While still in Year 5, each child was allocated a Premiership football club. In Year 6, their art and design brief was to design next season’s kit for their club.

The children found out about the traditional kit colours (both home and away) and logos and designs. They then designed a range of possible kits and sent their designs to the club chairmen for their comments. Eighteen out of the 20 clubs responded, many with letters from the chairmen. Some clubs, though, went further: Everton sent a signed first team shirt and said it plans to put the young boy’s work either on its website or in its club magazine. Manchester United sent goody bags and footballs as well as a signed shirt.

Middlesbrough sent its own kit manufacturer’s design portfolio along with three replica shirts (this season’s actual kit and two designs that were ultimately rejected).

Fulham gave the boy in question tickets for his family (and thankfully me) to go and watch the recent match against Reading from a director’s lounge.

We plan to continue the project and for the children to make up sample shirts of their designs. Many of the clubs have expressed an interest in seeing the results

Mark Gilronan is a deputy head at Elaine Primary, Rochester