Onward Routes for our Upper Sixth - Non UCAS Success Stories

April 1, 2025

Here at Norwich School we are delighted to celebrate the talented diversity of our Upper Sixth cohort as offers for onward routes continue to come in. Following on from blog posts on law and girls’ STEM university offers, we have chosen to focus on offers pupils have for non UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK) routes.


With expert guidance from Mr Croston, pupils have received offers from leading universities in several countries outside of the UK. Congratulations in particular to Uma Patel (offer for Dentistry at the Universidad Catolica de Valencia, Spain), Edward Chan (Architecture at Hong Kong University), Bosco Tang (Dentistry at Hong Kong University) and Helen Ng (Computer Science at UST, University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong).


A huge variety of exciting opportunities with employers are now available to school leavers, almost all combining paid employment with training and further qualifications. The number of degree apprenticeships available in the UK is now four times what it was five years ago; our pupils who gain offers for these will work for a leading employer who trains them, pays them and pays for them to complete a full university degree alongside their employment. We are very fortunate to have Mrs James supporting pupils as they apply for these highly competitive programmes.


This blog post asks three pupils about their offers for non UCAS routes: Ava deCooper Wride has a full rugby scholarship for Quinnipiac University (USA), Archie Taylor has an accountancy degree apprenticeship offer from Price Bailey and Hugo Pattinson has an engineering degree apprenticeship offer from Airbus.

Ava deCooper Wride


Tell us about the US university offer that you've received i.e. what course(s) at which unis, what is the scholarship


I’m pleased to share that I’ve received an offer from Quinnipiac University, located in Connecticut on the East Coast (of the USA). I’ve been awarded a full academic and athletic scholarship, which I’m really grateful for. I haven’t decided on a major yet, as I’ll have the chance to explore different options during my first year before making a decision.

How did you secure this fantastic achievement? What did the application/selection process involve and when?


I began to build relationships with coaches in Lower 6. I achieved this through frequent calls and video footage submissions while also registering with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). My coaches in England provided references, and I completed an online application followed by a face-to-face interview call. Eventually, I was invited on a three-day trip to meet the coaches and players in October 2024, which allowed both sides to assess if it was the right fit.

How did Norwich School help you during this application process?


There was a significant amount of paperwork involved, as Quinnipiac University were keen to assess my academic profile. This process included academic and character references from various teachers. Also character references from my sports coaches at school. Finally, a transcript of my grades and predicted grades, was compiled and submitted by Mr Croston.


What attracted you to studying in the USA? Tell us a bit more about the rugby out there.

One of the biggest reasons I was drawn to studying in the USA is how seriously they take collegiate sports. The level of funding, media coverage, and overall competitiveness is on a completely different scale compared to the UK. Women’s rugby, especially 7s, is also growing rapidly there, which makes it an exciting time to be part of the sport. I’ll be competing in Division 1 (D1), the top league, and training five days a week, with matches most weekends. The travel varies - many D1 universities that I will play are on the East Coast, but some tournaments, like the Tropical 7s in Florida, require trips across the country.


Tell us about the rugby you currently play - which club/side, any highlights to date.

Currently, I play club rugby for Norwich. I’ve also had the opportunity to play for Saracens, and I’m now in the PDG phase of the England Pathway, continuing to develop my game at a higher level.


You're a talented all-around sportswoman who holds a sports scholarship here. Which sports have you represented Norwich School (and/or any local/county sides..?) for and at what level? How have these other sports and/or the sports scholarship programme here helped your rugby?


At Norwich School, I’ve had the opportunity to play a wide range of sports, from tennis to cricket to hockey. However, the sport I’ve been most involved in has been netball. Outside of school, for netball, I play for Norfolk United and was previously part of the Saracens Mavericks pathway. I believe that playing multiple sports has really contributed to my development in rugby and vice versa - I think that playing any sport helps build game sense and a strong understanding of fundamental skills. Norwich School has also played a big role in my overall athletic growth. Through Athletic Development, I’ve improved my conditioning, and I’ve also gained valuable knowledge in areas like sports nutrition and psychology. All of this has helped me stay fit, healthy, and continue progressing in my sport.

