A pensioner in his seventies who left school at 14, returned to college to study a GCSE in English and ended up with a grade 6.
Danny Davey, 73, from Ipswich – who took the GCSE thanks to the support of Suffolk New College – said: “I never wrote until I started here in September last year. It’s 59 years since I went to school.
The father of four children, grandad of ten and great grandad of two – who was a roofer before writing – continued: “Growing up, I went to about 15 different schools, left school at 14, got a holiday job and never went back (to school). I’ve always wanted to learn and improve myself – you should never stop learning – personal development is everyone’s responsibility.”
So why go back to college?
Mr Davey said: “I came here to Suffolk New College to learn the rules of writing. On seeing my GCSE result, I genuinely felt emotional. I’m amazed.
“My message to others (in terms of going back into education during retirement) is that everyone needs a purpose – and there is nothing better than going back to learning. “If I could give my 14-year-old self some advice it would be go back to school.”
Mr Davey also won a writing competition organised by the college earlier this year.
In 2016 he got a C grade in maths that was also studied at Suffolk New College.
Looking to learn a new skill in later life? www.suffolk.ac.uk/adults