CHILDREN at a Winchester school had two reasons to celebrate as they returned to school earlier this month.

Not only pupils at St Swithun’s prep school welcomed back into school by their teachers, but they also took receipt of the first copies of their own book We Are Writers.

The 300-page anthology of stories, poems and reportage was published during lockdown when the children were learning remotely.

Every child in the school has contributed at least a page of the finished text and has therefore capitalised on the opportunity to become an author and to see their writing published in a real, professionally published book.

Head of the prep school Jonathan Brough said: “We are delighted that we have been able to welcome the children back to school with the launch of their book.

“It has given them an enormous sense of pride to know that they have become published writers and is wonderful that we have been able to come together as a school community to celebrate the creativity of each and every child.

“We hope this project will inspire and excite our young writers to flourish and develop an even greater love of literature over the months to come.

“Our anthology will become an annual publication and the children will be able to see their creativity growing and developing year after year.”