SPECIAL school pupils could soon be growing pineapples, mangoes and guavas in their own tropical hot houses.

Students at Fitzwaryn School in Wantage will also cook and eat their fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs while learning biology, geography and basic life skills.

They are even hoping to grow tropical flowers to sell.

The school has already erected a polytunnel and a geodesic dome costing £12,600, but it still needs to spend another £12,000 taking electricity and water out to the new glasshouse classrooms and fitting them with bespoke work benches, furniture and, of course, plants.

And to help raise some of the remaining money, Fitzwaryn pupils are asking people to chip in – by shopping at Tesco.

The supermarket has nominated the horticulture project to get a grant of either £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 from its 5p plastic bag charge.

Shoppers at nearby Tesco stores will be able to vote for which of three local schemes they want to get the biggest grant by voting with tokens at the checkout.

The school's business development manager Catherine Barnes said: "Our students already prepare their own lunch so being able to grow their own vegetables will increase their skills.

"It will be everything – fruit and vegetables, so they can hopefully become self-sufficient.

"And, because of the nature of the polytunnel we'll be able to do the full range – it's up to their imaginations: we can safely say they'll be growing tomatoes and sweet peppers but there's nothing to stop us trying quite specialised things – we'll just have to see."

All 92 children at the school, from three up to 19, will get to make use of the new polytunnel and dome and even helped design them.

Teachers decided to create the new garden classrooms after the raised beds they installed for sixth formers last year to do a bit of gardening proved a hit.

Sixth former Sian Davies, 18, said: "The vegetables we grow in the beds are really tasty."

Rhiannon Perry, 17, added: "We plant the seeds and like watching the vegetables grow. We cook them for our lunches."

The polytunnel will allow a whole class to be taught at once – nine or ten children.

The dome will mostly be used before lessons for classes to sit and talk through their gardening plans for the day.

Teachers hope the project will promote healthy living while teaching about sustainability and self-sufficiency, but it will also be used to teach literacy, maths, science, art, technology, geography and citizenship.

Just being outside in the fresh air and sunshine is said to boost energy levels.

The project could also give students employment skills and help them find a job after school.

Customers will be able to vote at Tesco stores in Didcot, Abingdon and Faringdon from October 31 to November 13.