That was the scenario facing Chris Glover as the 18-year-old started his final year exams at King Edward VI School in Stratford.
Chris, from Wellesbourne, suffers with Keratoconus, a progressive condition that leaves sufferers going slowly blind until they have a cornea transplant.
Yet despite not being able to even read an exam paper, he had decided against making it public knowledge, failing to tell not only friends but also teachers.
“I was embarrassed about it,” he admitted.
“I didn’t want to bother them or be ‘that kid’ with the eye condition.
“I was always shoving it to the back of my mind. But then I’d go out at night and struggle to cross the road.”
He finally plucked up the courage to reveal all when his parents persuaded him to get help.
Amazingly, after getting the help he needed Chris achieved three A*s to secure a place at Durham University.
He was handed the school’s coveted William McFarland Prize for Perseverance – dished out to leavers who achieve against the odds – last week to mark the achievement.
“I was stressing before I got the award because I didn’t want to fall over on the walk up to the stage!
“But the award should have gone to my parents and my teachers really,” the modest teen added.
“I couldn’t have done it without them and I just want to give a massive thank you to everyone at the school. They make an outstanding contribution and it was foolish to think I would be causing trouble because teachers really do care about you and want you to do well.”
Chris was not only allowed more time to complete exams, and take them in the afternoon, but was also given bigger papers to help his eyes adjust.
“My teachers just asked why I hadn’t come to them sooner. They engaged with me and helped me and I was honoured that they chose to recognise me with the award.
“Hopefully it will make other students think that they can overcome any disability they may have.”
But while Chris voluntarily let slip his secret with teachers, he was forced into telling some friends after his left eye split open during a school skiing trip.
“We were stuck in Dover for about 20 hours because of a storm and we were on a bus in the harbour when I suddenly felt in unbelievable pain. There was a line in my vision where it had obviously split open and my left eye was watering.
“Everyone was wondering what was wrong so I said: ‘I never told you this but I have this condition and I think it’s happening’.”
And, just like his teachers, they were also supportive.
“With it being an all-boys’ school there’s always a lot of joking around but everyone is very proud of me, which is really heart-warming to see.
“In a way the condition has given me a kick up the rear end.
“I realised that I shouldn’t give up on myself, that I should go for it and think ‘I’m going to beat this’.”
And while his right eye is still ‘a ticking time bomb’, Chris is hopeful of a new cornea this Christmas with a transplant on the cards in December.
Rachel Biggs, Head of Sixth Form at the Church Street school, said everyone was immensely proud of him.
“When I met Chris and his mum, one of the things I said to him was that he needed to make a fuss because we’re here to help and support him.
“Everybody who heard his story was amazed that he was achieving such a high standard of work – and with minimal fuss.”
King Edward VI School headmaster Bennet Carr was pictured prior to the speech day ceremony with prize winners, from left, Maninder Dhami (Year 10 Attainment Award), Sophie Reynolds (Director of Sport Prize for Netball), Joshua Boddinton (Year 9 Endeavour Award), Aliosha Zaboronsky, head boy, Nadeem Akhlaq (Year 12 Endeavour Award), Layla Graham (Edgar Flower Reading Prize), and Sabrina Evans, deputy head girl (Year 12 Attainment Award. Photo: Mark Williamson C22/9/14/7
ACHIEVEMENT was celebrated as proud parents assembled at King Edward VI School’s Levi Fox Hall last week for the annual Speech Day and awards evening.
The occasion heralded some of student successes throughout the school year and was also attended by specially invited guests from the district, including Herald editor Amanda Chalmers.
Awards recognised high achievers in a breadth of fields ranging from science, languages and sporting prowess through to engineering, economics and citizenship.
In his address, headmaster Bennett Carr shared the highlights of the year, including the Boat Club’s competitive triumphs; success in the rugby Natwest Cup; Warwickshire County Cup cricket final and Shakespeare’s Swords clean sweep of wins. He also spoke of the school’s inaugural Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Day and Computer Fair; Christmas charity event KEStival; their part in the 450th Shakespeare birthday celebrations and the royal visit by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Recalling the unveiling of the WWI memorial plaque in Stratford’s Gardens of Remembrance which lists the 31 boys and one master who died in conflict, Mr Carr said: “It was obviously a sad day but we were buoyed by the news that our lobbying of the Government, in conjunction with the Stratford Herald and Nadhim Zahawi MP, had been successful and that the 100th anniversary of the awarding of Rex’s Victoria Cross will be commemorated with the laying of a paving stone outside the Guildhall in June next year.”
It was also an opportunity to reflect on the academic attainments.
A record 57% of A Level papers were graded A*/A with 31 students obtaining three A grades or better – another record. To achieve such high numbers of top grades is particularly pleasing given the well-publicised decline in these grades being awarded nationally this year.
The stand-out performance was by Bela Varga-Elmiyeh who obtained a remarkable 6 A* grades and will be taking up his place to study Medicine at Trinity College, Cambridge. Other particularly noteworthy results were achieved by Henry Dawes, Chris Glover, Chris Moore, Rory Maybery and James Wilkinson who all achieved three or more A* grades.
At GCSE there was a 100% pass rate with over three-quarters of papers graded A* or A.
Mr Carr said: “This is the first time in a generation that students have sat terminal examinations rather than modules taken throughout the course and, whilst Year 11 did not quite match the previous two record years, the students and their teachers deserve great credit for obtaining these results under more challenging circumstances.”
Forty students were able to celebrate achieving another record of at least 10 A* and A grades. Amongst them were Samuel Harrison-Ray, Guy Hughes and Andrew Markham who secured twelve A*s and George Hodson, Zak Price and Joe Taylor who obtained eleven.
Mr Carr added: “King Edward VI School is an ancient and distinguished institution preserving traditional values yet turning out considerate and balanced young people ready for the challenges of the modern world, I think that, between us, we can all be very proud.
“What defines a School, of course, is the quality of its relationships and the range and extent of its academic and co-curricular successes. In this year of history and history-making, we have every reason to be proud of all at KES.”
Guest speakers for the evening were Chairman of Governors Dr David Derbyshire andDirector of Globe Education at Shkespeare’s Globe, Patrick Spottiswoode FKC, DLitt(h.c)
The vote of thanks was given by Head Boy Aleksei Zaboronsky.