Ella takes it in her stride

Ella-Marie Simpson

GCSE: ELLA-MARIE Simpson is another star pupil to pass gCSE examinations at 11.

The Christ Church, Denshaw, pupil received a C grade in maths to the delight of mum Hanna who said: “I spent most of the morning crying.

“Ella is pleased but she is just so underwhelmed. She just takes it in her stride where as I was shouting from the rooftops.”

The youngster, of Blueberry Drive, Shaw, also plays the piano and swims with Crompton Classics.

Her mum added: “She just put her head down and worked so hard but was very low key about it. There is nothing pretentious about Ella. She wouldn’t have been able to do it without teaching assistant Miss Connolly at Christ Church, who is absolutely amazing.”