A total of 161 trainee journalists took the recent National Certificate Examination, hoping to become ‘senior reporters’.

The scheme, run by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, saw a total of 78 candidates pass, just under 50pc.

The pass rate, the lowest since spring 2006, was down from 57pc in spring 2007. Click here to read the main news story.

Here is the full list of those who passed:

Hannah Al-Taraboulsy, Sale and Altrincham Messenger
Kerry Ashdown, Staffordshire Newsletter
Richard Bache, Clevedon Mercury
Marie Baker, Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Daniel Barden, East London Guardian
Benjamin Barnett, Telegraph & Argus
Claire Berry, Congleton Chronicle
Luke Bishop, Dorking Advertiser
David Blackmore, Dorking Advertiser
Lucy Bolton, Norwich Evening News

Kerry Boullemier, Essex Chronicle
Kristy Bourne, Sevenoaks Chronicle
Kathryn Bradley, Selby Times
Aimee Brannen, Herts Advertiser
Lindsay-Ann Burns, South London Press
Gareth Thomas Butler, Gloucestershire Echo
Lorna Catling, Bracknell Standard
James Colasanti, Epping Forest Guardian
Hayley Joanne Collins, Northwich Guardian
Louise Cooper, Essex Chronicle

Simon Coyle, Rossendale Free Press
Lucy Crossley, Bracknell News
Nicola Davies, Warrington Guardian
Paul Derrick, Scarborough Evening News
Louise Eccles, Hull Daily Mail
Anna Edwards, Croydon Advertiser
James Entwistle, Darlington & Stockton Times
Paul Ferguson, Hereford Times
Joanna Fletcher, Harlow Herald
Carl Gavaghan, Whitby Gazette

Joanna Glover, Somerset County Gazette
Eleanor Gregson, Express & Echo, Exeter
Rhys Griffiths, Dover Express
Hayley Harp, The Sentinel
Felicity Hay, Bury Free Press
Daniel Thomas Hearn, Henley Standard
Christopher Hill, Eastern Daily Press
Harry Hogger, Dorset Echo
Dominic Jeff, The Herald, Plymouth
Thomas Johannsen, Shropshire Star

Tomasz Johnson, Hendon Times
Laura Kempsell, Luton News
Joanna Lean, Warrington Guardian
Katherine Liptrot, Derby Evening Telegraph
Hayley Mace, Eastern Daily Press
Katy Manning, Express & Echo, Exeter
Karl Mansfield, Press Association
Kirsty Marais, Bury Free Press
Jennifer McKiernan, Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph
Scott McPherson, Gazette & Herald

Adam Morson, Knutsford Guardian
Mark Mudie, Express & Star
Connor Murphy, Sale and Altrincham Messenger
Ria Nortcliffe, Wilmslow Express
Richard Pain, Surrey Advertiser
Hayley Parker, Uttoxeter Post and Times
Neil Philips, Bucks Free Press
Emma Pietras, Newark Advertiser
William Roberts, Darlington & Stockton Times
Eleanore Robinson, Hackney Gazette

Joseph Robinson, Blackpool Gazette
Lauren Rogers, Worcester News
Corey Ross, Salisbury Journal
James Rush, Telegraph & Argus
David Searle, Redditch Advertiser
Sarah Shaffi, Folkestone Herald
Rupert Sims, North Devon Journal
Richard Smyth, Worksop Guardian
Nina Swift, Harrogate Advertiser
Emma Tilley, Wiltshire & Gloucester Standard

Laura Thistlethwaite, South Manchester Reporter
Jenna Thompson, Grimsby Telegraph
Edmund Tobin, Epping & Ongar Guardian
Peter Truman, Croydon Guardian
Mary Vancura, Llanelli Star
Philippa Weighell, Darlington & Stockton Times
Susannah Wilkey, Hampstead & Highgate Express
Alice Wright, Western Morning News

Comments

Metman (22/12/2008 14:11:41)
The NCE is invaluable for local papers no doubt. But why bother taking an exam for what is rapidly becoming a joke industry? You don’t need it for the web, broadcast or magazines and if you want to be a columnist then why bother? I know for a fact – having worked there – that plenty of the staff on a well known national free paper haven’t got two NCE’s to rub together and they’re paid more than local seniors! Yes it teaches invuluable skills, but anyone wanting to join a local needs their head read.

ExExpress (22/12/2008 21:37:36)
Blimey. If all candidates display as appalling a grasp of the English language as Metman it’s no wonder the industry is in decline. Journos do themselves no favours sometimes. Less whinging please.

Metman (23/12/2008 11:13:05)
ExEpress – I notice the ex there, does that mean you’re also out of a job? The standard of local journalism is appalling as is the management.

anon (10/01/2009 21:08:53)
I have to admit I do wonder what the value of the NCE is, other than to line the pockets of the NCTJ. There are local papers out there that will take reporters on as seniors without the NCE and the nationals and magazines don’t give care about it. It just seems a good way for some local papers to withhold pay rises from reporters until they pass a set of ridiculously pernickety exams made to fail the majority for monetary reasons.