KITMAS has come early for Inverclyde Academy's football teams - thanks to a senior pupil push for new strips.

The school's sixth years will soon be moving on, but jerseys they have procured and designed for their fellow pupils will stay at the school for years to come.

The year group took the lead on designing the new kits, debating what colour and style should be chosen.

Michael Smith, a sixth year pupil and one of the school's young ambassadors for sport, told the Tele that the sixth years wanted other pupils to feel proud when they represented the school in their new kits.

He said: "I was looking at the strips we had - they were out of date, some were almost ten years old.

"Every pupil in the school that was taking part in football was also crying out for new strips.

"Myself and the other sixth years wanted to leave a legacy behind.

"The sixth years always try and leave something behind and we thought the strips would be perfect.

"It's something lots of boys and girls in the school love and can be proud of."

Michael and his fellow sixth years first approached head teacher Denise Crawford with their request at the start of the school year.

After their idea was given the go-ahead, the pupils began consulting their peers on the new strip's design.

Students voted on their favourite options, with the most popular being taken forward to the school's senior management for final sign off.

The kit went through several revisions before pupils finally settled on a turquoise and navy blue combination.

Chloe Havlin, a teacher who helps coach the school's football teams, said that the sixth years had done a fantastic job of designing and delivering the strips.

She said: "We're very proud of them.

"Coming out of Covid the pupils hadn't had a lot of time to play sport and it was really pleasing to see them be so keen to give something back to the rest of the school.

"They were hounding me from the start looking for new strips and then they took a proposal to the head teacher for it.

"They did a great job with the design and they really took a lead on bringing it all together.

"We've got a great pupil body here and they work very hard for the school and for each other.

"It's great to know that everyone can represent themselves and their school with pride in the league."