Archie Taylor


Tell us about the degree apprenticeship offer you have received.


I have received an offer from Price Bailey. I am based in the Norwich office in the outsourcing department. In this programme I will work a full-time job allowing me to gain hands-on experience while earning a level 7 qualification (masters equivalent) this will last for 5 years.

You also applied through UCAS for 'normal' degree course and have received several offers from top universities. What attracted you to applying to employers for a degree apprenticeship as a preferred route to this?


I was particularly drawn to the degree apprenticeship route because of its combination of practical experience and academic study. The opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in real world setting, earn a salary while earning industry recognized qualifications without student debt and have the chance to become financially independent at the age of 18 was a big pull factor. Additionally working at Price Bailey will allow me to develop professional networks early in my career, putting me in a strong position for the future. Also, as the graduate market becomes increasingly competitive, I will have 5 years of professional work experience and if all goes well an offer to stay on at Price Bailey with no student debt.

How did you apply for your degree apprenticeships and what did the application process involve?


Overall, I applied to 23-degree apprenticeships (as they are highly competitive) by researching firms that offer a good, structured program with good career progression. The application process typically involved submitting an online application, followed by personality quizzes, situational judgement tests and potentially a numerical test depending on the industry. Then there will usually be a video interview stage where you film your answer to a question that you have around 2 minutes to prepare for. After this I was invited to an in-person assessment centre day where there are typically 5-20 people there going for a limited number of roles. This day will vary from different industries, but my day consisted of a 25-minute numerical test, a Q&A with the hiring managers and then 2 group tasks where we had to collaboratively find solutions to a business's problems from sources supplied to us and then give a 10 minute presentation to the hiring managers. This was mainly testing problem solving ability and most importantly the ability to work well collaboratively in a team. After this I was invited to an online interview with a younger person at the firm and an older experienced partner, this typically lasts from 20-45 minutes. The process is very rigorous and time-consuming, but it provided a great insight into the expectations of the industry.


How did Norwich School help you achieve this offer?


To begin with I spoke to Mrs James about career opportunities through apprenticeships as I was confident that was the path I wanted to take. Mrs James then provided support with CV writing and checking that it was good quality. After this when I made it to the assessment centre, I was able to reach out to her to ask for advice on how I should present myself and go about the day. Then when I made it to the interview stage, I had a mock interview with Mrs James and went through any questions I had, which helped with my confidence going into the real thing.


How will your degree apprenticeship work?


The job mixes on the job training alongside academic studying. I will be working 5 days a week with the option to work from home whenever convenient while studying for the ACA qualification which has a typical duration of 5 years. The firm provides study help alongside work; I will get time off work to attend lectures and take exams, while the rest of the revision I am responsible for doing outside of working hours. Over the course of the program, I will work towards professional qualifications, while gradually taking on more responsibilities within the firm.


What else have you been involved in at Norwich School outside of academic work? Will you be able to continue these activities when you start your degree apprenticeship in the autumn?


Beyond academics, I have been heavily involved in cricket and rugby at Norwich School, playing in the 1st team for both. While my apprenticeship will require commitment, I plan to continue to play cricket for Norfolk U18s and Lowestoft      Town 1st XI. Maintaining a work-life balance is important so I will maintain a consistent gym and running routine on the side. The structured nature of the degree apprenticeship allows for flexibility, enabling me to manage professional  and personal commitments effectively.

Hugo Pattison


Tell us about the degree apprenticeship offer you have received.

I have been offered an Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with Airbus.

You also applied through UCAS for 'normal' degree course and have received several offers from top universities. What attracted you to applying to employers for a degree apprenticeship as a preferred route to this?


I learned of degree apprenticeships though attending several careers fairs. At these I was able to talk to current degree apprentices and I found out about all of the various benefits of the courses alongside the working environment, this alongside the pay and lack of student debt made degree apprenticeships appeal to me massively.


