A HIGH school has been shortlisted for a £10,000 prize which would allow pupils to create their own library.

In the aftermath of the Manchester terror attack St Monica’s RC High School held ‘Words to Change the World’ week and now, if they win the Dulux Smarter Spaces makeover competition staff and pupils want to use the cash to create a library on a similar theme.

Schools across the country have been invited to submit a 300-word entry explaining why they were the most deserving.

There are now just six high schools in the running for the prize money, including St Monica’s, with members of the pubic invited to choose the winner by voting at www.schoolofdreams.co.uk

Assistant headteacher, Suzanne Leyssens, said: “The library is a place that is used by all the students in the school. It is a place to complete homework at lunchtimes or after school and it is in need of a more modern makeover.

“We would be delighted to have a new, brighter colour scheme with calligraphy on the walls - some inspiring words as a permanent reminder of the importance of hope and optimism at all times.”

The Dulux Smarter Spaces competition is an initiative which actively promotes the concept of ‘learner-led design’ and the effective use of colour and design in schools.

Pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in the decoration planning process, with the belief that by designing their own learning spaces children are more likely to be more engaged in the classroom.

The ‘Words to Change the World’ week held at the Bury Old Road school focussed on the power of words to make a difference and took inspiration from different faiths and leaders like Martin Luther King Jr and Malala Yousafzai.

Research carried out to mark the launch of the Smarter Spaces initiative showed an overwhelming majority of teachers and head teachers consider the school environment affects pupils’ academic life.

Nearly 40 per cent said a neglected environment such as a classroom affected learning, with 28 per cent claiming it can have a negative effect on behaviour and a fifth believing attendance is affected.

Matthew Burton from Channel 4’s Educating Yorkshire is backing the competition.

He said: “My years as a teacher have taught me how important the aesthetics of a school are in inspiring learning.

“The way a school looks can have a huge impact.”