Onward Routes for our Upper Sixth - Non UCAS Success Stories

April 1, 2025

Here at Norwich School we are delighted to celebrate the talented diversity of our Upper Sixth cohort as offers for onward routes continue to come in. Following on from blog posts on law and girls’ STEM university offers, we have chosen to focus on offers pupils have for non UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK) routes.


With expert guidance from Mr Croston, pupils have received offers from leading universities in several countries outside of the UK. Congratulations in particular to Uma Patel (offer for Dentistry at the Universidad Catolica de Valencia, Spain), Edward Chan (Architecture at Hong Kong University), Bosco Tang (Dentistry at Hong Kong University) and Helen Ng (Computer Science at UST, University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong).


A huge variety of exciting opportunities with employers are now available to school leavers, almost all combining paid employment with training and further qualifications. The number of degree apprenticeships available in the UK is now four times what it was five years ago; our pupils who gain offers for these will work for a leading employer who trains them, pays them and pays for them to complete a full university degree alongside their employment. We are very fortunate to have Mrs James supporting pupils as they apply for these highly competitive programmes.


This blog post asks three pupils about their offers for non UCAS routes: Ava deCooper Wride has a full rugby scholarship for Quinnipiac University (USA), Archie Taylor has an accountancy degree apprenticeship offer from Price Bailey and Hugo Pattinson has an engineering degree apprenticeship offer from Airbus.

Ava deCooper Wride


Tell us about the US university offer that you've received i.e. what course(s) at which unis, what is the scholarship


I’m pleased to share that I’ve received an offer from Quinnipiac University, located in Connecticut on the East Coast (of the USA). I’ve been awarded a full academic and athletic scholarship, which I’m really grateful for. I haven’t decided on a major yet, as I’ll have the chance to explore different options during my first year before making a decision.

How did you secure this fantastic achievement? What did the application/selection process involve and when?


I began to build relationships with coaches in Lower 6. I achieved this through frequent calls and video footage submissions while also registering with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). My coaches in England provided references, and I completed an online application followed by a face-to-face interview call. Eventually, I was invited on a three-day trip to meet the coaches and players in October 2024, which allowed both sides to assess if it was the right fit.

How did Norwich School help you during this application process?


There was a significant amount of paperwork involved, as Quinnipiac University were keen to assess my academic profile. This process included academic and character references from various teachers. Also character references from my sports coaches at school. Finally, a transcript of my grades and predicted grades, was compiled and submitted by Mr Croston.


What attracted you to studying in the USA? Tell us a bit more about the rugby out there.

One of the biggest reasons I was drawn to studying in the USA is how seriously they take collegiate sports. The level of funding, media coverage, and overall competitiveness is on a completely different scale compared to the UK. Women’s rugby, especially 7s, is also growing rapidly there, which makes it an exciting time to be part of the sport. I’ll be competing in Division 1 (D1), the top league, and training five days a week, with matches most weekends. The travel varies - many D1 universities that I will play are on the East Coast, but some tournaments, like the Tropical 7s in Florida, require trips across the country.


Tell us about the rugby you currently play - which club/side, any highlights to date.

Currently, I play club rugby for Norwich. I’ve also had the opportunity to play for Saracens, and I’m now in the PDG phase of the England Pathway, continuing to develop my game at a higher level.


You're a talented all-around sportswoman who holds a sports scholarship here. Which sports have you represented Norwich School (and/or any local/county sides..?) for and at what level? How have these other sports and/or the sports scholarship programme here helped your rugby?


At Norwich School, I’ve had the opportunity to play a wide range of sports, from tennis to cricket to hockey. However, the sport I’ve been most involved in has been netball. Outside of school, for netball, I play for Norfolk United and was previously part of the Saracens Mavericks pathway. I believe that playing multiple sports has really contributed to my development in rugby and vice versa - I think that playing any sport helps build game sense and a strong understanding of fundamental skills. Norwich School has also played a big role in my overall athletic growth. Through Athletic Development, I’ve improved my conditioning, and I’ve also gained valuable knowledge in areas like sports nutrition and psychology. All of this has helped me stay fit, healthy, and continue progressing in my sport.

Archie Taylor


Tell us about the degree apprenticeship offer you have received.


