AS school budgets are tightened due to Government spending cuts, most are having to cut back on improvements which could transform their children’s learning.

But help is at hand, as for the fourth year running, the Oxford Mail has joined forces with Abingdon construction company Leadbitter to offer one school a £7,500 makeover.

The money could be spent on anything from outdoor classrooms to sports facilities.

Leadbitter regional director Cliff Thomas said: “We are fairly open as to the project and what it is. We want to see it adding value to the curriculum or the stage the pupils are in to progress.

“I personally am always interested in the outdoors and sport, so anything related to children enjoying themselves more outdoors and playing, particularly in teams, that ticks my boxes.”

Last year’s winner was St Christopher’s Primary School, in Cowley, Oxford, with pupils, staff and the community pulling together to collect thousands of tokens to help them land the prize.

Year 6 teacher Michele Harris designed an outdoor classroom with a fairy bridge and storytelling area, which captured the imagination of the public who backed the scheme.

Miss Harris said without winning the prize, months if not years of fundraising would have been necessary before the school could have thought about making the classroom a reality.

She said: “It was really important to us. It’s used all the time.”

Schools have until Thursday, June 14, to enter the contest. They need to explain the project in at least 300 words.

Applications, which need to be sent to the Oxford Mail with the form printed on this page, can be accompanied by drawings, photographs and statements from parents, pupils and teachers, and need to show how the project will be sustainable and what benefits it will bring.

Schemes must not need planning permission or major structural changes to buildings, with the £7,500 prize covering materials and labour.

Ten finalists will be selected by a panel of judges from the Oxford Mail and Leadbitter.

Each of the shortlisted schools’ dream projects will be outlined in the newspaper from Monday, June 25, with vouchers printed alongside each story.

Then it is down to the schools and their supporters to collect as many tokens as they can.

Tokens will be mathematically weighted according to the size of the school to ensure that smaller schools, with low pupil numbers,have an equal chance to win improvements.

The winning school will be announced in July and the work will be carried out by Leadbitter’s staff during the summer holidays.