Former Leamington headteacher used lockdown to publish his novel - which features pushy parents and eccentric colleagues

A former Leamington headteacher made the most of his spare time during lockdown by publishing a book.

Jonathan Hall, who was headmaster of Arnold Lodge School from 1963 until 1991, has written a novel called 'School Ties'.

Aged 84, Jonathan decided to use the lockdowns to complete a book he had started to write some years ago.

“Rather than let my brain vegetate, I was determined to use some of the imposed leisure moments in a purposeful way,” he said.

'School Ties' insight into the preparatory school world of a different era owes much to Mr Hall’s own experience as a headmaster.

The novel features characters from pushy parents to eccentric colleagues and he says the story has a shock ending and that 'readers are left in suspense until the last few pages'.

In 2000 Hall published his autobiography, “No End in Sight”, which for eight weeks topped the bestseller list at Waterstone’s in Leamington. “School Ties” can be purchased at Waterstone’s for £11.99 and the E- Book price is £3.50