A GROUP of pupils in Littlemore are working to make the area around their school a safer place.

Eight children from year five at the John Henry Newman Academy in Grange Road have tackled litter around the school grounds, and examined safety issues with teacher Grace Challans and Pcso Lori Jones from Thames Valley Police.

The STARS (School Traffic and Road Safety) group was launched in September and aims to highlight problems around the school.

Its first task included a clean up of the pathway leading to the back of the school, which was important from a safety perspective in making it less of a fire risk.

Teacher Grace Challans said: “The STARS group felt that the amount of rubbish that had collected there, the overgrown bushes and even a mattress was becoming dangerous for the other children and the local community. “It would also be less of a fire risk if they cleaned it up.

“As a group they decided it was up to them to take action and so wrote to Littlemore Parish Council and Oxford City Council asking them to help us make it a more pleasant and safe environment.

She added: “The children are really proud of what they have achieved and are really impressed with the improvements to the alley way.”

Pupil Adrian Kowalski said: “It is much better now because they have cut all the bushes down, removed the rubbish and mattress and it is much safer.

“It makes me feel really good that we have done something good for the community.”

On Thursday, children conducted a parking survey around the school gates.

They discovered cars were parked on both sides of the narrow road, posing a danger to children walking to school when vehicles pulled out onto the road.

Pcso Jones, who is responsible for Littlemore, Rose Hill and Iffley, led a 45-minute class each week.

She said: “The children identify the issues and come up with solutions for what can be done and we help them with that.

“It’s an ongoing project and the kids love it.

“It’s good to get the kids involved in these sorts of issues and it also helps to do power point presentations and write letters to local councils.”