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Pass rate remains at two-year low in November seniors exam

NCTJ logo final cmykA journalism training chief has voiced his “disappointment” after the pass rate for the seniors exam remained at a two-and-a-half year low.

November’s National Qualification in Journalism saw 43 out of 71 candidates achieve senior status – a pass rate of 61pc.

The pass rate is the same as that achieved by the previous cohort of candidates who sat the exam in July 2015, but down on last November’s pass rate of 68pc.

The 61pc pass rate is the lowest recorded since July 2013 when only 49pc of candidates achieved the qualification.

Commenting on the results, NQJ chief examiner Steve Nelson said: “The NQJ remains a very robust test of a candidate’s knowledge in areas of law and ethics and a practical examination of news reporting and interview skills, together with a demonstration of their ability in many key areas of journalism.

“While it is disappointing that the pass rate remains at its lowest since July 2013, I am delighted for those candidates who have now achieved seniority in the industry.”

The NQJ is made up of four sections – media law and practice, news report, news interview and logbooks – with candidates having to achieve a pass in each to obtain the qualification.

This November’s exam took place on Friday 6 November at nine centres across the UK – with 51 candidates sitting it for the first time and 20 re-sits.

The media law and practice exam produced a pass rate of 75 pc, news report 65pc, news interview 73pc and logbooks 95pc.

The full list of successful candidates was as follows:

Annabal Bagdi, Oxford Mail
Nathan Briant, South Wales Argus
Patrick Christys, The Westmorland Gazette
Lauren Cope, Eastern Daily Press
Mark Edwards, Surrey Advertiser
Douglas Faulkner-Gawlinski, Eastern Daily Press
Emily Ford, Southern Daily Echo
James Forrest, Worcester News
Clare Rose Freeman, Medway Messenger
Sam Gelder, Ilford Recorder
Joanna Gilbert, East Grinstead Courier
Alexandra Grainger, Maldon and Burnham Standard
Polly Grice, Eastern Daily Press
Emma Hobley, Braintree and Witham Times
Carl Jackson, Express and Star
Philip Jones, Southend Evening Echo
Rebecca King, Shropshire Star
Michael William Knowles, Watford Observer
Flossie Mainwaring-Taylor, The Westmorland Gazette
Elizabeth Massey, Medway Messenger
Chloe Mosdell, Canterbury Times
Thomas Norton, Nottingham Post
Zoie O’Brien, Waltham Forest Guardian
Matthew Oliver, Oxford Mail
Adam Parris-Long, The Luton News
Douglas Patient, East London and West Essex Guardian
Charlie Peat, Enfield Independent
Luke Anthony Powell, Eastern Daily Press
Oliver Pritchard, The Comet
Stuart Rust, Gloucestershire Gazette
Natasha Margaret Jean Salmon, Surrey Advertiser
James Scott, The Comet
Matthew Scrafton, Grimsby Telegraph
Joshua Searle, Surrey Mirror
Matthew Simpson, The Sentinel
Thomas Smuthwaite, Surrey Advertiser
Rosanagh Swarbrick, Lancashire Evening Post
Charlotte Tobitt, Surrey Advertiser
Oscar William Tollast, Dorset Echo
Ron Walker, The Weston and Somerset Mercury
Zachary Ward, Diss Express
Sarah Ward, Kent and Sussex Courier
Sheri Jean Willis, The Western Gazette