A DYSLEXIC student, who has stunned her tutors with her dedication, has been nominated for a prestigious national education award.

Shelley Wright, from Hornyold Avenue, Malvern, has suffered from a severe case of the learning difficulty since childhood.

Having left school at 15 with no qualifications, she worked as a retail manager for two years before realising her potential and becoming determined to succeed in her studies.

At 26 she is now a mature student at the University of Brighton, and one of seven hopefuls shortlisted for the BTEC Higher National Achievement Award.

"When I was 23, I enrolled in an access course and found myself to be inferior in both academic ability and interpersonal skills relative to the younger students, who were my peers," she said.

"But I was determined to commit myself to the course and overcome these obstacles. I discovered progressively that through discipline and application I was able to gain high grades within the group.

"The result finally gave me the confidence to proceed with higher education. Overcoming the drawback of dyslexia has involved hard work and perseverance."

She is currently studying a Higher National Diploma (HND) course in Business and Finance, and has been achieving some of the highest grades in her group.

John Kerr, chief executive of Edexcel, which is sponsoring the awards, has been amazed by her dedication.

"Miss Wright is a remarkable and talented student and has shown great strength of character throughout her studies," he said.

If she wins the award, she will scoop £1,000 to spend on an educational activity or item of her choice, with her university receiving the same amount.

Outstanding

She has also been put forward for the Outstanding Student of the Year Award, for which she could win £5,000 for herself and the University of Brighton.

The awards will be presented, by Secretary of State for Education Charles Clarke, at a special dinner at the London Marriott Hotel on Wednesday, July 9.

Miss Wright also works tirelessly in the community, including helping in Kuwait after the first Gulf War, volunteering for Catholic Aid's overseas development programme and raising funds for leukaemia research.