Gifted boy received top GCSE grade

A STAR student who began reading aged three in one of Barking and Dagenham’s libraries has just been awarded a top GCSE grade at the age of nine.

Andrew Ejemai of Auriel Avenue, Dagenham, received an A* in mathematics even though he is only in Year 4.

He said: “I’m very excited. I’ve got to help my little sister Zipporah with maths. She’s getting better and better. She’s six years old.”

Asked what his secret is, Andrew said: “I played lots of different computer games and I go to Wantz Library.”

Andrew, who attends school in Romford, said he likes all subjects and wants to be an engineer when he grows up.

Father Soni Ejemai said: “I feel on top of the world. We did not know what to expect at first. We know he’s good with numbers and figures. Somebody just suggested we put him down for GCSEs.

“He has always been good at reading too. He started reading when he was about three or four.

“That’s when we moved to Barking and Dagenham – not very far from Wantz Library.

“My wife Ronke and I go there a lot to read the papers and the idea was for the children to be playing games. While in the library, he took to reading.”

The parents taught Andrew the basics before he began devouring dozens of books by his favourite author – Roald Dahl – one by one.

Soni added: “I would really recommend it to parents. There are lots of kids out there who have got the potential to do this if the environment and the parents are supportive.

“You can’t just leave it for the school or the government. As parents we have to be involved.”