How did you apply for your degree apprenticeships and what did the application process involve?

I applied directly through the company’s careers website. The Airbus application process required me to submit a CV and a covering letter, followed by a virtual assessment centre that included group work and an individual interview.
This process did vary slightly compared to applications for other companies.


How did Norwich School help you achieve this offer?


Through Mrs James I completed the Apprenticeship Academy which helped me to establish good interview habits and to answer questions concisely and to the point. I also believe that mock interviews in Lower 6 helped to set me up for this process.


How will your degree apprenticeship work? 

I will be working at Airbus' East Factory, moving through several rotations in different departments of engineering throughout the site.


What else have you been involved in at Norwich School outside of academic work? Will you be able to continue these activities when you start your degree apprenticeship in the autumn?


I have played rugby throughout my time at Norwich School and more recently become a member of the Boat Club (rowing). At this point I am unsure which pursuits I will keep up once I've left school but I will certainly be doing  something!

By Eleanor Lewis May 29, 2025
Ellie Thwaites represented Norwich School in the Youth Nationals in Wales. To celebrate her success in this competition and in sailing as a whole, we asked her a few questions. How long have you been sailing? I have been sailing for my whole life, I learnt to sail in my optimist on Wroxham Broad. I sailed that for about 3 years, then I moved into the topper 4.2, and began traveling regionally and nationally to compete. I was in the 4.2 for about 3 years, then I moved into the topper 5.3 (which is a bigger rig) I sailed in this rig for 2-3 years, of which I became eastern region champion in my final year. I then moved into the ilca4 which I have only recently moved out of, I am now in the ILCA 6, I have competed in two competitions so far in the 6, one of which was the British Youth Nationals. What do you enjoy about sailing? I love how competitive it can be, and also how much freedom you have. Out on the water you have to be very self sufficient since you are out there for 4-5 hours per day. You get to connect with nature, being out in the waves, you see so many animals, like jelly fish, dolphins, seals. Do you take part in any other sports in school? I mainly take part in rowing at school, as it builds my fitness for sailing. I really enjoy it and the training really helps me improve my fitness. I love the competitive factor in rowing, and I love how you are pushing yourself to the max, I am quite a competitive person, so this drives me! How has Norwich School supported you in your sailing? All of my sailing and rowing coaches have been extremely supportive in my sailing journey. Norwich school has helped me by allowing me to leave school to go to events such as these and training, they have helped me with managing my work loads, and giving me extensions. What was preparation like for the nationals? I have been training a lot over the winter, most of my weekends are spent down to the south coast, Weymouth, for training weekends in the ILCAs. How did nationals go? Nationals went very well, I came into the event with the goal of coming in the top 8. But I was going to take it as a learning event, as I have only competed in the boat twice. The first day was very windy and big waves, these were good conditions for me, and lead to me coming off the water with some good results on day one. This consistency continued throughout the event, with mainly 4ths, 3rds, 2nds, 1sts. This meant that by the medal race I was in 2nd place. However my medal race didn’t go as I wanted it to, leading me to come 3rd overall. I was super happy with this result, I learnt lots about the boat and about the venue. All in all it was a very successful week. What are your future hopes in sailing? Eventually I want to make it to the Olympics, that is my end goal. What would you say to anyone who wants to get involved with sailing? Go try it!! You will learn so much and it is such an enjoyable sport, and life skill! Norwich sailing is so welcoming, and is for all skill levels. 
May 23, 2025
