Georgina Forrest, Robert’s Maths lecturer at Northern Regional College, says she is delighted with his success:
“Robert got an A in his GCSE Maths and deserves great credit for the way he has turned things around. I’m really pleased for him as he worked very hard and I wish him every success.”
The second phase of his plan is to meet university entry requirements, so he is now embarking on a two-year programme of study to do A-Level Maths, English and Classical Civilisations with the Open Study College.
Robert explained: “These are online courses which I can study for at home. Although this isn’t the traditional way of doing A-Levels, I’ll be working towards achieving traditional qualifications which are acceptable to all universities.
“This way, I’ll be able to keep my options open as I’m still not sure which universities I want to apply to.”
He acknowledges that it will take a lot of self-discipline to stay motivated but says that once he decides to do something, he can be very single-minded about it.
As a teenager, Robert was bullied at his local grammar school and, as a result of the impact this was having on his mental health, his parents withdrew him from school. His mental health problems continued into his early twenties and he was subsequently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Robert said: “There was a lot going on in my personal life but after I got the diagnosis and with appropriate support in place, things did begin to improve and I able to cope much better.”
Following the death of his father, Robert had to take on new responsibilities as head of the household.
“This was very difficult time for the family as both my parents suffered from ill health. My father had been ill for some time and had to give up his work.
“When he died, I found myself having to deal with a lot of paperwork. I was thrown in at the deep end but, on reflection, this made me realise that I was a lot more capable than I’d previously given myself credit for,” he said.
After leaving school, Robert developed an interest in Baroque opera – an interest which he readily admits is a bit unusual.
“No else in the family had any interest in music so I don’t know where this interest in music generally, and Baroque opera in particular, came from but I am really fascinated by everything to do with it – the history, the costumes and all the cultural associations with early civilisations such as the Greeks and Romans.
“I didn’t enjoy music when I was at school but after I left, I tried picking out tunes on a small keyboard and discovered that I loved music,” he explained.
Around the same time, Robert started taking singing lessons. He has since achieved ABRSM (Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music) Grade 8 and has even had an audition with the Royal Scottish Conservatoire in Glasgow.
Robert also plays the piano, violin and flute and passed his Grade 5 Music Theory with Distinction. He is currently working towards achieving Grade 8 Music Theory and has set his sights on getting another Distinction so he will have the option of teaching.
Although he admits that growing up was not easy, Robert says he wouldn’t change a thing:
“My experiences have made me stronger and, if anything, are helping drive me on now to succeed.”
Looking to the future, Robert is determined to study music at university but is as yet undecided what to concentrate on.
“Initially, I thought I would want to focus on performance but now, I’m not so sure. I really enjoy composition I may go in that direction instead, but I’ve still got plenty of time to decide.”
Part-time classes for GCSE Maths and English commence Monday 16 September at all Northern Regional College campuses.