UK’s oldest GSCE student celebrates exam success after highest grade possible

He had to use a magnifying glass to help with reading the questions

A 92-year-old man who is believed to be the oldest GCSE student to sit an exam has passed his maths paper with the highest mark possible. Derek Skipper, from Orwell in Cambridgeshire, had signed up for a free adult education course run by The Cam Academy Trust at Comberton Village College, and been studying for the exam via Zoom for five hours a week. Derek also watched YouTube videos to help him study. He last took a maths exam in 1946, and went on to work as a RAF radar engineer in the Korean War. And earlier this year, he sat the exam in a school hall alongside Year 11 students. Due to his poor eyesight he had to use a NHS magnifying glass to read the questions, but it didn't hold him back as he achieved a Grade 5 in the exam - the highest grade possible. https://twitter.com/CamAcademyTrust/status/1562704786977615873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1562704786977615873%7Ctwgr%5Ed4acfc3a7f03770b17da26c24ae62e4eec80ffb9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-england-cambridgeshire-62671962

He wished he could take the higher paper rather than the foundation exam, but that was not an option on the adult education programme. Derek had told ITV that crosswords "don't turn me on very much" so he thought he'd "try and have a go and improve my mind."