A £40,000 sports facility will be built at Gorse Hill School in the new year after a planning application was granted following a two-year support campaign by pupils.

A multi-use games area, measuring 27m by 18m, with artificial turf and a three-metre high surrounding fence, was given the green light on Monday, with work likely to begin in the week commencing February 17, 2014.

Headteacher Susan Kershaw, is hopeful the project will be fully finished and operational before this academic year’s summer term, which begins April 22, 2014.

The fenced pitch will be built on the school premises, to the south of the main buildings and west of the remaining mobile classroom, on a grassy area.

The application for the facility, which will be built by Oxfordshire-based White Horse Contractors, was lodged on October 28 following a two-year process lead by pupils, who first pitched the idea.

The school’s governors then ran with the idea as a part of the national initiatives in place to get children more active, which were boosted by the 2012 Olympics.

The area will allow pupils to play a range of sports in all weathers, with plans for lunchtime, lessons and after-school activities.

“What’s wonderful is the suggestion came from the school council. The interesting thing is we were talking to them about how they would like the school to be improved,” said Susan.

“The pupils were asked what they would like to see at the school and one of the things was more opportunities for sport.

Gorse Hill School is the result of the 2011 amalgamation of the previous infant and junior schools which co-existed on the site in Avening Street.

Susan said the money used to build the games area has come from funds left over following that amalgamation.