PUPILS in Darlington yesterday celebrated the introduction of uniform at their school after a £3,000 donation.

The money came from the Firthmoor Partnership, which represents numerous organisations working on the housing estate.

It meant that, when combined with a contribution from Firthmoor Primary School, every one of the 281 pupils, from nursery to the top year, received two shirts.

Yesterday, just before the school broke up for half-term, it received a visit from representatives of the partnership, who wanted to see how the children looked in their new uniform.

Partnership chairman Mark Fabb said: "We feel it is important to improve our links with the school. This is one way of doing that."

Neighbourhood manager Sally Forth said: "The uniform has made a difference to the community. It has given the children and their parents a sense of pride in the school."

The decision to introduce uniform was taken to coincide with the children's move from the old school building to the new £2m one, which opened at the start of the year.

Headteacher Andrena Cabourn said: "The reason we did it was because it was a new school and a new start, and it was important that the children felt pride in the school and the community. Uniform was one way of achieving that."