Miltoncross Academy student celebrates GCSE results despite spending half of the year in hospital

GCSE year is stressful enough with the pressure of upcoming exams but Layla Taylor of Miltoncross Academy had additional stresses to those traditionally experienced in Year 11. Layla spent much of her final year in and out of hospital with Crohn’s disease but still managed to pass all her exams.

Collecting her results she was pleased with achievement after the adversity she faced. Layla said: “I feel like I probably did the best I could have done but considering my circumstances I could have done better.

“I was in hospital for half of the year as I had Crohn’s. Everything stopped working and I had to go out of school and focus on other things. I still took my exams even though I was ill and I managed to pass which is a relief, I wont have to do my English and Maths again.”

As any teacher will tell you, revision is key, but in Layla’s situation it was even more of a challenge to do. She said: “I kept on going in and out of hospital for weeks at a time and I didn't go to school for half of the year.

“It was difficult to do revision but my Spanish teacher brought me loads of maths papers and assignments so I managed to get a little bit of revision in.”

While it was Layla’s intention to join the army after school, the diagnosis of Crohn’s means that is no longer possible. However, in passing her exams she has been able to secure the route she was after.

She said: “I am going to college now to study engineering.” Congratulations Layla.