These pupils gained the required grades and went onto start these courses in autumn 2025.

Case Study – Georgia Hodgson:

1. Tell us about the university offers that you've received so far:

Currently, I’ve received offers from Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and UEA for Medicine and Warwick for Biomedical Sciences!

2. On top of the usual UCAS application form, what else have you had to do as part of the admissions process to be considered for these highly competitive courses?

For my medicine applications, I’ve had to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) entrance exam, which happened over the summer (between Lower 6 and Upper 6), and complete interviews at all four universities. These interviews involved learning about current NHS affairs, exploring skills from work experience/volunteer work and, for

Cambridge, applying scientific knowledge from A Levels.

3. How did Norwich School help you during the university application process?

Norwich School provided support during Lower 6 in the form of Apply Plus sessions, in which we were encouraged to think ahead about work experience, volunteering and super-curriculars; I found these sessions very insightful as I learnt a lot about the application process pre-emptively and was able to tackle my UCAS application a lot better as a result! During Upper 6, there was also support for interview preparation for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine applicants as we were able to take part in a mock interview, which helped me to identify my weaker areas and gave me an idea of how to prepare and what’s involved.

4. Which other activities in sixth form helped strengthen your application?

Volunteering was a key experience that supported my application; I had undertaken some volunteering at Able2B, as well as partaking in community service through school. These experiences provided valuable learning opportunities that I was able to reflect on in my application and discuss at the interview. I also shadowed doctors in a hospital, which gave me a realistic view of what medicine entails that I could tie into my personal statement and interview answers, and excited and motivated me about the prospects of entering a career in medicine! On top of these, I completed and presented an 8000-word research project on the link between depression and cardiac health, entered several STEMM Olympiads and completed the Youth STEMM Award.

5. Outside of medicine-related activities, what have you been involved in at Norwich School during sixth form?

During sixth form at Norwich School, I’ve led the Debating and Erpingham Societies, as well as taken up my new role in Upper 6 as Head of School and EDI. These have helped me develop other skills, especially those in communication and organisation, and have been a lot of fun! A particular highlight was being part of a team ranked 26th internationally at a debating competition!

6. Which offer do you think you will pick as your CF (conditional firm) and what most excites you about that course?

I’m hoping to CF Cambridge’s medicine course! I find a lot of aspects of the course exciting; however, a particular aspect is the opportunity to intercalate in the 3rd year! I think this will help to broaden my knowledge and understanding of medicine and science as a whole, and the chance to research is an exciting prospect! I also look forward to participating in supervisions and discussing the subject with incredible scientists and researchers!

Case study – Barnaby Karlson-Evans

1. Tell us about the university offers that you've received so far i.e. what course(s) at which unis.

I have now received all of my offers, among those, Nottingham, York, Warwick and Durham for Law LLB (3 Years).

2. On top of the usual UCAS application form, what else have you had to do as part of the admissions process to be considered for these highly competitive courses?

Ultimately, as an applicant, you want to prove why you are passionate about law. Certainly, when it comes to this field, work experience is desirable by universities. Although it’s not a requirement, it helps one’s application to stand out, which is beneficial as these courses become more competitive year on year. Universities understand that legal experience isn’t by any means easy to get, and if you find yourself in that position, don’t be disheartened; you can still attend talks, webinars, online courses or even sit in a courtroom as a member of the public. These alternatives don’t require you to contact someone in the legal field, are much easier to obtain and have just the same value.

3. How did Norwich School help you during the university application process?

Mrs Warren and Mr Pearce were invaluable when it came to the application process. Explaining admissions assessments, checking over applications, proofreading and suggesting revisions to a personal statement are all examples of what the school helps with. They are both very knowledgeable and are always happy to help address any concerns. This all helps to take the pressure off during a workload-intensive time of study and thus, make the process a lot less stressful.

4. Which other activities in sixth form helped strengthen your application?

The Independent Schools’ Mock Law Trial is one of the activities that strengthened my application. Getting hands-on experience, in a courtroom, acting as counsel (among other roles) is an invaluable skill which not only looks fantastic on your personal statement but also helps in other walks of life too, such as public speaking. Last year, the school progressed onto the national round, competing at the Old Bailey in London. This was a brilliant experience and if you’re interested in law, but not sure if it’s right for you, this can be a good taster of the subject and help you make up your mind. Debating Society was also an activity I used to do. It presents many opportunities to compete across the country, and also develops one’s critical thinking skills, which is beneficial when taking the LNAT, a law aptitude test, required by some universities.

5. Outside of law-related activities, what have you been involved in at Norwich School during sixth form?

I particularly enjoyed being a part of Amnesty Society, where we organised charitable events and collaborated with other schools and organisations across Norfolk. Although academic study is a major part of Sixth Form, it is important to be involved in other clubs and societies too, and this can also help to add depth to your personal statement.