Despite being a year younger than the rest of her class, former Springwood High School student Zion Noble is celebrating securing a place at Oxford University.

There were celebrations across the board, when Springwood High School students came together to mark the end of the academic year and their Key Stage 3 studies.

Some very big cats were among the patients, when a former Springwood High School student honed her veterinary skills at the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Our students celebrated the end of the academic year at their very own fun-filled festival, which involved a range of activities, as well as music and refreshments.

Open to all Year 8 students at Springwood High School who had successfully completed the Endeavour Programme over the course of the year, ‘Springfest’ featured a variety of entertainment, from a bouncy castle and climbing wall, to a bucking bronco.

As well as attending, the students had helped organise and fund the all-day festival, raising money through a series of initiatives, which included bake sales, penalty shoot outs, sports matches, and other sponsored events.

The Endeavour Scheme comprises nine different challenges, and aims to develop young people’s independent thinking. Participants are encouraged to try new experiences, such as article writing, performance reviewing, representing their school house, and leading an assembly – as well as organising a fundraising event.

Springfest has become a popular annual event on the calendar at our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, with around 270 students joining the celebration.

Our students and staff are celebrating another record year of A-Level results at Springwood High School Sixth Form.

More than 20% of grades achieved were A*/A, which is a 1% increase on last year’s results, while 49% of students secured an A*, A or B, and 76% of students gained A* to C grades, both up 2% on 2025’s results.

We have also seen an improvement in the number of students gaining A* and A grades at A-Level, alongside improvements in Distinction* and Distinctions in vocational subjects.

Among the high-fliers was Kevin Monk with A* grades in Chemistry, Maths, Further Mathematics, and Physics – the highest results at our school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“I was shocked but happy with my results,” said the 18-year-old, who is going on to study Electronic Engineering.

“I have had a lot of support from my teachers – they’ve been very good.”

Classmate Merry Enters was also celebrating, with A*, A, and B grades in Physics, Maths, and Music Technology. He will now go on to read Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Trinity College, Oxford, with a view of working in economics.

“It’s the best university in the world for a reason,” he said. “For what I want to go into, I think it’s a really strong foundation.

“Overall, at Springwood there have been individual teachers that have really stood out, and believed in me when I wanted to apply to Oxford. They said just go for it.

“The exposure to lots of different kinds of people, and the ability to have conversations with people all the time about different things, in lessons and outside of lessons, helped me to decide what role I wanted to go into in the future.”

Heading to an equally prestigious academic institution was Eva Kalabina, whose three A*s and A have secured her a place at Downing College, Cambridge, where she will study Economics, Law, and Environment.

“I’m elated,” she said. “I thought I might get one A*, but to get three is just insane!

“I always had an interest in Economics, but when I started studying it at A-Level, it was definitely something that drew me. I knew I didn’t want to do a pure economics degree – the degree I’m going to do is more case-study based, and to do with real-life scenarios and what’s going on in the world, and less based on purely mathematics economics.

“My time at Springwood has been really great, and it’s been a really great environment to do my A-Levels.”

Joining her at Cambridge will be Amelie Hayward, and Zion Noble, who, at just 17 years of age, is deferring her place until 2027.

With three A*s and an A, Oliver Wright is off to Durham University to study Maths and Physics, while Lucy Wills Gillings (two As, one B) will read Law at Sheffield, Angelo Alvarez (A*AA)will study Maths at Bristol, and Lily Barker (three A*s) will read History at Lincoln.

Closer to home, Gracie Collinson will be taking up a place at Anglia Ruskin to study Psychology, after securing a Distinction*, A*, and a B. Musician and composer Iamyrl Falculan gained an A and two Bs and will study Music at Royal Holloway in London.

Also off to university are Jared Hill (AAB), who will study Sports & Exercise Science at Manchester; William Thompson (A*AA), studying Computer Science at Nottingham; Isaac Roberts (AAAD), who is heading to Exeter to study Mechanical Engineering; Theo Morrell (AAAC), studying Architecture at Bath; and Eva Rust (A*AA) studying Psychology at South Wales.

There was a particularly strong showing from students going on to study medicine, with Holly MacGowan, Isabella McKenzie, Ashwini Pasapula, and Tessa Jaison all choosing to take the subject at university; while Beth Wybrow, Lorena Lalbin, Zoe Wilson, and James Nguyen are opting to study Physiotherapy.

Isobel Warner-Lynn and Maisie Gray will be studying Occupational Therapy; Milana Bulauskaite and John-Henry Gipp studying Radiography; and Kamayshika Sivarupan studying Optometry.

Lily Holtom-Williams, Sharon Rinto, Tricia Cantalejo, Karolina Repinskaite, and Mia Jackson will all be studying Nursing; and Annmaria Cyriac, Josie Draper, and Freya Hoare will take up Midwifery.

Other students will be taking up apprenticeships, including Emilie Burr at Rolls Royce; Imogen Portass-Bowen at Peters, Elworthy & Moore accountants; Isla Evans and Penny Kent at Hawkins Ryan solicitors; and Jessica Berry at Norfolk Agents estate agency.

Also progressing to accountancy apprenticeships were Marissa Harrison, Jack Bumstead, Henry Dark, and Muhammad Shakeel, while Harry Christie will train as a quantity surveyor, and Daniel Morters will take up an apprenticeship as a RAF Avionics Technician and James Bell as an RAF Cyberspace Communications Specialist.

Emily Gray will join Giggles n Squiggles Nursery as an apprentice; Charlie King and Robbie Sutherland are off to Bespak Engineering; Ronan Oakes to Eurotech Engineering; Darcy Young to Cooper Roller Bearings; and Alfred Wright to PGL.

Our Executive Headteacher, Andy Johnson, was delighted with the cohort’s achievements.

“This is a record excellent year for the school,” he said. “It is wonderful to see so many students head to their first-choice destination with excellent grades, whether that be university or higher-level apprenticeships.

“This is testament to the hard work of both students and their teachers.”

Chair of Governors Roger Livesey, added: “We are incredibly proud of our Year 13 students today. Beyond their academic success, they have fostered a fantastic sense of community, supporting one another every step of the way and leaving a lasting, positive legacy at Springwood Sixth Form."