While most of us struggle to figure out even the most basic of sums, one talented teenager has found the formula for success – after passing his maths GCSE three years early.

While most of us struggle to figure out even the most basic of sums, one talented teenager has found the formula for success – after passing his maths GCSE three years early.

Despite sitting the exam in January when he was only 12, Jake Dixon, from Oulton Broad, secured his pass in the foundation level maths paper – scoring an amazing 98.3pc mark. This was the highest of any student at Benjamin Britten High School in Lowestoft, where his fellow candidates were all 15 or 16.

Head of maths at the school Anthony Vaughan-Evans said Jake's C grade – the maximum he could achieve in the foundation level exam – highlighted how gifted he was.

'Jake is an extremely talented mathematician – probably the most talented mathematician I have come across,' he said. 'He actually got 98.3pc in the exam – the highest mark of the whole school – when he was aged 12.'

A former Lothingland Middle School and Oulton Broad Primary School pupil, Jake has been at Benjamin Britten for nearly two years.

Mr Vaughan-Evans said: 'In the foundation level paper, the maximum you can get is a C grade, so at the end of this year, Jake will take the higher paper in GCSE maths and get an A-star. In years nine, 10 and 11 I would imagine we'll have to start teaching him A-level and he will probably get through that too, so by the end of year 11 he will be onto university-level questions.'

Jake, 13, is now setting his sights on a place at Cambridge University where he hopes to study maths. He said: 'I enjoy most subjects but maths is my favourite. I would like to do anything maths-related in the future. I feel really lucky and am really grateful to have been allowed to do the exam.'