It is thought Arran Fernandez - who is now six - is the youngest person to pass a GCSE.

He scored a D in the foundation stage of the exam - the highest mark which could be awarded in that category - after being taught by his parents at home.

He sat his exam at the private Ryde College near Watford in Hertfordshire.

Last year six-year-old Rajaei Sharma, passed a GCSE in information technology.

But until now the youngest person to have passed maths at that level was Ruth Lawrence.

She passed O' level maths at the age of eight.

Anita Cobb said Dylan had a terrible time at the hands of bullies

Arran is pleased with his achievement.

He said: "I'm very proud of myself and so are all my friends, my mummy and daddy and the rest of my family."

He said he had been given a "trophy" by his parents as a prize.

His dad, Dr Neil Fernandez, said it was a wood sculpture of a geometric shape called an Archemedian solid, inscribed with Arran's name.

Dr Fernandez said:"Arran is a normal child and has a lot of friends."

Another young child who is celebrating is eight-year-old Dylan Cobb, who passed two GSCEs, two years after being forced out of a school by bullies.

He achieved B grades in maths and information technology after nine months study at Ryde College.

For a time, he was also educated at home by his mother, Anita Cobb.

She says she took him out of school in Devon because of the way he was treated by other pupils.

"He was having a terrible time," she said.

His achievement is a great example of what all children should be able to attain given the opportunity, motivation and parental support

Mike Ryde, Ryde College

"The only thing I could do to help him was educate him at home.

"The problem was he was so far ahead of me that I had to send him to college to satisfy his thirst for knowledge and learning."

Dylan said he had enjoyed doing his exams.

"I was a bit nervous before one of my exams, though it wasn't so bad in the end.

"I hated my last school but it was great at Ryde."

Mike Ryde, the managing director of Ryde College, said he was delighted with Dylan's success.

"His achievement is a great example of what all children should be able to attain given the opportunity, motivation and parental support," he said.