Lauren Gentry (18) results were compared with all 1,852 candidates who sat the exam, by awarding body Edexcel.

Lauren, of Cliffe-en-Howe Road, Pott Row, said: "It was a surprise but I really enjoyed the lesson and the teachers were really good so it's very much down to them."

As well as an A in health and social care, Lauren also achieved an A in sociology and C in computing A levels. She has netted a job as a one-to-one teaching assistant at Lynn's Greyfriars Primary School and is hoping to study part-time to become a primary school teacher.

Springwood head of sixth form Mrs Gill Henley-Smith said: "We were absolutely thrilled. Lauren was an exceptional student who worked very hard and deserved this fantastic accolade."

News of Lauren's success follows the announcement that West Norfolk GCSE student Charlotte Reinbold was among the top scoring candidates in the country for English literature and Jessica Gough was in the top five nationally for Spanish GCSE, as reported in the Lynn News.