Oxbridge Students Return to KES Sixth Form to Inspire Future University Applicants 

Two former students of King Edward VII Sixth Form who are now studying at Oxford and Cambridge Universities returned to their old sixth form, aiming to inspire the next generation of local students to follow in their footsteps. 

Alina Ahsan (Medicine at Oxford) and Kamile Orlovaite (History at Cambridge) led an engaging assembly and a series of small group sessions with current sixth formers and year 11s. They shared their personal stories, offered practical advice on applying to top universities, and answered questions about student life at Oxbridge. Both spoke candidly about the challenges they had to overcome and the importance of self-belief to be successful. The assembly was followed by smaller group workshops tailored to students interested in applying to competitive universities.

“It’s fantastic to see our alumni coming back to give something back to the school and the community,” said Assistant Principal Alistair White. “Their experiences show our students that with hard work and ambition, opportunities at the very best universities are within reach for young people from King's Lynn.”

 

“It’s incredibly valuable for our students to hear directly from alumni from their local community who have recently navigated the Oxbridge admissions process. Their insights and encouragement help demystify what can seem like an intimidating journey.” 

Students described the visit as “inspiring” and said it helped them feel more confident about aiming high in their university choices. 

The event is part of King Edward VII’s ongoing efforts to raise aspirations and support all students in achieving their goals. 

What our students said:

“I really enjoyed meeting Alina and Kamile, I found the experience really interesting, and it answered a lot of my questions about going up to university. Thank you, Alina and Kamile.” 

Ash Bellars (year 12) 

“I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to meet Alina and Kamile today. I got plenty of fantastic insight into studying medicine and Oxbridge/early applicants in general. I found useful the information given by Alina on applications to a range of medical universities in the UK. Kamile’s story was very inspiring given how she did not initially think of applying to Cambridge until she was supported in doing so and had a positive outcome.” 

Iliana Skabrina (year 13) 

What Kamile and Alina said:

“It was a wonderful opportunity to talk to some of the current students at KES, and more importantly having had the chance to dispel any of the common misconceptions around studying at Oxbridge - which I remember greatly played a role in my initial hesitation on applications. It’s extremely reassuring and heartwarming not only to see the care shown towards them by the school, but the overwhelming amount of potential from students I had only briefly got to know. I truly wish them all the best in their endeavours, and I know that KES is a wonderful place for them to have their ambitions nurtured - wherever these ambitions may lead them.” 

Kamile Orlovaite  - 3rd year History student - Cambridge  

“I was honoured to be invited back to KES. Presenting in assembly and conducting small-group sessions was a profoundly rewarding experience.  

I was impressed by the discipline, diligence and drive of students at KES. I hope that sharing my personal experience of applying to University of Oxford for studying Medicine inspired students to pursue higher education at prestigious universities.  

Conducting small-group meeting with high-achieving students to demystify Oxbridge and Medicine application process was meaningful. I shared suggestions, study tips for securing high scores in admission tests and A levels. I also shared recommendations for intellectually-enriching super curricular activities such as books and mentorship schemes.  

My ultimate mission is to positively contribute to landscape of educational attainment in King’s Lynn and leverage my oxford education to raise aspirations in Kings Lynn. In the future, I plan to conduct mock interviews for prospective Medicine and Oxbridge applicants.” 

Alina Ahsan - 3rd year medical student - Oxford