Student gains GCSE Spanish at Grade 8 after sitting exam two years early

Isabel Copley who passed her GCSE Spanish in Year 9 gaining a Grade 8 and was just two marks off a Grade 9

Isabel Copley took her GCSE Spanish two years’ early, and was awarded a Grade 8 and was only two marks off a top Grade 9.

The Whitworth Community High School student had previously lived in Spain for five years and so was pretty fluent before she took the subject at high school.

She said: “As it was so close to a Grade 9, my paper has been sent away to be remarked. I thought I would do well, but I didn’t realise how well - I am very pleased with myself.

“I have now decided to add drama to my other GCSE subjects; I couldn’t have taken both Spanish and drama.”

It was when Isabel was in Year 8 that it became obvious to her teacher that she was far more advanced in the subject and she was moved up to join the GCSE class.

Isabel joined Year 11 classes while she was only a Year 9 and her modern foreign languages teacher, Gavin Warke, recommended she take the exam early.

She said: “I want to go on to do A levels and to university and then I would like to become a property developer to buy houses, do them up and sell them on.

“Having another language also opens up European opportunities and so I could do that job abroad.”