Leeds Abbey Grange Sixth Form celebrates surge in Oxbridge offers
Abbey Grange CofE Academy, part of the Abbey Multi Academy Trust, is celebrating an exceptional year of university success with a high number of offers from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
The Leeds school said 85 per cent of the Year 13 cohort that applied to Oxbridge were invited to interview and 47 per cent of those have received offers, with nine Year 13 students holding offers for Oxford or Cambridge.
Year 13 student Jodie, who has an offer to study French & Modern Greek at the University of Oxford said: “The support in sixth form helped me feel calm and prepared for the interview process I felt relaxed and confident and I really enjoyed it!”
Abbey Grange CofE Academy is one of only two schools in Leeds invited to participate in the highly prestigious Step-Up Programme at New College Oxford.
This is an exceptional opportunity designed to inspire and prepare the most academically able students from state-schools to apply for highly-competitive universities.
Year 13 student Christabel, who holds an offer to study architecture at the University of Cambridge, said: “I started the Step-Up programme in Year 10 and I would not have considered Oxbridge without it.
"The Step-Up trips put everything into context and it was really inspiring to imagine myself in the future at an Oxbridge university.”
The Step-Up Programme is part of the wider Scholars Programme that is offered at Abbey Grange and is designed to give maximum exposure to a wide range of experiences, research and academic development that facilitates students’ equitable entry into the most competitive higher education institutions.
This year also marks the academy’s largest ever university applicant cohort with more than 190 students submitting UCAS applications. The vast majority of these applicants are holding at least one Russell Group offer.
Katherine Goodier, Post 16 Achievement Director, said: “We are proud of the achievements of our students who are heading toward futures at top universities.
"Alongside these university destinations, we are equally proud of those pursuing prestigious apprenticeships, specialist music conservatoires and other highly competitive pathways. Their successes demonstrate the diverse talents and aspirations within the year group.”