A girl from Walmer will sit her first GCSE exam today and she’s only nine.

Sofia Squire, of Finch Mews, is following in her sister’s footsteps by taking her Italian GCSE before she’s even reached secondary school.

The St Mary’s Primary School pupil has been taught the language by her English-born mother Rosaria, whose mother is Italian.

She dedicates a little time every night to master the writing aspect and told our sister paper the East Kent Mercury she’s aiming high.

She said: “I’m feeling very scared but I’m quite confident with what I have to do.

“I would like to achieve at least an A grade.”

The keen gymnast at Deal Gym Club added: “My teacher at school is very impressed and said good luck to me and my friends and family want me to get a high grade.”

Sofia has already completed the speaking and writing aspects of the exam.

"I'm feeling very scared but I'm quite confident with what I have to do" - Sofia Squire

She will do the remaining reading and listening sections at King’s College in Canterbury today.

She’ll receive her results on the same day as thousands of teenagers around the country on Thursday, August 24.

Sofia’s sister Natalia Squire, now 15, sat the exam when she was 10 obtaining an overall A grade.

Mrs Squire, who would read to her children in Italian from a young age, said: “It’s hard work for them but it gives them an opportunity to have an extra GCSE qualification.”

She explained that many seondary schools do not teach the language.

She added: “I think it’s best for them to do it while they’re young because if they do it when they’re doing other GCSEs, people will think it’s easy for them.”