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More on KentOnline
Collecting your GCSE results is often thought to be one of the most nerve-racking days of your life - even at the age of 66.
Janet Newton went through the same butterflies many teenagers experience when she collected her maths results, 50 years on from her last exam.
The former social worker, of New Barn, near Gravesend, admitted taking the exam - which was known as an O-level when she went to school in London - was a proud achievement after being denied the chance to take it in her teens as she wasn’t expected to pass.
Grandmother-of-five Janet said: “They didn’t think I would do well and stopped me from doing it. That’s what it was like back then, whatever they said was the last word.
“It’s always been on my mind so it’s quite sweet now to be able to take the exam 50 years later and pass.”
The mum-of-two, who has also worked as a probation officer and foster carer, achieved a level 5, the equivalent to a C/B in the previous grading system.
Janet managed to get the grade after being tutored at the Adult Education Centre in Dartford.
“Before the exam our tutor was asking the last time people took an exam and everyone was saying two to three years ago and there was a bit of a tumbleweed moment when I said 50 years.” - Janet Newton
“I’m delighted to finally get it after so long,” she said.
“It doesn’t actually affect my life that much, whereas some others on the course needed it for their jobs, but I was still so nervous. It was like being at school again.”
She added: “Before the exam our tutor was asking the last time people took an exam and everyone was saying two to three years ago and there was a bit of a tumbleweed moment when I said 50 years.”
She only had an English O-level to her name when she left school but is now hoping to learn French as her next qualification and is encouraging people of similar ages to get some more qualifications.
She said: “I’m hoping to do a French course next as it’s something a bit different and there wasn’t much option for that when I was at school.
“I’ve got a holiday booked in February to go there, so it would be really helpful.
“I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is willing to put the effort in.
“It’s a different challenge and is hard but the achievement at the end is completely worth it.”
