A TEAM of young journalists has taken over editorial control of their school's newsletter.

Three girls from year four of the prep department at Teesside High School, Eaglescliffe, are hard at work producing this week's edition of Miscellany, a publication for pupils and parents.

The nine-year-olds - Georgia Yawson, from Hartburn, Joy Pearson, from Yarm, and Annie Chin, from Ormesby, Middlesbrough - are collecting material from classmates and writing articles.

"We're all best friends and we like office work and interviewing people, so we thought it would be fun to take over the newsletter," said Georgia.

Joy added: "We have lots of ideas, but putting it all together might be a bit harder."

Among the items planned for their issue are reports from school trips to Carlton Bank and the Elementis Ecology Park, pictures, poems and comments about why pupils like the school.

"We'll also be reporting on sports matches and pupils' successes in various competitions," said Annie.

"We're working together as a team, and although we sometimes disagree on what to do, we're having a lot of laughs as well."

The newsletter is normally produced each week by the prep school's headmaster, Mike Abraham. This week, however, the three girls will take over the entire production process.

Mr Abraham said: "One of the main principles of the school is that children are given responsibility at every opportunity. Devolving responsibility for the newsletter is a great way of showing trust in the children."

The latest edition of Miscellany is on the school website www.teessidehigh.co.uk