The pass rate for reporters sitting the first ever National Qualification in Journalism exam has risen slightly to 54pc.

Results published by the National Council for the Training of Journalists show that 59 out of 110 journalists who sat the new-look exam in March have now become seniors by passing all four sections.

This compares to a pass rate of 53pc for the final NCE exam in November, while it is up significantly on last March’s pass rate of just 45pc.

The NCTJ overhauled the seniors exam to form the new NQJ which is still divided into four parts but now includes a compulsory question on journalistic ethics.

Chief examiner Steve Nelson said: “This was a huge change in the examination process and followed many months of consultation and trials.

“I am delighted to see that the results are broadly the same, and that candidates appear to be unanimously in favour of the new format.

“In particular, the decision to introduce a specific section on ethics produced some excellent answers to demanding questions.”

The NQJ for reporters is divided into four sections – an e-logbook, a news interview, an updated news report paper, and a new media law and practice paper which replaces the previous newspaper practice exam.

The pass rate for each section was 54pc for news interview, 48pc for news report, 57pc for media law and practice and 98pc for logbook.

The full list of those who passed the exam is as follows:

David Allison, Sunderland Echo
Juliette Bains, Yorkshire Evening Post
Matthew Brooks, Worksop Guardian
Michael Lee Brown, Bridlington Free Press
Peter Bryant, Surrey Advertiser
Matthew Bunn, Evening Star
Ian Burbidge, Northants Evening Telegraph
Laura Burnip, Llanelli Star
Chloe Chapman, Evening Echo Newspapers, Basildon
Sophia Charalambous, Essex Chronicle
Sam Christie, News Shopper
Graham Clark, Newmarket Journal
Georgina  Cotton, Courier Newspapers
Ian Craig, Wiltshire & Gloucester Standard
Natalie Dearman, Herts & Essex Observer
Andrew Dickens, Cambridge Newspapers
John Dickens, Slough & Royal Borough Observer
Joe William Finnerty, Surrey Advertiser
Martyn Fisher, Diss Express
Zoe Forsey, Watford Observer
Claire Louise French, Surrey Advertiser
Karl Bruce Hansell, Whitby Gazette
Timothy Harris, Aldershot News & Mail
Amie Keeley, East Anglian Daily Times
Sean Keywood, Exmouth Journal
Cheryl Livingstone,  Press and Journal (Aberdeen)
Adam Maring Lord,  The Visitor
Emma Mackintosh, South Wales Argus
Christina Massey, Matlock Mercury
Hannah McLaverty-Williamson, Croydon Guardian
Jacqueline McMillan, Evening Echo Newspapers, Basildon
Claire McWethy, Courier Media Group
Alexander Stewart Moore, Rutland and Stamford Mercury
Rebecca Mortimer-Ricks, The Herald, Plymouth
Rachel Naylor, Congleton Chronicle
Victoria Newman, Shields Gazette
David Nichols, Wakefield Express
Daniel O’Brien, Barnet Press
Katie Ollier, Congleton Chronicle
Helen Patchett, Newmarket Journal
Victoria Prest, Ripon Gazette
Connie Primmer, The Luton News
Kirsten Elizabeth Rawlins, Express & Star
Lucy Roue, The Sentinel
Finn Scott-Delany, West Sussex County Times
Christopher Daniel Seal, Barry & District News
Laura Smith, Bury Free Press
Claire Smyth, Western Gazette
Carri-Ann Taylor, Braintree & Witham Times
Sophie Taylor, The Herald, Plymouth
George Peter Thorpe, Chelmsford Weekly News
Andrew Trendell, Worksop Guardian
Neil John  Watts, Worcester News
Matthew Wilson, Stratford-upon-Avon Herald
Emily Winsor, Nottingham Post
Alan Woods, News Shopper
Lucy Wright, Eastern Daily Press
Thomas Wright, Weston Worle & Somerset Mercury
Elizaveta  Young, Western Telegraph