AMONG the nervous hands pulling open their GCSE results envelopes yesterday (Thursday), were the tender fingers of a 14-year-old and the more worn digits of a 67-year-old, reports Andy Bloxham.

Martin Davies, a pupil at Queen Katherine School, in Kendal, picked up an A* in music and two A*s in information and communication technology, at the tender age of 14.

QKS head teacher Stephen Wilkinson said his amazing achievement was due to his "real thirst for knowledge".

At the other end of the age range, 67-year-old Geoff Clague, of Bank Street, Kendal, earned an A* in German, studying part-time in evening classes at Kendal College.

His wife, Jan, 62, also proved herself an able linguist with a B in Spanish.

And among the many students picking up their results today was one slightly nervous teacher.

At 38, French teacher Catherine Young shared the highs of results day with her 16-year-old students when she picked up her Italian GCSE.

Ms Young, who teaches at Barrow's Chetwynde School, had studied part-time at Dallam Training and Education Centre for the qualification after feeling embarrassed by her lack of Italian skills while on holiday in Rome.

Happily for her while standing among her Chetwynde students, Ms Young not only passed, she also got one of the top five results in the country with the AQA examination board.

Seven pupils finished in the national top five in their subject, including: l Ellie Wood, a pupil at Dallam School, Milnthorpe, in French l Caitlin Dent, of Kendal, a Casterton pupil, in Spanish l Settle High School pupil Rowan Swale, 16, in drama, and l Glen Jeffries, 16, a Lancaster Royal Grammar School pupil, in English literature.

Against all the odds, a dyslexic schoolgirl from Staveley achieved nine GCSE passes, a feat which only two years ago seemed "unthinkable" to her.

Sixteen-year-old Laura Brockbank's achievement is all the more remarkable given the fact that, two years ago, she would not have even been able to understand an exam paper.

Shadow education minister and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Collins praised the achievements of all the pupils.

"It's tremendous news once again for South Lakeland," he said. "I very much hope these youngsters will be able to go on and achieve their dreams."

Meanwhile, head teachers in South Lakeland are already preparing for the possible demise of the qualification.

The South Lakes Schools Federation has had a consultant in place for the past year putting together a development plan for dealing with the outcome of a national review of 14-19 education.

Federation chairman and Dallam School head teacher Steven Holdup said: "In a few years' time, we envisage a far more flexible curriculum where students could choose from more subjects with more opportunities to choose work-related options."

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