Newly-qualified seniors have equalled the record for the best pass rate for the National Qualification in Journalism since its introduction four years ago.

A total of 63 candidates sat last month’s NQJ exam with 49 achieving success in all four parts – media law and practice, news report, news interview and logbooks.

The pass rate of 78pc equalled the previous best performance, achieved in the July 2016 sitting of the exam

It compared with a 72pc pass rate in the March 2017 sitting of the exam and 66pc in July.

The November NQJ saw a return of the 100pc pass rate for the e-logbook section in which candidates have to compile an online portfolio of their work.

Pass rate for the media law and practice exam was 89pc while the news report and news interview both had a 78pc pass rate.

Commenting on the results for the media law and practice exam, the moderator said: “The knowledge and application displayed by most candidates was good and should give their editors confidence.”

On the news interview papers he said: “Those who passed had a readable writing style, caught the drama and had strong quotes.”

The next NQJ exam will take place on Friday 2 March 2018. The closing date for enrolment is Friday 19 January.

The full list of successful candidates was as follows:

John Asher, The Comet
Neil Athey, Lancashire Telegraph
Lloyd Bent, Westmorland Gazette
Christopher Binding, South Wales Argus
Jamie Brassington, Express & Star
Ned Bristow, Knutsford Guardian
Robbie Bryson, Braintree & Witham Times
James Butler, Worthing Herald
Stacey-Lee Christon, The Northern Echo
Emily Collis, Bromsgrove Advertiser
Tom Davis, Kidderminster Shuttle
Jonathan Drury, Shropshire Star
Shona Duthie, Surrey Advertiser
Katie Feehan, Thurrock Gazette
Courtney Friday, Reading Chronicle
Vicky Gayle, Daily Gazette
Benjamin Goddard, Hereford Times
Niall Griffiths, South Wales Argus
Lauren Harris, North Devon Journal
Wesley Holmes, Blackpool Gazette
Matthew Jackson, The Sentinel
David Jagger, Telegraph & Argus
Poppy Kennedy, The Scarborough News
Chloe Laversuch, Warrington Guardian
Anthony Lewis, Penarth Times
Luke May, Kent on Sunday
Jamie McKenzie, Aberdeen Press & Journal
Alex Metcalfe, Teesdale Mercury
Mary Naylor, Bury Times
Liam Norcliffe, Derbyshire Times
Laura O’Callaghan, Waltham Forest Guardian
Huw Oxburgh, Worthing Herald
James Oxenham, West Sussex County Times
Thomas Pyman, Kent on Sunday
Sara Royle, Westmorland Gazette
Andrew Sandelands, Whitehaven News
Joshua Searle, Maldon & Burnham Standard
Rachel Sloper, Derby Telegraph
Matt Smart, North Devon Gazette
Will Taylor, Maidenhead Advertiser
Emily Townsend, East Anglian Daily Times
Shruti Sheth Trivedi, Bucks Free Press
Sarah Waddington, The Herald, Plymouth
Jessica Wells, Wiltshire Gazette & Herald
Ellis Whitehouse, Maldon & Burnham Standard
Bianca Wild, Royston Crow
Sam Wildman. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Grace Witherden, Maidenhead Advertiser
Joshua Wright, Gloucestershire Gazette