Oldest ever GCSE maths student passes his exams AGED 92: Ex-RAF engineer who went to school during the Blitz gets maximum possible grades after taking test to challenge himself
- Derek Skipper has become the oldest person to ever sit or pass a GCSE exam
- He is ‘delighted’ with his grade five , the highest he could achieve on the course
- He decided to sit exams after a friend, 19, failed their maths GCSE three times
- ** Follow MailOnline’s liveblog for coverage throughout today of the GCSE results by clicking here **
A 92-year-old who attended school during the Blitz in World War Two has become the oldest person ever to sit and pass a GCSE exam.
Derek Skipper, of Orwell, Cambridge, signed up to take the exam to challenge himself – and passed his maths GCSE with the highest possible grade.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, the father-of-two said: ‘I opened up this morning to find that I had got a five, which is the highest I could get on the very basic maths GCSE course that I took.
‘So I was delighted to have got it.
‘I was a little bit worried last night because knowing I was coming on camera, I thought boy-oh-boy, this is going to be a very short interview if I’ve failed.’
He took the exams as part of a free adult education course, where pass grades are only available at four and five.
A grade five is the equivalent of a low B/high C in the old GCSE grading system.
The granddad-of-three has said he is ‘very pleased’ about his results.
92-year-old Derek Skipper, of Orwell, Cambridge, signed up to take the exam to challenge himself
Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, Derek revealed his results live on air
Derek said: ‘I was very, very pleased. When I started out on the course in September, it was very low key and I didn’t tell anyone I was even doing it, as I thought if I don’t finish it then it’s embarrassing so I kept very quiet until Christmas time.
‘The results didn’t matter to me at all, I was just doing it for my own fun.’
He added: ‘My family all think it’s a bit of fun, they’ve all laughed and if it gives people some pleasure then that’s fine.’
Mr Skipper found himself taking his exams in a room full of 16-year-olds – but it didn’t seem to phase him.
He said at the time: ‘I didn’t even notice they were there. I just had my head down and got on with it.
‘I’m obviously a bit slower and I found that I switched off at times. My brain just stopped working for a minute or two.
‘I did run out of time, but I had a go at most of the questions, except the ones I thought looked complicated which I’d have gone back to if I’d had time.
‘We have a friend whose 19 now and she couldn’t get her head round Maths and failed GCSE three times. I couldn’t help her, so I decided to try to beat her.
‘I thought it couldn’t be that difficult and it’s kept me occupied.’
The course wasn’t the only challenge for the RAF veteran – he took it online, meaning he accessed YouTube for the first time ever.
This morning the course provider, The Cam Academy Trust, said: ‘Huge congratulations to 92-year-old Derek Skipper on his Grade 5 in GCSE maths, the highest grade available on the foundation paper he took through our adult education programme.’
Course tutor Shane Day said ahead of the exams: ‘Derek was great, the best student in the class. He’s the first 92-year-old I’ve taught, the previous oldest was 74.’
Mr Skipper used to work in the RAF and is a war veteran, having served in the Korean war.
He used to cycle three miles a day to travel to school in bombed out east London.
He earned five School Certificates – the precursor to O Levels and the equivalent to GCSEs – including Maths which was gained with the help of a slide rule and book of tables.
After leaving school, he signed up for the RAF at 18 to learn a trade and became a radar fitter.
He described himself as a ‘typical boy’ when he was in his school days. Derek said: ‘It was just after the war and there was all of the bomb damage although it wasn’t very important to us.
‘I certainly wasn’t academic by a very long way.
‘I did my exams, and I did pass them but I was just doing something I was told I had got to do.
‘Now having done it as a mature student, it all does make a bit more sense. I have started to understand a lot more about Maths, and it is quite interesting.’
Derek has also tried to persuade his wife of 61 years Nancy, to take a GCSE exam.
He added: ‘She has been supporting me and helping me out. I’ve tried to persuade her to have a go at it, but she’s a bit reluctant.’
He currently doesn’t have any plans to take any more GCSEs.
Derek said: ‘I think that is going to be my lot and I’m going to retire now.
‘Having one is enough for me.’
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