The children in Lower 1 and Upper 1 took to the stage at The Blake Studio to perform their rendition of the magical and enchanting musical production, Wiz Wham Alakazam to parents, grandparents and residents of The Great Hospital. In this enchanting production, the young wizards of Sun Castle faced a day like no other. One moment the sun was shining brightly over the castle, and the next it mysteriously became dimmer. The resident wizards were thrown into chaos as the Chief Wizard led the spell-casters on an adventure to bring back the light. With plenty of magic spells, and just a sprinkle of disorder, the story unfolded with excitement, charm, and laughter. From the very first scene, the children lit up the stage with confident line delivery and infectious enthusiasm. Each child played their part, whether it was casting spells, performing gymnastic and dance routines, or helping find the important but oldest Spell Book. The Ice Creatures made a dramatic entrance – eerie and impressive – with expressive performances that added just the right touch of tension. Musical numbers such as "Teamwork", "Ice Creatures", and the "Wizards of the Sun" showcased the children’s growing talent in both singing and acting. All the songs were performed with energy, clarity, and joy. The production was a celebration of creativity and teamwork, with every young performer contributing to the magic. Wiz Wham Alakazam was a joyful, spellbinding success — packed with music, movement, mystery and the unforgettable charm of Sun Castle’s youngest stars. Mrs Barclay commented "The children have worked so hard to learn their lines and songs and I am very proud of their performances. It has been a delight working with this group of passionate and talented children." 
By Eleanor Lewis May 23, 2025
This year's Children's Yoga Community Service group had great fun creating a yoga class for nursery and reception-aged children based on Julia Donaldson's book 'Superworm'. L6 pupils Uliana Bielova, Thomas Chester and Lizzie Taylor were later joined by Chloe Holmes and visited White House Farm Primary School, Magdalen Gates Primary School, our own Lower School reception class as well as four Once Upon a Time nurseries. They were greeted with lots of enthusiasm from the children and teachers/carers alike. The yoga lessons were fun, interactive and had everyone smiling!  The pupils themselves learned a variety of skills from lesson planning and working with children to public speaking and how to do yoga! They worked well as a team and got a lot out of the experience, as Lizzie Taylor explains: '‘I absolutely loved teaching kids yoga! Children are like natural bursts of serotonin, I always came back to school feeling happy.’
By Eleanor Lewis May 23, 2025
Congratulations to Lower Sixth pupils Nicholas and Kwame on their outstanding international sporting achievements this term, proudly representing Great Britain and England in Rowing and Rugby respectively. Nicholas has enjoyed a remarkable year, consistently delivering impressive performances at various GB U19 Rowing Trials. At the Spring Trial Regatta in April, he secured an excellent second place in the Pairs event, earning selection for the GB U19 Rowing Team. Competing at the Munich International Regatta, Nicholas helped the team win silver in the coxless four and double gold in the eight, triumphing over strong international competition. He will now progress to Crew Formation in July, where final selections will be made for the U19 World and European Championships. Kwame, a key member of the Boys’ 1st XV since Upper Fifth, was invited to the England U17 training camp held at Hartpury earlier this term. In a match against a university side, he made a strong impression by scoring in a victory for the national team. Kwame also continues to play a vital role in the Leicester Tigers U18 Academy side.  We are incredibly proud of both Nicholas and Kwame for these exceptional accomplishments and look forward to following their continued success in the year ahead.
By Eleanor Lewis May 22, 2025
We heard on the grapeVINE (!) that our own Head of Music for the Lower School, Mr Vine, is starting his very own chamber orchestra, so we caught up with him to find out more... How did the idea of a Norfolk Chamber Orchestra come about? For me, the perfect ensemble is a small group creating Chamber music. I love its intimacy, feel, vibe and with the right musicians you can ignite something truly special. I decided a couple of years ago that Suffolk needed a really cool string ensemble, so I set up Suffolk Chamber Orchestra and we have just given our debut concert in Aldeburgh at the Jubilee Hall, where once the great Benjamin Britten stood and performed. And I thought, why just have one orchestra! So, I also created the Norfolk Chamber Orchestra. Both groups are string ensembles, and both feature incredible local players (some ex-London professionals who now live here and some outstanding local musicians that I've taken 4 years to find) How long have you been playing music/singing? What is your musical history? My musical background started at the age of 4, I asked for a violin and that has stayed with me for my whole life. I have been very fortunate to have been able to play with