Two-thirds of candidates who sat their senior exams in July have passed to achieve the National Qualification in Journalism (NQJ) and “senior journalist” status.

The assessment includes four parts – media law and practice, news report, news interview and e-logbook – with the top performers in each category receiving a cheque for £250.

Wakefield Express reporter Laura Drysdale (pictured top left) took the prize for media law with a score of 97 per cent in the exam – the highest ever recorded.