Number of Oxbridge offers on the increase again at Bilborough College

Bilborough Sixth Form College has seen the number of students receiving conditional offers from Oxbridge universities reach its highest percentage for three years.

Just over a third of students who applied have been offered places at a range of colleges at Oxford and Cambridge universities on courses including Engineering, English Literature, Chemistry, Biochemistry, PPE, Modern Languages and Music.

Thirteen students out of 39 – or 33 per cent –  who applied to Oxford and Cambridge have received conditional offers – the highest percentage for the last three years.

Milan Campion, 18, Matilda Wring, 18 and Maeve Brittle, 17, are three Geography students who are among the 13 who have received offers and who, coincidentally, all went to the same primary school.

Matilda, who has received an offer from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, said: “I was surprised to receive the offer. I was made up but I was really, really shocked, my whole family were, I was just pleased to have made it as far as getting an interview.

“We had a massive amount of support from college. I was part of a HE Plus Scheme and attended masterclasses, had help with my personal statement, took part in mock interviews. If I hadn’t come to Bilborough I don’t think I would have considered applying to Cambridge.”

Maeve, who has received an offer from St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, said: “I was really excited when I got the offer. I kept reading the email, my mum was excited too as she didn’t get into Oxford.”

Milan, who received an offer from Hertford College, Oxford, said: “I was quite surprised to get the offer but I was pleased and probably more relieved than anything else.”

Simon Holland, teacher of Geography and Lead Tutor at Bilborough College, said: “We are so very proud of all of our fantastic geographers, many of whom go on to study Geography at University level and beyond. Having three students gain offers from Oxford and Cambridge for Geography in a single year is incredible and goes to show just how amazing our students are. Matilda, Milan and Maeve have worked so hard at college, taking full advantage of our specialist support for Oxbridge applicants and submitting excellent applications; their offers are certainly very well deserved. We are very confident that they will all go on to achieve a great deal of success going forwards at University and beyond.”

Steve Brace, Head of Education & Outdoor Learning at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) said: “Geography is a wonderful subject to study at university and I wish these students every success for the next stage of their geographical studies.”

Chris Bradford, Bilborough Principal, said: “Bilborough Sixth Form College is all about launching exciting careers and we’re committed to giving our students the support they need and deserve whatever their ambitions may be. We’re delighted for our successful Oxbridge candidates and for all our students who have been working hard to turn their plans for the future into a reality. We’re looking forward to their success in the summer and to them moving on to bigger and better things.”