I have received an offer from Price Bailey. I am based in the Norwich office in the outsourcing department. In this programme I will work a full-time job allowing me to gain hands-on experience while earning a level 7 qualification (masters equivalent) this will last for 5 years.

You also applied through UCAS for 'normal' degree course and have received several offers from top universities. What attracted you to applying to employers for a degree apprenticeship as a preferred route to this?


I was particularly drawn to the degree apprenticeship route because of its combination of practical experience and academic study. The opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in real world setting, earn a salary while earning industry recognized qualifications without student debt and have the chance to become financially independent at the age of 18 was a big pull factor. Additionally working at Price Bailey will allow me to develop professional networks early in my career, putting me in a strong position for the future. Also, as the graduate market becomes increasingly competitive, I will have 5 years of professional work experience and if all goes well an offer to stay on at Price Bailey with no student debt.

How did you apply for your degree apprenticeships and what did the application process involve?


Overall, I applied to 23-degree apprenticeships (as they are highly competitive) by researching firms that offer a good, structured program with good career progression. The application process typically involved submitting an online application, followed by personality quizzes, situational judgement tests and potentially a numerical test depending on the industry. Then there will usually be a video interview stage where you film your answer to a question that you have around 2 minutes to prepare for. After this I was invited to an in-person assessment centre day where there are typically 5-20 people there going for a limited number of roles. This day will vary from different industries, but my day consisted of a 25-minute numerical test, a Q&A with the hiring managers and then 2 group tasks where we had to collaboratively find solutions to a business's problems from sources supplied to us and then give a 10 minute presentation to the hiring managers. This was mainly testing problem solving ability and most importantly the ability to work well collaboratively in a team. After this I was invited to an online interview with a younger person at the firm and an older experienced partner, this typically lasts from 20-45 minutes. The process is very rigorous and time-consuming, but it provided a great insight into the expectations of the industry.


How did Norwich School help you achieve this offer?


To begin with I spoke to Mrs James about career opportunities through apprenticeships as I was confident that was the path I wanted to take. Mrs James then provided support with CV writing and checking that it was good quality. After this when I made it to the assessment centre, I was able to reach out to her to ask for advice on how I should present myself and go about the day. Then when I made it to the interview stage, I had a mock interview with Mrs James and went through any questions I had, which helped with my confidence going into the real thing.


How will your degree apprenticeship work?

The job mixes on the job training alongside academic studying. I will be working 5 days a week with the option to work from home whenever convenient while studying for the ACA qualification which has a typical duration of 5 years. The firm provides study help alongside work; I will get time off work to attend lectures and take exams, while the rest of the revision I am responsible for doing outside of working hours. Over the course of the program, I will work towards professional qualifications, while gradually taking on more responsibilities within the firm.


What else have you been involved in at Norwich School outside of academic work? Will you be able to continue these activities when you start your degree apprenticeship in the autumn?


Beyond academics, I have been heavily involved in cricket and rugby at Norwich School, playing in the 1st team for both. While my apprenticeship will require commitment, I plan to continue to play cricket for Norfolk U18s and Lowestoft       Town 1st XI. Maintaining a work-life balance is important so I will maintain a consistent gym and running routine on the side. The structured nature of the degree apprenticeship allows for flexibility, enabling me to manage professional  and personal commitments effectively.

Hugo Pattison


Tell us about the degree apprenticeship offer you have received.

I have been offered an Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with Airbus.

You also applied through UCAS for 'normal' degree course and have received several offers from top universities. What attracted you to applying to employers for a degree apprenticeship as a preferred route to this?


I learned of degree apprenticeships though attending several careers fairs. At these I was able to talk to current degree apprentices and I found out about all of the various benefits of the courses alongside the working environment, this alongside the pay and lack of student debt made degree apprenticeships appeal to me massively.


How did you apply for your degree apprenticeships and what did the application process involve?

I applied directly through the company’s careers website. The Airbus application process required me to submit a CV and a covering letter, followed by a virtual assessment centre that included group work and an individual interview.
This process did vary slightly compared to applications for other companies.


How did Norwich School help you achieve this offer?


Through Mrs James I completed the Apprenticeship Academy which helped me to establish good interview habits and to answer questions concisely and to the point. I also believe that mock interviews in Lower 6 helped to set me up for this process.


