Support helped Grace to succeed
A DETERMINED teen who overcame sight problems to succeed at GCSE is now helping the school support future students, writes Belinda Dickins.
Grace Cane has a degenerative eye condition which means it is likely she will go blind in the next few years.
But that did not stop the hard-working teen from achieving in her results thanks to extra support from teachers and friends at Brune Park Community School in Gosport.
She passed all her exams, scoring three 7s, two 6s, three 5s, and a 4 and a 3.
Having double vision meant Grace has found it hard to focus at school, in addition to being distracted when relaxing at home.
The 16-year-old said: ‘The vision has always been an issue but I have had even more problems in the last couple of years. I have a problem processing information.
‘It meant I needed a big sheet because I can only read things in a massive font.
‘It’s been tricky trying to work my way through this and to get the grades that I wanted. I didn’t ask for help at first. But in the past couple of years it has got better.
‘There are really good teachers and friends here and they are really supportive.’
Grace is now helping to make a difference to the support given by the school, so others can thrive and achieve.
She said: ‘I’m being invited to come back and talk about where things have gone wrong and help improve it. I don’t want other students to struggle in the future.
‘They’re so good at dealing with it and now it’s such a relief. I really think it’s going to improve. It’s a shame it’s not been perfect for me but it won’t happen for other people and that’s the best thing.’
Grace is going on to study A-levels in English language, history, politics and fine art at Bay House Sixth Form with ambitions of going to university to become a teacher. ‘I love this school. I am so glad that I came here,’ said Grace.