The pass rate for the National Qualification in Journalism has risen above two third for the first time with 67pc of candidates achieving senior status.
A total of 90 candidates sat the exam on Friday 7 March at nine centres across the UK.
Senior status was awarded to 60 candidates who were described by the chief examiner Steve Nelson as “an exceptionally talented crop of candidates.”
The 67pc pass rate compares with a figure of 62pc in the November NQJ, 49pc in July and 54pc last March, the first time that candidates sat the new-look qualification.
The NQJ was introduced last year to replace the National Certificate Examination and the pass rate was 54pc then and 49pc in July.
It is divided into four sections – media law and practice, a news report, a news interview and a logbook.
As previously reported on HTFP, some candidates had to resit the law section of the exam after a computer glitch resulted in their papers being lost.
The NCTJ has apologised for the problem which affected candidates who sat the exam at Harlow College.
Steve Nelson addressed the issue in his chief examiners’ report, acknowledging that the incident was “understandably distressing for all involved.”
He said the 10 candidates affected were offered a re-sit of the media law and practice paper a week later, and all 10 candidates re-sat the exam.
Of these 10, seven passed the full NQJ. The three remaining candidates will not be charged for any re-sits in the July 2014 exam sitting.
Said Steve: “The NCTJ has conducted a full investigation of the incident and is considering a number of options. Action will be taken to reduce the risk of this happening again.”
Commenting on the overall standard of entries, Steve said: “From these results I can only conclude this was an exceptionally talented crop of candidates from rapidly changing and more demanding newsrooms who were well prepared for the exam.”
The NCE for Sports Reporters, which also took place on 7 March, produced a 100pc success rate, with all four candidates achieving senior reporter status.
The full list of successful candidates was:
William Ackermann Express & Star
Christopher Adams Lancashire Telegraph
Shams Al-Shakarchi Courier Media Group
Richard Ashton Bracknell News
Hywel Barrett Hunts Post
Donna-Louise Bishop Eastern Daily Press
Hannah Louise Bryan Newsquest (North East)
Sara Bryce Isle of Wight County Press
Elizabeth Buchan Cambridge News & Mail
Adam Care Wiltshire Times
Rebecca May Carr Kidderminster Shuttle
James Chapple Camberley News
Daniel Chipperfield Gloucestershire Gazette
Rebecca Cohen Burnley Express
Thomas Cotterill Littlehampton Gazette
Emily Davies Oswestry Advertiser
Michael Davies The Argus, Brighton
Nazia Dewji Surrey Comet
Charlotte Dobson The Bolton News
Amy Dyduch Richmond & Twickenham Times
Martin Elvery Banbury Guardian
Bethan Evans Weston Worle & Somerset Mercury
Joseph Faretra Andover Advertiser
Samuel Greenway Bromsgrove Messenger/Advertiser
Philip Hayes Courier Media Group
John Alexander Hayward Freelance
Hannah Hulme The Sentinel, Stoke
Matthew Hunter East Anglian Daily Times
Amy Jones Western Telegraph
Lee Kettle Tamworth Herald
Emma Lake Bury Free Press
Timothy Oliver Lamden Ham & High
Andre Langlois Surrey Advertiser
Tim MacFarlan News Shopper
Frederick Mayhew Barking & Dagenham Post
Ruth McKee Enfield Gazette & Advertiser
Hayley Mills South Wales Argus
James Morris Congleton Chronicle
Jennifer Morris Surrey Advertiser
Hayley Mortimer Stroud News & Journal
Miles O’Leary The News, Portsmouth
Charlotte Pearson Chichester Observer
Rebecca Perring Watford Observer
Joshua Powling West Sussex County Times
Laura Proto Elmbridge Guardian
Ella Rhodes Derby Telegraph
Emma Robinson Maldon & Burnham Standard
Wesley Rock Hampshire Chronicle
Lucy Ross-Millar Cambridge News
Daniel Russell Nottingham Post
Joey Severn Derby Telegraph
Bruce Thain Harrow Times
Flora Thompson Western Gazette
Antony Thrower Courier Media Group
Kelly Tyler Derby Telegraph
Andrew Wakefield Belper News
Daniel Whiteway Slough Observer
Laura Wild Lancashire Evening Post
Michael Yong Gloucestershire Echo
Anna Young Kent Messenger Group
Well done oon the pass rate but in my experience of more than 50 years the best journalists I have come across have had no qualifications and yet have become national figures – on the ball, resolute, accurate etc.,
It’s strange but there is a real dividing line, subs are great with lay outs etc., but ask them to door step somebody or do anything that requires initiative or bravery and they can’t do it – they talk a good fight but try putting them in the firing line? With all best wishes, Ken Jackson
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I’m happy with the above. Cheers
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Glad you’re happy with ‘Well done OON the pass rate’. Perhaps you’re not a sub?
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So clearly we work better if we work together.
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Well done Charlotte Dobbo!
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When newspapers were in their heyday you did not need a university education to get into regional journalism.
Nowadays, they have made it a middle class preserve and this tells in the content of what’s left of local dailies and weeklies.
The uni crowd are a fine lot, but they only represent a very narrow strand of society. Newspapers should reflect all aspects of everyday life, not just the elitist The Guardian viewpoint.
At the worst end, it is like nursing. Nurses today have to go through university and you end up with staff who are “too posh to wash”. That’s one reason why hospital standards have fallen so much.
Anyway, best of luck to everybody.
Here endeth the first lesson.
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Congratulations, Tom (Cotterill)!
Just reward for your hard work. Now enjoy your Xbox.
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Well done all. Now you can start learning to be a proper journalist, digging out your own stories, writing good concise English, and never using a press release without rewriting it. It will take ten years at least to become a proper rounded mature journalist. If you are lucky there might be an older hack left to teach you something other than tweeting, shooting shaky and pointless videos and slapping dreadful user generated copy straight into paper.
As somebody once sung We have only just begun.
By the way has anyone heard of trainees bring issued with recording machines because their shorthand is so poor and their copy is needed to fill holes.
My best wishes to young hacks on their career journey. There are some potentially good ones out there, if they get right guidance.
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It takes ten years or so to become a proper rounded hack. The exams are just the start of the journey, but good luck to them all.
Just wish someone would check the English of most of these kids.
Grammar, punctuation and style are at lowest levels on local papers for many years. Where are the subs?
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Ten years to become a proper hack? How many of these young people will still be in the industry in ten years? Or even five years?
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