Schools across the county have entered their final bids for a free makeover courtesy of the Oxford Mail.

We have teamed up with Abingdon construction firm the Leadbitter Group to offer £7,500 of building work and entries are flying in.

We have extended the deadline for entries by a week but you must fill in and return the form printed on this page, with an outline of your project, by Monday, May 17, to have a chance to win the prize.

Jo Coady, the Oxford Mail’s promotion manager, said the prize could be used on all sorts of projects.

She added: “It could be for any number of things like a new toilet block, a bike shed or even a play area – basic but important things, which could make a real difference to the school.”

Botley Primary School, in Elms Road, has entered the competition in the hope of winning the money for a general facelift.

Elspeth Horn and Tammy Fuller, who are Year Five pupils wrote to the Oxford Mail to say how they would spend the money.

They said: “We think our school most deserves the award because it is 71 years old and quite a few of our classrooms have got mould in the corners, especially in our Year Four and Five classroom, our spare classroom and our ICT suite.

“It’s quite disgusting to look at and isn’t very pleasant for the pupils.

“There’s also lots of deep cracks around our building.

“It’s very frustrating to know that we have such a nice school and it’s kind of ruined by just some mould and some cracks.”

New Marston Primary School, in Copse Lane, has also entered the competition, hoping to win the money to build a new cooking area.

Year Four pupils Kira Swatton and Luke Milward said: “We want to put in new flooring, put in a cooker, new lights, worktops and a sink.

“All classes are growing crops but we don’t have anywhere to cook them.”

Once entries close, the Oxford Mail and Leadbitter will then pick 10 finalists and the race will be on for the schools to collect as many SOS vouchers as possible, which will be printed daily in the Oxford Mail, to secure the prize.

To enter for the free makeover, fill in the attached form and send to Schools SOS Campaign, Oxford Mail, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0EJ.

If you would like to tell us about the project your school is entering in the contest, please email