Who we are

First News is the UK’s only newspaper for young people.  We were founded in 2006 by Sarah and Steve Thomson with editor Nicky Cox.  We have always been independently owned and have no political affiliations.

We now publish both print and digital editions every Friday.  But we’re always finding new and innovative ways to publish and distribute original content.

Ten years on, we have over 2,000,000 young people nationwide reading First News each week with over half of all UK schools subscribing to our paper.

What we believe

Our fundamental belief is that, if the world is to become a better place, the next generation has to be better informed than the last.

It’s the whole reason we exist.

Every day we remember that children are 27% of the world’s population and 100% of the future.

What we do

We create fresh and innovative news content that speaks directly to young people in a voice they can recognize and trust.

Whether it’s in print in our weekly newspaper, in our daily video news bulletin (with Sky), or in our brand new on-line films, we tackle topical and sometimes tricky issues answering questions in an honest but understandable way for our young audience.

First News in Schools

Each week our team of Educational specialists also create a wealth of teaching resources to spark engagement with current affairs. Thousands of schools across the country currently benefit from the First News reading package, which includes downloadable, differentiated reading activities based on stories in that week’s newspaper.

Now, with the launch of our new digital literacy product, the iHub, we are bringing a fresh on-line dimension to literacy and learning. We’ve used the latest digital technology to create engaging learning experiences connecting school and home in new and exciting ways that will actively encourage children to want to learn.

 

We don’t like to brag but…

Over the years we have won numerous awards and accolades, including Best National Newspaper at the Plain English Campaign Media Awards (2011), Best National Weekly Newspaper of the Year (2012) and Niche Market Newspaper of the Year (2012).

With everything we do here at First News (both in the UK and with our newly launched International edition of the paper), our aim is to open up children’s eyes to the world.  We aim to ensure they understand the issues facing them and the news shaping the world they live in.

We want all children to be informed, to have a voice and be heard.