How will your degree apprenticeship work?

I will be working at Airbus' East Factory, moving through several rotations in different departments of engineering throughout the site.


What else have you been involved in at Norwich School outside of academic work? Will you be able to continue these activities when you start your degree apprenticeship in the autumn?


I have played rugby throughout my time at Norwich School and more recently become a member of the Boat Club (rowing). At this point I am unsure which pursuits I will keep up once I've left school but I will certainly be doing  something!

By Sonja Mitchell April 2, 2025
ON Isobel Holroyd will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon to support Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
By Sonja Mitchell April 2, 2025
ON David Treglown will be swimming (4km), cycling (180km), and running (marathon) the 226.3km IRONMAN Australia on 4 May to raise funds for Prostrate Cancer UK.
By Eleanor Lewis April 2, 2025
Well done to everyone for getting through to the end of another busy Norwich School term. With all that we have heard in the last two presentation assemblies, two of our key aims for pupils, breadth and leadership & service, have certainly been in evidence. However, as we come to a holiday and a chance to change pace, I want to return to the third of our pupil aims. It is the theme I raised at the start of term, curiosity, whether practical, intellectual or creative. I am sure you can all remember exactly what I talked about; indeed, you have been thinking of little else since January, but just in case there are a few hazy memories, I mentioned curiosity in connection with some extraordinary natural phenomena such as the East Atlantic Flyway, the Connectome of a female fruit fly and the difference in scale between a million and a billion. You may be thinking that I must be scraping the barrel if I am repeating a theme for an address, but the reason for returning to it is that our ability to intersect with a concept such as curiosity is different in term-time from a holiday. The key to that difference is choice: during term, we obviously hope you will be curious but you have to do so largely on the school’s terms regarding compliance with our timetable, following syllabus constraints and keeping up with homework tasks. However, for the next three weeks or so, you set the pace, you get to follow your ideas and interests with less outside interference. For our public examination candidates in U5 and U6 who are likely to be planning for a holiday which blends rest and revision, the difference between term and holiday might be at risk of becoming blurred. However, I encourage you to keep this word and quality in your minds, even if it requires a bit of a Jedi mind-trick to start with. You are more likely to retain information or a concept if you are excited about it and clear on why you are learning it, how it is going to help you or how it fits with other learning. Try to be curious about the ideas, texts or techniques you are mastering as it will help them to stick. If this really is all too much and you see the upcoming revision process simply as a grind-to-get-through, at least make sure to insert curiosity into your break-periods. If you think of the 5 ways to wellbeing that Norwich School promotes (give, connect, stay active, keep learning, take notice), curiosity could be said to be in all of them, especially if one draws in practical, creative or intellectual flavours, but it certainly cuts into the last three; the last one, take notice, is essentially curiosity via another phrase. Whether you will be revising this holiday or not, I encourage you to feed your curiosity and offer some stimuli for consideration, based on personal experiences this term. I hope you have had or soon will have experiences which get you thinking. See which of the following areas interests you most: From a Royal Geographical Society talk on Rewilding and in Mountain Guru, a biography of Doug Scott, one of Britain’s greatest climbers with a claim to fame being the highest bivouac ever when he spent the night 100 metres below the summit of Everest without oxygen or sleeping bags during his pioneering ascent of its south-west face: what does wild mean in terms of man’s relationship with nature? Can humans be involved in a place which is truly wild and, if so, how? From our own Senior Play, The Watsons: what is the relationship between an audience and its actors, between writers and the characters they create, between history and the present? This play’s metatheatricality challenges the suspension of disbelief that lies at the heart of story-telling and performance art. From an agri-tech day at John Innes Centre, put on at the Food & Farming Discovery Trust, with a visit to Food Enterprise Zone, how are we going to feed the planet in the 21st century? What are the ethics and finances under consideration at the world-leading research centre in our city? From A Complete Unknown, the biopic film about Bob Dylan starring Timothee Chalomet, where does creative originality come from and how do cultural norms change over time? Credited as one of the most influential artists of all time, Dylan’s music and lyrics upended divisions between folk and rock