Outlaws

About this book

Mr Nottingham is a bully. He’s also acting headteacher at Sherwood High, a selective state school where most of the students seem well-off but bursaries help those from less well-off backgrounds. 

Lately, he seems to have gone power-crazy: making up rules and giving out detentions to suit himself. And now bursaries are being withdrawn from those who need them most. 

Will is an academic star but struggles to juggle school with his responsibilities as a carer for his mum and his siblings. Scarlet is fostered and really wants her current placement to work. Robyn is neurodivergent, new to the school and trying to cope with changes at home.  

They first meet in detention and quickly establish that something is very wrong with the way the school is being run. But what can the three of them possibly do about it?  

Will, Scarlet and Robyn each have their own narrative in this absorbing story of fairness and social justice, giving it real depth and wide appeal. The characters are beautifully depicted and utterly believable. 

Highlighting some of the hidden challenges faced by many young people, including poverty, family illness and chronic insecurity, it is unsentimental, empathetic and empowering.