PUPILS at the new Ladybridge High School have designed its uniform as they prepare to make a fresh start.

Pupils at The Deane School in Bolton -- which will close this summer and reopen immediately in the same building under the name of Ladybridge High -- chose the colours of black and red as a way of heralding their "new" school.

Ladybridge headteacher Jo Gabler said: "The children have chosen the whole uniform themselves and they have chosen a colour that they will feel comfortable wearing.

"There is no particular historic reason why they chose these colours -- they just wanted a change from the maroon."

Youngsters in Years Seven, Eight and Nine will wear a slightly different uniform to the older pupils in Years 10 and 11.

The younger pupils will wear a black blazer with a red badge, black trousers or a black skirt, white shirt and red and black tie.

Older pupils can choose whether they wear a sweatshirt or a fleece and they will wear a slightly different black tie with red ensign. They will also wear white shirts, black trousers or skirts. PE kits are also red, black and white. Mrs Gabler said the school was being flexible over new uniforms. Parents could pay in instalments and the new PE kits would not be a requirement at the start of the new year, and parents are not put under any financial pressure through the new uniforms.

She said the school had managed to keep prices as low as possible. "The blazer costs £23, which is as low a price as you could get anywhere."

The new beginning is an attempt to raise standards at the school, which will be run in future in collaboration with Rivington and Blackrod High School, Horwich.

The Deane School school was put into special measures in 2001 when Ofsted inspectors found it was failing to provide an acceptable standard of education and it was subsequently decided to completely revamp it.