CHILDREN at an Oxford school have arrived back from the summer holidays to see a transformation taking place.

St Christopher's Primary School, in Temple Road, Cowley, won a revamp from Abingdon building firm Leadbitter worth £7,500 in an Oxford Mail competition.

Work began over the summer on a new outdoor classroom, featuring a 'human' sundial, performance area and outdoor teaching area.

Stepping stones will wind around the garden, through a willow tunnel and over a fairy bridge. The work is expected to be completed in two weeks.

Yesterday pupils said they could not wait to try it out.

Finlay Latcham, six, said: “It is going to be great fun.

“We can play heroes running through the forest.”

Alesha Marshall, eight, said: “I'm really excited about the new storytelling place.”

And Ayesha Chorley, six, said: “I’m looking forward to having a big tea party near the stepping stones.”

Headteacher Alison Holden said: “What Leadbitter have done so far is lovely. It really looks like what we had planned. The stepping stones have gone in and the pond area has been cleared out and the paving slabs are down for a co-ordinates map.”

While the competition prize for the Save Our School contest was a £7,500 revamp, the true value will be closer to £25,000 because other companies are providing items for free or at cheaper rates.

Keyline in Reading donated 95 building slabs and Jewson in Oxford provided cut-price sand, blocks and cement.

Mrs Holden said: “The children are watching it with interest and we have been talking about it in assembly.

“It’s going to be amazing – a lot of the work they’re doing in the indoor classroom they will be able to do in the outside as well.

“It’s not just literacy, we will be able to do science and maths activities and drama.”

Finalists collected tokens published in the Oxford Mail after putting forward their ideas. St Christopher’s collected the most tokens per pupil – more than 64 each.

The school enlisted newsagents, care homes, churches, and community centres to support it.