.

On Monday, the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Peter Bickmore, was at Orchard Fields to see the scheme put into practice.

He said: "I want to encourage all schools to develop this type of project. Some children do not find it easy to make friends and this will help them be part of what is going on. It will also have a positive effect in stamping out any bullying."

Annie Hinton, a nurture assistant at the school, said: "It gives the pupils some responsibility for forming friendships.

"The playground has a 'friendship stop' - a place where any child who has no-one to play with can go.

"Other children who have been elected as playground friends go over and provide companionship."

Headteacher Maggie Twydell said: "The idea came from the school council. We sent out a questionnaire on how to improve lunch times and playtimes. Worked on the suggestions that came back and this is the result.

"It is popular with the pupils and they are very enthusiastic about it.

"It's been running for a couple of weeks and has been very successful. The emphasis is on having fun."

She said: "The playground friends wear bright yellow hats so they are easily recognisable. About 50 pupils are involved and are divided into ten teams, with two teams on duty each day.

"We submitted the idea to the Thames Valley Partnership and they gave us a £300 grant which we used to buy the hats, playground equipment, and games equipment."

Sue Raikes, chief executive of the partnership, said: "Every year we support around 30 schools in citizen projects with grants of up to £500. At Easter we will look at all the projects to see how they are working, and we present prizes to the best at a ceremony in June."