SCHOOLS throughout east Suffolk have provided countless stories of academic success today.

For many, the task of balancing a demanding workload and managing essays, course work and revision is tricky enough - but some students wilfully undertook extracurricular activities in order to achieve their personal ambitions.

Louisa Sergeant, who notched up an impressive four A* grades in drama, English literature, philosophy and ethics, and general studies, devoted much of her spare time striving to realise her goal of going to dance school.

The 18-year-old Farlingaye student, from Melton, said: “It was a lot of work but I find dancing relaxing - I think it probably helped with my A-levels. I loved doing both and I wasn’t expected quite such good results.”

From September, Louisa will be studying musical theatre - including drama, singing and dance - in London.

Thomas Mills, in Framlingham, had its own numerous success stories, including high-achievers Emily Bosley, Duncan Drysdale and Ollie Friston.

Emily, 18, from Monk Soham, gained an outstanding six A*s, in maths, further maths, physics, chemistry, biology and general studies. She will be off to Cambridge to study natural sciences in the autumn.

Head boy, Duncan, who is 18 and from Framlingham, managed A*s in biology and chemistry, and As in physics and maths. He will be studying natural sciences at Cambridge.

Ollie, 18, who is deputy head boy and lives in Wickham Market, got A*s in physics and chemistry, and an A in maths. He needed three As to get into Birmingham and study chemical