The pass rate for the National Certificate Examination fell by 16pc this summer compared with a year ago, it was revealed today.

But the number of candidates taking the industry’s leading professional qualification rose by more than 50pc year-on-year, according to the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

In July 2008, 129 candidates sat the exam of which 66pc passed, but although the pass rate this time round fell to 48pc, the number sitting the exam rose to 199.

The chief examiner said: “As the recession continues to hit the newspaper industry and job opportunities remain limited, it is pleasing to see that trainees are determined to complete their training and gain senior status.”

The senior journalism qualification was awarded to 95 candidates who were successful in all four areas: news interview, news report, newspaper practice and logbook.

Pass rates for the individual sections were: news interview 63pc, news report 53pc, newspaper practice 66pc, and logbook 97pc.

Five trainees sat the NCE for sub-editors on the same day, the fourth time the examination has been held, and all of them passed.

The chief examiner of the NCE for sub-editors said: “In the sub-editing exam, in which candidates have to produce a page from scratch in just two hours, the standard was excellent. Design was generally clean and, most importantly, copy subbing was sharp and precise.”

The full examiners’ report can be seen on the NCTJ website via a link from the homepage, www.nctj.com.

The full list of trainees who passed this summer’s NCE is:

Caroline Abbott, Express and Echo, Exeter
Safira Mussarat Ali, News and Star, Carlisle
Emily Allen, Oxford Mail
Victoria Ashford, Wiltshire Times
Peter Bainbridge, Macclesfield Express
Sophie Barley, Scarborough Evening News
Amanda Barnes, Alton Post Gazette
Amanda Barrell, Littlehampton Gazette
Jenny Barwise, News and Star, Carlisle
Kirsty Beever, Scarborough Evening News

Julia Bennett, The Gazette, Blackpool
Derek Bish, Haverhill Echo
Angela Brennan, Midweek Herald
Nicholas Brimacombe, Mansfield Chad
Andrew Brookes, Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian
Stephanie Brooks, Bury Free Press
Victoria Carr, Harrogate Advertiser
Russell Claydon, East Anglian Daily Times
Andrea Collitt, Harwich and Manningtree Standard
Jessica Cunniffe, MK News

Jack Davidson, Malvern Gazette
Annabelle Dickson, Eastern Daily Press
Claire Duffin, Derby Telegraph
Conrad Emmett, Grimsby Telegraph
Lisa Ettridge, The Gazette, Blackpool
Kelly Felstead, Newmarket Journal
Louisa Felton, Hemel Hempstead Gazette
Paul Fisher, Bedfordshire Times and Citizen
Martin Ford, Hertfordshire Mercury
Victoria Foster, News Shopper

Oliver Frankham, Kent and Sussex Courier
Adam Gaudry, The Echo, Basildon
Amy Glendinning, Heywood Advertiser
Bernadette Goodjohn, Northants Evening Telegraph
Cherie Gordon, The Herald, Plymouth
Rebecca Gough, Norwich Evening News
Charlotte Gray, Freelance
Christopher Gregory, Basingstoke Gazette
Kerry Grove, Surrey Comet
Laura Hannam, MK News

Rosemary Harland, Reading Chronicle
Dominic Harris, Bristol Evening Post
Suzanne Harvey, Lancashire Evening Post
Alexander Hayes, Bucks Free Press
Duncan Hepburn, North London Newspapers
Sian Hewitt, East Grinstead Observer
Rachel Hickman, Dudley News
Sarah Hilley, Swindon Advertiser
Rachel Hine, The News, Portsmouth
Christopher Hopper, Lancashire Telegraph

Matthew Humphreys, Islington/Camden Gazette
Luke Jacobs, Surrey Advertiser
Shaun Jepson, Derby Telegraph
Gemma Jimmison, Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express
Helen Kitchener, Kent and Sussex Courier
Keeley Knowles, Bedfordshire on Sunday
Patrick Knox, Basingstoke Gazette
Adam Kula, The News, Portsmouth
Nicole Le Marie, Dorking Advertiser
David Maclean, Shields Gazette

Simon Mail, Watford Observer
Kate Mason, Doncaster Free Press
Chine Mbubaegbu, Reading Post
Rhiannon McDowall, Macclesfield Express
Roisin McGroarty, Ayr Advertiser
Georgina Morris, Dewsbury Reporter
Christopher Moss, Harlow Star
Alice Murphy, Wokingham Times
George Nott, Medway News
Lisa O’Brien, Hemsworth & Elmsall Express

Jane Onyanga-Omara, The Herald, Plymouth
Luke Page, Diss Express
Nathaniel Payne, Swindon Advertiser
James Perris, Harrogate Advertiser
Miriam Phillips, Dorset Echo
Philip Pitt, Freelance
Samantha Pope, Weston & Somerset Mercury
Siobhan Prideaux, Bath Chronicle
Catherine Pye, Lancashire Telegraph
Emily Roberts, Epping Forest Guardian

Jack Royston, Harrow Times
Jonathan Schofield, Suffolk Free Press
Joseph Shackley, Kentish Times
Frank Smith, Watford Observer
Lucy Tatchell, Worcester News
Ruth Taylor, Shrewsbury Chronicle
Mark Thompson, Hartlepool Mail
Sean Topham, Horncastle News
John Turner, Isle of Man Newspapers
Adam Uren, Spalding Guardian

Lloyd Vaughan, Somerset County Gazette
James Wallin, Swindon Advertiser
Emma Wherry, Cornish Guardian
Emma Youle, The Journal, Newcastle
Rebecca Younger, Surrey Advertiser

Comments

ANON (14/08/2009 10:20:58)
p…poor supervision and training on critically under-staffed papers just might play some part. There are some district offices, certainly in the north, where all the staff are unqualified trainees.
Fat chance they have as they get lumbered with senior work for less than supermarket pay.
I am amazed the pass rate is as high as it is.

sorry can’t say (14/08/2009 16:21:13)
and all the most experienced people have been made redundant.
now imagine how this story would differ if it was us writing about a-levels rather than our own exams.
well done to all those who passed anyway.
and don’t worry you’ll get there to those who didn’t

anon (14/08/2009 17:16:57)
I wonder how many will get the pay rise that goes with the senior status?

Cleland Thom (17/08/2009 10:05:52)
We’re proud to have achieved a 100% pass rate among people who came on our NCE Refreshers – Cleland Thom, Director, Potential.GB.com

stressed sub (17/08/2009 12:32:34)
Love the mention of the sub’s NCE… ‘a page from scratch’ in just two hours’. TWO HOURS – chance would be a fine thing. No wonder the entries were excellent.