Shropshire Star

Teenager says eight A* GCSEs show deaf children can avoid underachieving tag

Jessica Olliver said her disability had made her more determined.

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Jessica Olliver

A deaf teenager is celebrating after gaining eight A*s at GCSE and says her results show deaf children can overcome the “stereotype” of underachieving.

Jessica Olliver, from Hove, East Sussex, achieved her top grades, as well as a seven and six in English and two As and a B, at Brighton College.

Jessica Olliver
Jessica got eight A*s (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The 16-year-old, who was born profoundly deaf but had cochlear implants at aged two and eight, said: “I’m quite pleased with my results, I didn’t expect that at all, when I opened the paper I was really shocked.”

Jessica said her disability had made her more determined and added: “Because I hear significantly less than others then it’s like I have to work more to be able to hear what the teacher says, so I have to strain more in classes so sometimes I get more tired than others.

Jessica Olliver
(Gareth Fuller/PA)

“Overall, the main issue, my language was a lot less than everyone else’s because I only started talking when I was three which was a lot later than everyone else and I had to work to catch up with everyone else but I think I got there.”

She added: “In the deaf community there is this stereotype that we can’t do as well as others so I wanted to prove that was wrong.”

Jessica said her ambition was to become a lawyer and will go on to study history, politics, maths and geography at A-level.

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