The Blue Coat School has the best record of any state-funded school in Merseyside for getting its students into Oxford and Cambridge.
A total of nine of the Liverpool school's 2020/21 graduates were accepted to Oxbridge that year. That works out as 6% of pupils and is the highest total and percentage of any state funded secondary school or college in our region and the 44th highest in England, according to new data from the Department for Education.
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The headteacher at the Blue Coat, Scilla Yates, spoke of her pride at the pupils who made it to Oxbridge.
She said: "While the number of students who are accepted to Oxbridge is something that we are deeply proud of, we were as delighted that so many of our young people got to go to their first choice universities and employers – particularly given the challenges that the Class of 2021 went through during the turbulence of Covid.
"Students worked tirelessly, and seeing their dreams being realised is always one of the highlights of the school's year.
"We have a strong record of inspiring excellence, and we are proud that we consistently have a high number of students who get to Oxbridge. This summer, for example, a record 21 students secured a place at either Oxford or Cambridge. They then go on to some amazing careers that support communities and help shape the world that we live in."
Among the 2020/21 pupils who got an Oxbridge place was Oliver Merriman. He got 3As and went to Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge to read Spanish and German.
At the time, Oliver said: “I am elated to get these grades. 3 A*s was always my aim, but I have worried if I could achieve it because of the uncertainty of the pandemic.
“Not knowing what was going to happen the next day, because someone you sit next to may have tested positive or because of a new Government announcement, has been really challenging and has always weighed heavily on my mind. My family always support me, and teachers really do dedicate their time.”
Meanwhile, St Anselm's College in Wirral had 4% of its graduates (four in total) go on to either Oxford or Cambridge, which is the second highest percentage of our region.
Formby High School (three pupils) and West Kirby Grammar School (four pupils) both had 3% of students make it to Oxbridge, while seven had 2% make it - Liverpool College, Archbishop Blanch School, St Edward's College, The Belvedere Academy, Rainhill High School, Wirral Grammar School for Boys, and Upton Hall School FCJ.
Four local authorities, including one from the North West, were “Oxbridge deserts” with no students going to either university - Knowsley, Portsmouth, Rochdale and Salford.
Another eight had just one student make it to either Oxford or Cambridge - Middlesbrough, Swindon, Greenwich, Southampton, Halton, South Tyneside, Hartlepool, and Thurrock.
There were a further six where just two pupils made it to Oxbridge - City of Kingston upon Hull, Sandwell, Warrington, Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, and Stockton-on-Tees.
King's College London Maths School has the best record of any state-funded school in England for getting its students into Oxford and Cambridge.
Just under a third (29%) of the school's 2020/21 graduates were accepted to Oxbridge that year.
The Henrietta Barnett School and Queen Elizabeth's School - both in Barnet - have the joint second best records, with 18% of each school's pupils making it to either Oxford or Cambridge.
The Tiffin Girls' School in Kingston upon Thames has the next best record at 16%, followed jointly by Colchester Royal Grammar School and Colchester County High School for Girls with 14% each.
Five schools had 13% of pupils making it to Oxbridge universities - Pate's Grammar School in Gloucestershire, Dame Alice Owen's School in Hertfordshire, Brampton Manor Academy in Newham, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School in Wiltshire, and King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford.
Reading School had 12% make it, while The Judd School had 11%.
