Family incentive to make grade

But for 12-year-old Emily Hogg, who became one of the youngest-ever pupils to achieve an A* yesterday, her goal was slightly different. Her mother Megumi, pictured with Emily above, is Japanese and she has been learning the language to allow her to speak to her cousins and grandfather.

The Sheffield High School pupil picked up an A* at GCSE and has followed this up with the new A* at A-level.

Emily said: "I go to Japan every year and I speak to my cousins in Japanese. But I've had to learn to write it, which has been quite tiring. I didn't expect to get an A."

Father Richard said: "She speaks Japanese well but for A-level the material has been very challenging for a 12-year-old to learn."