every major orchestra in London and across the UK including Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Sinfonia of London, BBC National Orchestra of Wales to name but a few. I then got into recording and session work and have worked, toured and recorded with a lot of high-profile artists such as Madonna, Oasis, Paul Weller, David Gray, Kylie, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, Take That, Robbie Williams and more. I've also enjoyed working closely with underground artists such as Pressure Drop, Fabio and Grooverider, Tipper and Goldie. What kind of music does the orchestra perform? Is there any way we can listen to it? At the moment the Norfolk Chamber Orchestra is just getting started and our debut concert will be on the 21st June at the Octagon Chapel in Norwich which is a really beautiful venue. Part of our plan is to champion beautiful Norfolk venues, and this is a great one to start with. It will a concert inspired by the coming of night called 'Nachtmusik' and will feature music by Mozart, Borodin, Dvorak and a UK Premiere by Eric Whitacre of 'Sleep' arranged for String ensemble. The concert will start at 7pm and will be for 1 hour and under 12's get in free! The link for tickets is here > Norfolk Chamber Orchestra - Norwich Octagon NACHT MUSIK at Octagon Chapel event tickets from TicketSource How often do you rehearse? How does this work with your work schedule at the school? Because of how brilliant the players are, we will rehearse on the day of the concert, unless we're doing something very contemporary or new. I am the leader and director which means I have to know everything that everyone is playing as there is no conductor - another great thing about having a chamber orchestra! Everyone is together, it's a collaborative feeling. A lot of our concerts will be at weekends, so it balances nicely with my work schedule at Norwich School. Who do you think has been your greatest musical influence? Why? I feel very lucky to have met some incredible musicians throughout my life. It's not necessarily the ones who are the best musically, but I love the ones who have the best stories! I spent some time with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend from The Who and also Robert Plant and Jimmy Page from Led Zepplin. In terms in inspiring figures, they are up there - and you can imagine the stories! Also remember having a very long night with Tom and Ed ( Chemical Brothers ) at the Cobden Club in London. They wanted to talk about the intricacies of Baroque music and Bach's influence on everything! I then went back to their studio, and they played me the demo of Galvanise! Crazy!
By Eleanor Lewis May 22, 2025
The U13 and U15 Boys tennis teams began their seasons with a fixture against Hethersett Academy at the Lower Close on Thursday 22 May. The U15s got the proceedings started with their singles matches and there were notable wins for Rufus Snelling at 1 against an opponent he had never beaten and Himash Amarawickrama at 4. Raffy Pantazis and Lucas Berney were just edged out in their singles matches so the game was in the balance going into the doubles. Things looked a little ominous as Rufus and Raffy were easily beaten but thankfully Lucas and his partner, Milo Delahunty levelled up the match with a convincing 6-2 win in their doubles match. So it came down to a shoot out tiebreak as it has against these opponents for the last two years! Lucas partnered Rufus and it was nip and tuck the whole way with some great doubles being played by both sides but at 8 all Hethersett just showed a little more composure and won the next two points and with it the match by 4 matches to 3. The U13s game was a little more straightforward with wins in the singles for Josh Bond, Will Jenkins and Sam King. Josh also won his doubles with his partner Arthur Lamb but it was left to the final pairing of Will and Aarush Arkala to secure the match with a dramatic comeback in their doubles. After trailing 2-5 they then won 4 games on the run to secure a thrilling victory. Final score a 5-1 win for Norwich School.
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
