A £10,000 prize pool is available to schools across the capital through a decoration and home improvement retailer’s annual schools initiative.
Leyland has opened entries for its fourth annual Big School Makeover programme, designed to enhance educational settings throughout London.
The primary award amounts to £5,000 in spending at Leyland stores, with two additional finalists each securing £2,500 in store credit.
The company’s chief executive explained that community involvement represents a fundamental aspect of the brand’s values.
He noted that the initiative allows the company to assist schools in London while uniting residents behind a project capable of creating meaningful long-term change.
The executive mentioned that the impact of such prizes on educational institutions had been personally observed, and expressed anticipation for discovering the innovative ideas and community collaboration behind the upcoming submissions.
Entry submissions will commence on the first of September, providing local communities with an opportunity to demonstrate how their school could be transformed.
A panel will select ten candidates, after which public voting will begin on the nineteenth of October.
The ballot will remain open until mid-November, with the establishment receiving the highest number of supporter votes claiming the main prize.
The 2025 victor, located in Cricklewood, accumulated nearly three thousand votes from a total exceeding thirteen thousand.
The winning institution spent its five thousand pounds allocation on addressing structural maintenance requirements in older buildings and developing environmental education initiatives.
According to the headteacher, the competition provided an excellent platform for raising the school’s profile and connecting with the local area.
He added that the financial contribution enabled the school to direct its regular budget toward instructional resources and learning activities.
Last year’s runners-up were a Catholic secondary school for girls in the southern part of the capital and a primary school in the northern boroughs.
Both received twenty-five hundred pounds to purchase materials from the retailer.
With thirty-six outlets distributed throughout the capital, the company has maintained a significant presence in London’s residential areas, supplying goods to professional tradespeople, householders, and various community organisations.
Applications for the 2026 programme will be accepted until the twentieth of September through the dedicated online portal.