London schools invited to compete for share of £10,000 makeover prize

Leyland, a decorating and DIY retailer, has launched its Big School Makeover campaign for the fourth year running, aimed at improving learning environments across the capital.

The winning school will receive £5,000 to spend at Leyland, while two runners-up will each be awarded £2,500.

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Martin Hastings, chief executive of Leyland, said: “Community engagement is a huge part of Leyland’s ethos.

“We’re proud to be part of communities across London, and the Big School Makeover gives us a brilliant opportunity to support local schools while bringing people together behind something that can have a genuine, lasting impact.

“We’ve seen first-hand how much these prizes can mean to schools, and we’re looking forward to seeing the creativity and community spirit behind this year’s nominations.”

Nominations open on September 1, giving communities the chance to highlight how their school could benefit from a transformation.

Ten finalists will be shortlisted before a public vote opens on October 19. Voting will close on November 15, and the school with the most votes will win the top prize.

Last year’s winner, Anson Primary School in Cricklewood, received just under 3,000 of the more than 13,000 votes cast.

The school used £5,000 worth of Leyland products to address maintenance needs in its ageing buildings and to support sustainability-focused learning projects.

Simon Pile, headteacher at Anson Primary School, said the competition was “a fantastic way of promoting the school and engaging with the community,” adding that “the funding and support from Leyland meant the school could focus its budget on teaching and learning.”

The two runners-up in 2025 were La Retraite Roman Catholic School for Girls in south London and Brunswick Park Primary School in north London, each receiving £2,500 to spend at Leyland. With 36 stores across London, Leyland has a long-standing presence in the capital’s neighbourhoods, supplying products to tradespeople, homeowners, and community groups.

Nominations for the 2026 Big School Makeover are open until Wednesday, September 20, and can be submitted at leylandsdm.co.uk/bigschoolmakeover.

Courtesy of Harrow Times | Local News