Wednesday 21 May quite literally began with a bang! Upper 2 took part in the eagerly awaited Catapult Day, a hands-on exploration that linked directly to the engineering and design elements of our curriculum—with plenty of opportunities to apply mathematical skills along the way. The day began with students measuring the size and mass of a variety of projectiles—from the humble golf ball to the impressively weighty shot put—developing their understanding of data collection, force, and motion. Then came the real excitement: launching those projectiles! Starting by hand, pupils then progressed to an impressive arsenal of historical siege machines, including the Mangonel, Perrier, and Trebuchet. They also had the chance to try their hand at a composite bow and a crossbow, adding a dash of medieval flair to their practical investigations. The day concluded with a suitably dramatic finale, as the younger pupils joined just in time to watch Jacob ignite the cannon—because, let’s face it, nothing quite wraps up a school day like a controlled explosion and the smell of gunpowder in the air! Ali: 'Very fun and I learnt a lot. My highlight was when me and my team pulled the rope down on the perrier to launch the tennis ball!' Tallulah, Darcy, Olivia: 'It was very exciting because we learnt stuff we had never learnt before and we got to try things we've never experienced before! Just don't ask Mr Love about breaking the perrier...!' Oscar: ‘It was very fun and you got to have a go on cross bows, and a bow and arrow.’ Lucas: ‘It was really fun, we got into groups and fired catapults’ Muhammad Ameen: ‘I really liked the canon because when your put fire in it, it went boom.’
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The Trinity term began with 10 J15 and J16 rowers representing the Eastern region at the Junior Inter Regional Regatta. All crews reached the A Finals, with J. Howard and J. Hawkes winning a Silver medal in the J16 Pairs. Sunday 4 May saw the Senior Boys and Girls crews raced at Wallingford Regatta in some tricky cross winds. One of the Girls Coxed Fours was less than 1 second off a place in the Repechage. A valuable day of racing to the start of the Regatta season. The following weekend the Senior Boys and J15 Boys and Girls crews raced at Nottingham City. The four Senior boys that had raced a Quad the previous weekend, switched to a Coxed Four and had a great race against Emmanuel College, leading until the last 250m. The J15 crews were all racing as Development Crews (open to all ages), but again had some good racing beating from Club and Cambridge College crews. The First Eight put a tough morning race behind them to win the Open Eights event in the afternoon.  Daniel White and Nicholas Conway attended the GB U19 Spring Trial Regatta at the start of term. A 17th place was achieved by Daniel and a phenomonal 2nd place for Nicholas. This result gained Nicholas selection to race for GB U19 at Munich International Regatta. Some exciting racing saw Nicholas win Silver in the Coxlesss Four and Gold in the Eights. This week sees all year groups racing at the National Schools Regatta in Nottingham. The J14s Boys and Girls and J15 Boys race on Friday and the Seniors and J15 Girls race on Saturday, with the Boys 1st Eight racing again on Sunday. We wish them all a successful regatta.
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The school was buzzing with excitement as students came together for a lively Informal Dance Celebration! Children from across all year groups took to the stage to showcase their incredible talent, energy, and creativity.  The event featured a vibrant mix of dance styles, with something for everyone to enjoy. From the high-energy beats of Hip Hop to the grace and poise of Ballet, and the spirited routines of Cheerleading, each performance lit up the room and had the audience clapping along. It was a joyful celebration of movement, music, and student spirit — a chance for everyone to shine and support one another in a fun, informal setting. A big well done to all the dancers for their hard work and enthusiasm!
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The Cricket program has enjoyed an outstanding start to the term, with the fine weather and sunshine providing the perfect backdrop for a series of impressive individual and team performances. Both our U13 and U15 girls’ teams qualified for the Indoor Regional Finals after strong victories in the County rounds, and their hard work during the Winter was rewarded. Our 1st XI girls have begun their season in remarkable fashion, progressing to the third round of the School Magazine Cup. A standout highlight came in their win over Oakham, where India Fox and Alice Brand shared a phenomenal 215-run opening partnership. We also celebrated a historic milestone as Bella Borges became the first girl to score a century for the school. On the boys’ side, the 1st XI remain unbeaten this term and have advanced to the third round of the National Cup, where they will face Oundle. The U15A boys are now County Cup champions, having already recorded impressive victories against Warwick School and Stamford in the National Cup. Across all teams, we’ve seen several hat-tricks and other exceptional individual displays that reflect the depth of talent developing across the program.  We look forward to building on this early momentum as the term progresses.
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