Young people at the Cooper School in Churchill Road have swapped their casual purple polo shirts for a white shirt, tie and a black blazer.

To kick-off the new era, the school gave students a black and blue striped tie along with a sew-on school badge free of charge.

Jen Moore, parent of a Year Seven pupil said: "I think the new uniform looks so smart.

"I had a daughter at the school when the uniform was a polo shirt and the new uniform looks much better."

Year Eight student Neil Cole said: "Although we felt a bit strange on the first day we soon got used to them and we wouldn't go back to the polo shirts.

His classmate, Nicholas Dodds added: "My granddad taught me how to fasten my tie properly as I wasn't used to wearing one."

Headteacher Ben Baxter said the decision to change uniform had not been taken lightly, and followed a consultation with students, parents, governors and staff.

Mr Baxter added: "The school firmly believes in the maxim of Look smart, Be smart.

"We hope the obvious pride the students are showing will express itself in the level of progress in their learning over the coming year."