Ilford teen defies learning disorder to get top grades

Leon Goodman, 18, from Clayhall, achieved a B in finance and a C in economics as well as getting a distinction for a BTEC in applied business.

The Caterham High School student suffers from dyscalculia – a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand number-based information and maths.

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Leon puts his success down to teachers who gave him extra support with his exams.

He said: “I’ve got dyscalculia which impacts my capacity to process numbers. You might ask why I did a subject with math in.

“Finance isn’t as numbers heavy as people think. Business has calculations but as long as you know formulas it’s ok.

“I put my faith in the school because the department here is so good and I knew that I would get the support I needed to do well and I have.”

Leon is taking up a marketing apprenticeship with the Prince’s Trust.

He added: “With sky high fees and the cost-of-living crisis I want to get out there and get a job rather than ended up in mountains of debt.”