Two Sir John Deane’s College staff members were among the thousands of students receiving their GCSE results.
Mother-of-one Tracy Dover, 53, and grandmother-of-two Heather Cox, 49, were celebrating after achieving a C in their foundation GCSE maths – the highest grade possible.
The duo spent a year studying the subject via an evening course with Sir John Deane’s College’s adult education department.
The course was introduced for the first time in September last year and is free to those who have not previously achieved a GCSE grade C in the subject.
“I didn’t get a very good grade in maths when I was at school and then this opportunity came up,” said Heather, administration assistant at SJD in Northwich.
“It was a steep learning curve and I had to get used to the learning process again but it was something I wanted to achieve for myself and I feel very proud.”
There was cause for double celebration for Tracy on GCSE results day as, as well as receiving her own results, her son achieved an A* in his maths GCSE.
“I failed maths at school and then switched off from the subject after that but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it,” said Tracy, MIS officer at SJD.
“Heather and I supported each other through the course and we were in a class with people younger and older than us who were all in the same situation so there was a really good atmosphere.”
SJD College’s adult education department is running evening courses in GCSE maths and English, free to those who haven’t previously achieved a GCSE grade C in these subjects, from September.
“I am so proud of Heather, Tracy and all the adult students who have undertaken courses with us in the past year,” said Patsy Chuter, adult education manager at SJD.
“It is never too late to learn, whether to gain a qualification or just for fun, and there is still time to enrol on one of our many courses.”
