PRIMARY schools across the county have stated their case for a much needed makeover in an Oxford Mail competition.

We are offering one lucky primary school the chance to win the prize of £7,500 building work, courtesy of Leadbitter Construction, in the School Build Save our Schools (SOS) competition.

We will now work with the Abingdon-based building company to pick the 10 most worthy finalists.

Once they have been drawn, the race will be on for parents, pupils and teachers to collect as many SOS vouchers, which will be printed in the paper daily, as they can to secure the prize for their school.

ST SWITHUN’S Primary School, in Kennington, wants the money to turn around facilities at the school.

School manager Claire Serle said: “In 2008 the school’s Ofsted inspection reported that the physical environment in which children learn was poor. “This was a huge disappointment to the whole school community.

“Since then we have been striving to improve the facilities at our school, and we have managed to refurbish many areas, but we still have further improvements to make. The children have instigated their own project on how they want their school to look and have recently broadcast their own radio podcast.

“Winning this competition would have a huge impact on the children, teachers and parents of St Swithun’s.”

CHILTON Primary School, near Didcot, has pitched for the money so it can build an interactive science base.

Children and staff wrote in their application: “Our base will include a weather station with extra large thermometer, weather gauges and sun dial. We also want to give children the opportunity to create and use energy by using exercise bikes which drive fans and lightbulbs.

“The energy section will need to have a covering structure and it is the cost of this structure which we would like the school build funding to cover.”

Kitty Lavelle is pictured above, playing the pots and pans in the school’s recycling area.

HORSPATH School, in Blenheim Road, Horspath, would like to brighten up the toilet block for its 130 pupils.

Year Five teacher Michelle Bailey said: “Our school is a Victorian schoolhouse with various extensions.

“In the oldest extension is the main toilet block which is used by the whole school during play and lunch.

It consists of three girls’ cubicles and a boy’s cubicles and urinal.

“The toilets are uninviting and in need of redecorating. The area is not closed off from the corridor or cloakroom they join.

“Please help us renovate our toilets.”

Some of the pupils from the school have even penned a poem about their toilets in the hope of clinching the prize.

The loos are cold like jelly, They are a pain in the belly!

They’re hard to flush, When you’re in a rush, So end up blocked and smelly!