Cindy Zhang, a student at Harris Academy South Norwood, achieved A*A*A in biology, maths, and chemistry in her A-levels and will now begin her studies at King’s College London.
She is the first in her family to attend university.
Ms Zhang said: “I can’t see myself doing anything other than medicine and so I am over the moon to have secured a place at King’s College London.
“I really want to make a difference to people’s lives and I think medicine will allow me to do this.
“My family are so excited for me.
“They know it’s going to be a lot of work but I know they will support me all the way and I can’t wait to make them proud.
“Going to university is going to be an incredible opportunity and I am really looking forward to exploring London more.”
After achieving a high UCAT score, Cindy received offers from five medical schools before choosing King’s.
Her success comes as part of another strong year of results at Harris Academy South Norwood, with many students earning places at universities including the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL).
Maggie Bell, another high-achieving student from the academy, has also secured a place at King’s.
Despite caring for her mother through serious illness, Ms Bell achieved A*AA in history, classics, and politics.
She will now study ancient history at King’s College London.
Ms Bell said: “Whilst the past seven years have been incredibly challenging for me and my family, school has been a welcome distraction.
“I have really enjoyed my subjects and getting involved in the life of the school.
“This was the first time my school had offered classical civilisation and I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to study the subject.
“It has opened up a whole new world to me and has made me think about pursuing a career in heritage and culture.
“Being a young carer has made me a stronger and more resilient person.
“My parents are immensely proud of me and are so pleased I am going to university.
“I can’t wait to start my course and exploring everything that London has to offer.”
Rob Hitch, principal of Harris Academy South Norwood, praised the dedication and leadership of the student cohort.
Mr Hitch said: “This has been a wonderful group of young people: putting in the hours, supporting one another and showing real leadership by mentoring younger students.
“Their success is richly deserved, and we are incredibly proud of them.
“It is fantastic to see so many students secure places on competitive university courses.
“The breadth of courses that our students will be embarking on is remarkable and reflects the wide-ranging, ambitious and challenging education on offer at Harris Academy South Norwood.”
This marks the third consecutive year of improvement in A-level outcomes at the academy.
Subjects with particularly strong results included biology, chemistry, history, geography, and religious studies.
Vocational courses also saw success, with 48 per cent of students achieving A-B equivalent grades in subjects such as sport, IT, and applied science.
