Star student receives award from King

A King’s Lynn student was recognised for her impressive academic achievements when she was invited to Sandringham to receive an award from King Charles III.

​Vinethmi Kulasinghe attained the highest A Level results at Springwood High School last year, which saw her nominated for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Academic Excellence, a prestigious accolade awarded annually to Springwood’s high achievers.

The star student received top A* grades in Chemistry, Further Maths, Maths, Physics, and EPQ at Springwood, part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, and is now studying Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at University College in London.

Accompanied by her family and Springwood Headteacher and Trust CEO Andy Johnson, the former Head Girl enjoyed an audience with The King, who presented her with a leather-bound copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare.

“Leading up to the day, I was very nervous, as it felt like a monumental occasion,” said Miss Kulasinghe. “But, on top of that, I was also incredibly proud of myself and the A Level results I’d achieved.

“The prospect of them being recognised by His Majesty King Charles III himself was quite hard to believe. It was amazing that all my hard work was rewarded in such a unique manner.”

“On the day, the nerves were quickly replaced by excitement, and it was quite a surreal experience to be stood in the magnificent ballroom at Sandringham House, receiving the prize from His Majesty," she continued. “He then came over to us and had a very friendly chat with myself, my family, and Mr Johnson. 

“It was such a huge occasion for me. I very much enjoyed the entire event, and would say it marked an unforgettable feat in my academic career and my life.”

Her mother Galinne Udahawatta, father Matara Kulasinghe, and sister Methumlee Kulasinghe also had the opportunity to meet King Charles at the prize-giving ceremony.

“We were overjoyed when Mr Johnson informed us on A Level Results Day that our daughter had achieved the best results in the school and that her name would be nominated for this year’s award,” said the proud parents.

“We believe it is a great tradition of Springwood High School to recognise academic excellence with such a prestigious prize. We are very thankful to the school for the excellent education it provides to students.”

“It was a dream-come-true moment to be able to personally witness our daughter receiving the prize from His Majesty,” they added. “It was indeed a great honour to be invited to Sandringham House for the Prize Giving. It was a memorable moment in our lives.

“We were able to meet His Majesty in person, and we had the privilege of having a brief chat with him. He was very friendly and made us feel very comfortable. He did not forget to speak personality to each and every member of our family. We are very grateful for His Majesty’s kindness.”