PARENTS and pupils at an Oxford primary school were last night refusing to wave goodbye to a multi-million-pound revamp plan.

Families at Bayards Hill School, in Barton, have launched a campaign to save a new school that was promised to them five years ago.

Fears of widespread Government cutbacks left a huge question-mark hanging over £500 million worth of county council projects, including revamps for a host of Oxfordshire schools.

Bayards Hill was promised an £8million revamp five years ago, but there are concerns the whole project will now be dumped.

Headteacher Keith Ponsford believed the redevelopment would have given the estate’s children a “better start to life”.

He said: “I am very, very concerned. We have been planning this build for years.”

The scheme included wooded areas and places for the children to plant vegetables.

Meanwhile, old decaying buildings were set to be knocked down and an new school built in their place.

Roundabout Children’s Centre and Oxfordshire Music Service was going to be incorporated.

Mr Ponsford said: “It was a dream. It was going to make a huge difference to the way we work.”

But problems arose when Sport England blocked the proposed development because it would mean losing playing fields.

Mr Ponsford said: “They would have been replaced. And we have far more field space than other primary schools.”

The objection was later overruled, but the delay has proved costly.

Despite the £8m already being set aside by the Government, building work is still not under way.

And, in the face of recent budget cuts, the county council has put the scheme on ice.

A council spokesman said: “This scheme is subject to the county council's current review of major projects over the next five years, in anticipation of cuts in funding from Government. No decision has been made.”

Parent Sarah East, 26, of Harold Close, thought the changes would have improved the school. She said: “It would definitely have been better for the safety of the children.”

Fellow parent Liza Brandon’s son Brandon, seven, helped to design some of the features of the new building as part of a class project.

She said: “It would be a real shame if the council decided to scrap this project. We went along to meetings and Brandon was really excited.”

Councillor Liz Brighouse is backing the campaign.

She said: “It is not fair. This money was granted five years ago and the council should honour its promises.

“Barton is the most deprived area in Oxfordshire and they deserve facilities that are worthy of the community.

“I know a lot of cuts need to be made, but this is different. The people of Barton deserve more.”

Parents are now being urged to email councillors on the county council cabinet.

Bayards Hill is among a group of county schools which have seen their revamp plans put on ice.

The Grange, in Banbury, was expecting a new classroom block, Faringdon Community College wanted to replace temporary classrooms, and SS Philip and James School, in Oxford, needed help to created extra school places.

There were also plans to modernise Bartholomew School, in Eynsham, and Oxford’s Northern House Special School, while Cooper School, in Bicester, was hopeful of expanding its sixth form Mr Ponsford said everyone hoped a new Barton school would provide a boost to the local community.

He said: “If it does not go ahead, it will be a terrible loss for the people of Barton.

“This was going to be a way of breaking the cycle of deprivation. It was going to give children a better start in life.”

rpope@oxfordmail.co.uk