Berkhamsted pupils win national writing competition with story about neurodivergent and non-binary friends

Two Berkhamsted pupils have won a national writing competition with a story about neurodivergent and non-binary school friends.

Sophia Branch, aged 13, and 12-year-old Ella Kingston from Berkhamsted have been selected as the KS3 winner in Pearson’s national writing competition, My Twist on a Tale, Represent!

Their story about two school friends – both neurodivergent and one non-binary – has been published in a new book.

In autumn 2022, digital media learning company Pearson encouraged children and young people between the ages of 4–19 to shine a light on the page, representing what, and who, they feel is being left out in literature today. All 18 winning entries have been compiled in to a brand-new book, My Twist on a Tale: Represent! which launched last week.

Scooping the award in the KS3 category, Sophia and Ella’s work, No such thing as normal, was chosen alongside 17 other fantastic stories and poems written by children across the country.

Sophia and Ella’s illustrated story follows two pupils: Echo, who is non-binary and neurodivergent, and Lizzie, their best friend who has ADHD and OCD. Throughout the story Echo and Lizzie are exposed to very negative experiences in school, driven in large part by a lack of awareness and acceptance by their peers and class teacher.

It is only when faced with the headteacher who understands and supports neurodiversity that the two finally feel acknowledged and respected.

Sophia, who attends Ashlyns School in Berkhamsted, said: “I am over the moon that we have won. And am very glad that people can read our story and better understand what it is like being neurodivergent and non-binary.”

Ella, who attends the same school, added: “Many people in the world are not aware of neurodiversity, or the ways it can affect people. We are so grateful to have won because now our story can help educate people in the world around us.”Students from schools and colleges across the UK entered the competition, writing and reshaping their own diverse pieces. Eighteen winning entries were picked across categories including KS1 through to KS5, and all regions in the UK.

To find out more and to download the book, visit the website.