Sixth form students at Oakbank School, Keighley, are working to design and decorate a brand new common room.

Last year, due to the school's expansion, the sixth form common room was taken away from students and used as a classroom.

Now they have been provided with an alternative room, which they have been invited to design and decorate in their own way.

There is a core group of four year 12 students and a number of others involved who are in the early stages of revamping the room.

Duncan Davids explained: "We want to do it up properly, and so far we have come up with a wish list of what we'd ideally like, so now we can look at ways of achieving it."

Tom Ogden added: "The school has given us a grant of £500 to get started with, but we think we'll need to raise about £500 on top of that to make it really nice."

A group of the students are going to into the school during the summer holidays to start painting the room.

They hope to have refurbished the room -- complete with comfortable chairs, tables and a music system -- ready for Christmas. "It all depends on how quickly we can raise the money we need," added Duncan.

Teacher Suzanne Doyle said: "It's important for them to have somewhere to relax in between lessons and at lunch time away from the rest of the school.

"Most sixth form centres have common rooms and the students are tackling this project with real enthusiasm."

They are planning a series of in-school fundraising events to finance the room, and if anybody can help with either practical or financial donations they should contact head of sixth form John Page on 01535 210111.