A schoolgirl has scored top marks in an iGCSE exam – aged just 12.

Emily Sperryn-Jones, from Hamilton Parish, sat the exam in Dutch, designed to be taken by 16-year-olds, in May, a month after her birthday.

She learnt last Saturday that she had received an A* pass – the highest grade given.

Emily, whose mother is Dutch, has visited Holland on a regular basis.

But apart from picking up a few phrases, she never studied or spoke the language at home.

She decided to take the iGCSE in September after she discovered that the subject will not be available from next year.

Emily, a Warwick Academy pupil, said: “This was the last ever Dutch iGCSE – they’re taking it out now – so it was a case of now or never.”

Emily spent up to three hours of her own time each week taking online classes with a tutor in the UK, plus a further three hours each week on homework.

The cramming paid off and she was able to learn two years of course material in just eight months.

She said: “I did roughly two or three lessons a week and I got tons of homework. I didn’t always like it.”

Emily added she was delighted when the results of her extra- curricular labour arrived.

She said: “I was so excited. I was a bit nervous but really excited at the same time. I was so happy.”

Emily added she hoped to study in Holland when she is older.

She said: “I just like the culture and the people there – it’s really nice.”

Although she has a talent for languages, Emily said she was not considering working in the field, but wanted a career in medicine.

She said: “I’ve always wanted to work somewhere as a doctor or a nurse.

“I enjoy doing science. I love the whole experimental side of it. I love to play with different forces and see how they react together.”