with tunes that became emblematic of anti-war movements and counter-culture in the 1960s. Chalomet’s gamble in the taking on of singing and playing Dylan classics is striking, too. And, finally, from Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, how do you tell stories without words? Most famous for its male chorus of swans (think of the final scene from Billy Elliot), Tchaikowsky’s iconic score is brought to life by the humour and attention to detail of Bourne’s choreography and, most of all, the raw athleticism of its dancers. I wanted to complement this last reference by showing off some of our male and female dancers from the wonderful recent Senior Dance Festival, but that has not proved possible because of injury, so stand by for something from them next term. Instead, I have asked Lana Kiddell to reprise her outstanding rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Jazz Night. I hope this gives you an opportunity to reflect on areas where you will give rein to your curiosity during the upcoming holiday. In terms of curiosity, what I am advocating for is a desire to find out more, to follow your interests to explore more about the world around you and yourselves. If you can establish this attitude as a habit, I believe it stays with you for the rest of life: it might be characterised as being not childish as we grow up but remaining child-like. To illustrate the point, I finish today by referencing the passing of Peter Grover MBE, the legendary Scout leader of the 8th Norwich whose memorial service took place in the Chapel on Saturday. The following comes from a poem of tribute from one of his fellow-Scout leaders (and, for information, Robert Baden-Powell was the founder of the Scouting Movement). The quote is as follows: Baden-Powell said adult leaders needed to be Boy-men. “A boy can see fun and adventure in a dirty-duck-puddle. If you are a boy-man, you can see it too”. Peter was a boy-man. The quote above is gendered as a product of its time but I suggest that the concept now applies equally to girl-woman. I like the way this last quote shows the close intersection of curiosity with fun and humour, in some ways the sillier the better. Child-like, not childish. Have a great holiday and I look forward to seeing you all after Easter.
April 1, 2025
Three Norwich School pupils, Luke Watts (U5), Milo Clabburn (L6) and Rory Evans (M5) have appeared on Radio Norfolk to talk about their love of dance. We caught up with Rory to find out more… Why were you invited to speak on Radio Norfolk? I am part of a dance company called Legacy and along with Luke, Milo and some of our fellow dancers, we were invited to speak on Radio Norfolk to promote an incredible upcoming show, called Brothers in Motion, which celebrates 10 years of Legacy Dance Company UK. Can you tell us a little more about Legacy? Legacy is an all-boys dance company which trains every Saturday and meets every week at the Workshop Studios in Norwich. In total there are about 100 male dancers split across four main groups – minis, little, 11+ and Main Company. I am part of the Main company, which consists of 13 boys aged from 11 to 18 – four of us are from Norwich School; me, Milo, Luke and also Jasper Valpied (U5). The company is audition only and we do performances, competitions and outreach programmes. How did you hear about Legacy? I was introduced to Legacy when they performed in the Junior Dance show a few years ago. They have also guest choreographed at various dance events at school such as the Dance Festival and Gala Night and they do workshops and events with the school. What do you enjoy about dance? I have loved dance since I joined Norwich School and I have been really grateful for the opportunity to do all the dance that I have. I enjoy being able to express myself through dance, which is fun and therapeutic and also builds lots of transferable skills such as dedication, hard work and coordination. Tell us more about the show you were promoting on the Radio… It is called Brothers in Motion and involves multiple boys dance groups from across the country coming together to perform, along with some of the top vocational colleges from around the country and also many Legacy Alumni will be performing. It is a really exciting showcase of male dance, which will be taking place at the Norfolk Showground on Friday 30 th May. It was great to be able to talk about it on the radio, as we are also trying to get funding for the show, as Legacy has been unable to access the Arts Council funding that has made the show possible in the past, so we are crowdfunding and asking for Business Sponsorship to help. What would you say to anyone out there who might be interested in dance but hasn’t yet started? I would strongly encourage you to start – the first step is the hardest but once you start I am sure you will love it. It is so much fun and the atmosphere and community both Legacy and Norwich School have been inspirational for me. Click here for more information - BROTHERS IN MOTION - 10 Years, 1 Legacy - a Creative & Arts crowdfunding project in Norwich by LEGACY Dance Company UK
By Sonja Mitchell April 1, 2025
As part of the BIG Egg Hunt, Claire has created a beautiful egg to raise funds for The Elephant Family.
