The proportion of trainee reporters qualifying as seniors has fallen by 10 percentage points in the past year, the National Council for the Training of Journalists has revealed.

The NCTJ has announced 56 candidates were successful in achieving the National Qualification in Journalism during 2020-21, representing a pass rate of 60pc.

By comparison, 70pc of those who took the examinations in 2019-20 passed.

Of the newly-qualified seniors, 20 passed with distinction and 24 with merit.

All bar one of the candidates passed the e-logbook section of the exams, representing a 98pc pass rate, while 60, or 81pc, of those entering the media law and ethics in practice test recorded a passing mark.

Fifty-four candidates, or 63pc, were successful in the practical skills exam.

The full list of those who passed the NQJ in 2019-20 is as follows:

Simon Allin, Watford Observer
Laura Andrew, Doncaster Free Press
Jonathan Ashby, Newbury Weekly News
Georgia Banks, Northern Echo
Thomas Steven, Banner Worcester News
Georgia Barrow, The Comet
Richard Bellis, Northern Echo
Charlotte Bentley, Shropshire Star
Lewis Berrill, East London Guardian
Laura Bill, Herts Advertiser
Michael Boniface, Ham & High
Lauren Brownlie, Clydebank Post
Sarah Burgess, Eastern Daily Press
Matthew Calderbank, The Lancashire Post
Matthew Critchell, Echo Newspaper, Basildon
Bradley Deas, Bradford Telegraph and Argus
Sean Delaney, Medway Messenger
Belinda Dickins, The News, Portsmouth
Francesca Edwards, Maldon & Burnham Standard
Ryan Evans, Basingstoke Gazette
Harriet Evans, Shropshire Star
Neil Fatkin, The News, Portsmouth
Joseph Fletcher, The Westmorland Gazette
Joanna Gravett, JPI Media
Holly Hume, East Anglian Daily Times
Sam Johnson, Sunderland Echo
Ben Jolley, Cambridgeshire Times
Steve Jones, The Star
Carly-May Kavanagh, Mid Sussex Times
Liam Keen, Wolverhampton Express and Star
Alice Knight, Reading Chronicle
Annie Lewis, The News Portsmouth
Andra Maciuca, The London Economic
Abigail Maclure, Yorkshire Evening Post
Brogan Maguire, Harrogate Advertiser
Adam Maidment, Manchester Evening News
Rebecca Marano, Yorkshire Evening Post
Natasha Meek, Bradford Telegraph and Argus
Jessica Molyneux, Liverpool Daily Post & Echo
Daniel Morris, Shropshire Star
Martina Moscariello, Salisbury Journal
Gurjeet Nanrah, Nottinghamshire Live
Katie May Nelson, Medway Messenger
Abigail Nicholson, Liverpool Echo
Ryan Nicolson, The Shetland Times
Nathan Okell, Warrington Guardian
Tom Orde, Southern Daily Echo
Isabella Perrin, Bracknell News
Lisa Rand, Liverpool Daily Post & Echo
Jack Rawlins, Newsquest Midlands
South Stourbridge
James Robinson, Hexham Courant
Aaliyah Rug,g The Leader
Jim Scott, The Northern Echo
Liam Soutar, Wigan Observer
Adrian Williams, Baylis Media Ltd
Henry Woodsford, Weston Mercury