The Lynn News/Klimatech Education Awards were held last Thursday (July 21) at the Barn at Knights Hill Hotel, King’s Lynn, where North West Norfolk MP James Wild gave the closing speech.

We were represented by a number of schools in the list of finalists and one of our students was recognised for her incredible achievements.

Simona Pilmane only moved to the UK from Latvia four years ago and she joined Springwood High School in Year 8. Now she has a place at Cambridge University to study engineering and she won the Secondary Student of the Year title.

Another Springwood High pupil, Leo Rice-Wallen, took the runners-up spot in the same category.

Smithdon teacher Rachel Bazeley-Smith, was runner-up in the Inspirational Secondary School Teacher of the Year, and the school was also a runner-up in the Secondary School of the Year award along with Springwood High, and runner-up in the Contribution to the Community category.

A familiar face at the Trust and particularly at Springwood, Pauline Petch, won the Michael Foot Award for an outstanding contribution to education in West Norfolk. She has been running the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme across our four high schools. 

She also received royal recognition earlier this year when she received a personal letter from the Earl of Wessex and a special commemorative coin marking the legacy of Prince Philip.