By Jakka Pranav Swaroop Naidu March 31, 2025
Mrs Grant, Assistant Head (Pupil Progress), offers some top tips for revision based on her own experiences! Two years ago I sat an English A-level – my first exams in sixteen years! It was time to put into practice all the advice I confidently give out to pupils every year. So how did I approach the revision? I certainly embarked on ‘proper revision’ too late. I’d been enjoying my lessons happily and writing interesting essays (even this essay technique I began too late really), but had not attempted to commit anything to memory as I went along. English is very different to Physics, which I teach, but the bottom line is that some stuff needs memorising in any subject. So far so not good in heeding my own advice. Once I engaged in the process properly, though, I’d say I did manage to make up for lost time a little! I started by deciding which quotations were worth learning from the texts and from critics etc. I tried to choose a sensible number I thought it would be achievable to learn, and which spoke to the key themes of the texts. If I had started earlier, I would have been able to be more ambitious in the breadth of what I learnt. I then grouped them by text and by theme on index cards and set about reciting them out loud repetitively every day. I would read it out loud, cover it up and try to read it without looking etc. This didn’t take too long so it meant I could try to do this every day in the couple of months leading up to the exam. Slowly I knew just from the heading of an index card that I could recite the whole thing without looking. At that point I put these cards in a different pile – not to be neglected, but ones I knew I had cracked and just needed to keep rehearsing. I was left, in the week before the first exam, with three or four stubborn cards which I was struggling to memorise, but this now felt more do-able. I would walk around countryside paths near where I live reciting them and this helped – walking at the same time seemed to stop me feeling fidgety at my desk and I felt less stressed too. Interspersed with the memorising, Mr Murray (my very patient teacher) also encouraged me to keep planning essays and writing bits of them too. The difference now was that I could try to do it timed, without looking anything up. I think a big danger in English was that, having learnt key quotations, I was sub-consciously very keen to use them and show off these interesting things I had learnt by shoe-horning them into potentially totally irrelevant contexts. This continued exam practice and Mr Murray’s patient feedback helped me to have an internal voice reminding me how counter-productive that would be. I needed to plan a good essay that was relevant to the question and only then reach for things I had memorised to support my plan All of this helped me to feel like the real exam was just this same process again that I was well rehearsed in doing. I had a good sense of how much time to spend planning an essay and knew this would make the writing time more efficient and effective. When using quotations in the real exams I could often picture the bit of my walk I was on when learning it which helped me remember it and helped me to feel calm. In summary then: - Consolidate as you go along. - Be in a room with no tech – a phone that is off but in the same room is still taking up ‘cognitive load’ research has shown. - Have a timetable that spaces different subjects and topics out instead of having whole days or just one subject or topic. - Don’t completely neglect past questions/essay planning when memorising material – interleave these activities. - Schedule breaks and get fresh air and exercise - If you listen to music it should be lyric-free.
By Eleanor Lewis March 31, 2025
Saturday 8 March saw the final race in the East Anglian League against runners from Gresham’s, Ipswich and RHS. The team travelled to RHS to compete in sunny but windy conditions. In the Intermediate Boys, Kort Tsui ran a controlled race to finish 5th and Edward Lott, who has competed in every race this season came home in 7th. For the Senior Boys, our first finisher was Thomas Chester, coming 5th, closely followed by Jeremy Lo in 8th. The team was completed by Arthur Chan, Jacob Stevenson, Ollie Price and Thomas Hsia. Saturday also saw the English Schools’ Cross-Country Championships held this year in Nottingham. Even qualifying for this prestigious event is an incredible achievement. Minnie Andrews raced in the Under 17s and finished in the top 150 runners nationally: the second runner home from the Norfolk team of 8. Samuel Trickey competed in the Under 13s and ran a storming race, finishing 204 th and 3 rd within the Norfolk team. Congratulations to Minnie and Sam.  Well done to everyone who has represented the Cross Country team this season.
By Eleanor Lewis March 31, 2025
