Gosforth boy, 9, takes maths GCSE amid lockdown learning

Tom Van der Velde is also a keen musician and Minecraft player

A nine-year-old boy took his maths GCSE exam after wowing his parents with his numeracy skills during lockdown.

Tom Van der Velde, from Gosforth, was completing hour-long lessons in three minutes at home, his father Simon said.

Mr Van der Velde also sat the GCSE earlier this month to keep his son company and joked there is an "element of competition" over who gets the higher grade, with Tom having to "move out" if he outscores his father.

Their results are due on 4 March.

Mr Van der Velde, a 53-year-old writer, said Tom showed good maths skills at the age of three when he learned the times tables being taught to his older brother Charlie.

Simon Van der Velde also sat the GCSE to keep Tom company

"Tom is good at whatever he puts his mind to and has a lot of enthusiasm for things," Mr Van der Velde said.

"We were teaching him maths in the lockdown and found he was just whizzing through it."

The duo sat the foundation maths GCSE as external candidates at Whitley Bay High School.

"I think we got on alright," Mr Van der Velde said, adding: "Tom was excited afterwards and asking if I had got this or that."

Tom, a keen musician and Minecraft player, said he enjoyed the exam and there was only one question he did not know.

Mr Van der Velde, who got a B in O-Level maths first time round, said he and his wife Nicola, 54, will consider teaching higher maths to Tom if he wishes.

"We will run with it for as long as he is enthusiastic," Mr Van der Velde said.