THE finalists for the school build Challenge have been announced.

Twenty one schools are in the running to win a share of a £6,000 outdoor make-over for their school.

The Dorset Echo and Leadbitter competition aims to give schools the opportunity to transform their outside areas.

Dozens of entries have flooded in across the last few weeks with teachers, pupils and parents sending in their ideas of what they would like to change in their school.

Ideas have ranged from a model village, bird hides, nature walks to bike sheds and musical instruments.

A panel of judges, comprising Dave Cook and Davina Griffiths from construction company Leadbitter, Dorset Echo editor Toby Granville and South Dorset MP Richard Drax, met to decide the finalists out of the dozens of entries.

Regional director of Leadbitter Dave Cook said the standard of the entries had been extremely high.

He said: “In terms of the number of entries we have had, it is the best response we have ever had. The effort the schools have gone to with their entries has been fantastic.

“Even the ones that didn’t get through have made such an effort.”

He added: “The standard of entries is really high. There was quite a wide range of entries, some have gone for things like musical instruments and nature trails but some of them are very innovative.”

Mr Drax said he thought the competition was a great idea.

He said: “Anything that gets children outside and thinking for themselves is to be applauded. It beats electronic games or TV anytime.

“It’s been really exciting to see what the schools have come up with.”

The next stage of the competition is starting today. Vouchers will run in the paper from today. (Wed June 15) Pupils, teachers, friends and family then have to collect as many vouchers as possible and send them in after the final ones appear in the paper on Saturday July 9.

Schools then need to send in their collected vouchers and they will be counted.

Every school has an equal chance of winning no matter how big or small, because the number of vouchers collected will be divided by the number of students at the school. This gives a voucher count per head to decide the winner.

Dorset Echo editor Toby Granville said: “The Dorset Echo has been overwhelmed by the number of fantastic entries from schools. Now for the chance to win, schools need as many people as possible to start collecting the vouchers in the Echo everyday to make the most of this amazing opportunity.”

The contenders

Dorchester

• Buckland Newton School

Damers First School

Frome Valley First School

Greenford Primary School

Manor Park First School

Piddle Valley First School

Puddletown First School

• St Mary’s Catholic First School

• The Prince of Wales School

• The Dorchester Learning Centre

• The Compass Primary Unit

Broadmayne First School

WEYMOUTH

Southill Primary School

• Bincombe Valley Primary School

Chickerell Primary School

Radipole Primary School

• St John’s Primary School

• Westfield Arts College

Conifers Primary School

• Wyvern School

PORTLAND

Grove Infants School