It has been an action-packed term for the Netball Club, with a staggering 285 fixtures across the 2024/2025 season, which is testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of our pupils and staff. Lent term kicked off with the U14/U16/U19 National Schools squads preparing thoroughly for the Regional Finals on 1 st February. The U19 team battled to finish as 3 rd best team in the East Region and narrowly missed out on National Finals qualification. The U14 and U16 squads performed promisingly, being one result away from a semi-final place. This is an exciting performance from our Norwich School youngsters, particularly from the U16s, who were all U15 and eligible for next years competition. Post Regionals, there was no let up with weekly and block fixtures coming thick and fast. A particular high-light of the term was notching up victories across all of our A teams against a very competitive Perse School. The terms ends with a win ratio of 88% across our A team squads, and 67% across all teams. We have enjoyed hosting an U13 Development Tournament, U11 Tournament and U9 Netball Festival with nearly 50 teams taking part. The term ended with our usual Junior and Inters Netball Celebration events to recognise the impressive efforts of our amazing pupils this term.  Special mentions must got to the 1 st VII for having an unbeaten season across their regular fixtures, and the U13A team who have a perfect playing record of 24/24 and the U13 County Cup title
By Jakka Pranav Swaroop Naidu March 31, 2025
This has been a successful season for the Rugby Sevens, with amazing improvement from players throughout all categories. U18s This term saw a shift in focus from 15-a-side rugby to the fast-paced 7s format, with all senior players training and competing in various 7s festivals, culminating in the prestigious Rosslyn Park 7s. Ahead of Rosslyn Park, the U18s participated in four competitive festivals: Saints 7s, Oakham 7s, Norfolk County Cup, and Framlingham College 7s. Their standout performances came in the Norfolk County Cup , where they emerged victorious, and the Framlingham College 7s , where they claimed the Cup title with dominant wins over Finborough School in the semi-final and Campion School in the final. At Rosslyn Park, the U18s secured two impressive victories against Pocklington School and Ratcliffe College. Unfortunately, a tough loss to QEGS Wakefield meant they narrowly missed out on the knockout stages. U16s The U16s also competed in four festivals in preparation for Rosslyn Park, showcasing resilience and determination throughout the season. They claimed Plate victories at both the Greshams 7s , where they defeated Uppingham in the final, and the Framlingham College 7s , overcoming Fram in a thrilling final match. At Rosslyn Park, the U16s faced a challenging group but displayed great character, with the highlight of the day being a commanding 33-5 victory over Rougemont School . U14s The U14s demonstrated fantastic progress in the lead-up to Rosslyn Park, delivering standout performances at the Greshams 7s and Norfolk County Cup . At Rosslyn Park, they continued to impress with two outstanding victories over Monkton Combe School and The King’s School Canterbury. However, despite their strong performances, they narrowly missed out on advancing to Day 2 due to points difference. Juniors The U12's and U13's had successful County Cup tournaments, where they learned the game of 7’s and showcased impressive skill development. The fast-paced nature of 7’s helped the players improve their decision-making, handling, and teamwork, with each match providing an opportunity to apply what they'd learned. Overall, the tournaments highlighted their growth both individually and as a team, laying a strong foundation for their future development in rugby.
By Eleanor Lewis March 31, 2025
The Girls First XI Football team has had a great season with many new players joining from Upper Five, Lower Six and Upper Six. In the first half of term, the team focused in training on building not only technical skills, strategies and fitness but also good relationships among players. Despite a couple of key players returning injured after half term the girls came back ready for the three games we had lined up. The first match against Langley we knew would be challenging but were prepared to play our best, many of the girls having never played a game of football before. Despite the 8-0 loss, the team's performance throughout demonstrated significant resilience, determination, and improvement in communication as the game went on. The second match of the season against Wymondham College resulted in a 3-1 win with strong performances all round, particularly from Poppy Francis in the midfield and India Fox in defence. Even more focus led to a domination in the second half and an enjoyable game for all. The last match against Gresham’s was an important one for the girls, and they certainly gave their all in the first half of the game with a hattrick achieved by Freya Tyack in her last game at school. Gresham’s managed one goal in the second half but with the defence mostly strong and the attacking persevering, the team achieved the win. We say goodbye to four of our Upper Sixth players this year with their school football careers ranging from three years to just starting this year, making a huge difference to the team and helping to build a great atmosphere amongst their teammates in training and during games. A huge thank you to Mr Cole for all the unending support and encouragement he has given the girls throughout the season- his pride of the team is certainly unmistakable. - Jemima Curtis U6N
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