Students from Thomas Hardye School at Oxford and Cambridge

Nine students from Thomas Hardye school in Dorchester have been successful in achieving an offer to study at one of the prestigious universities. 

Some 50 per cent of students from Thomas Hardye school who applied were successful in gaining an offer. 

What makes this feat particularly impressive is that the the national success rate for applicants is 22 per cent for students from state schools.

One of the successful students is Leonie Cobban, who is the sixth form Student Union president at the school. 

Leonie has been given an offer to study Human, Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University.

She revealed that she was shocked to have got a place: “I was really surprised when I got the offer from Cambridge," she said.

Leonie continued: "The interviews were intense and challenging, and I wasn't sure how well it had gone, but I'm so happy about the result! "Studying politics at a university like Cambridge has been my goal for a long time.”

Mr Rutherford, headteacher at Thomas Hardye school said: "It’s such an exciting time of year, as our students’ offers start to come in. We look forward to celebrating the hard work and success of all our students, and it starts here, with our early applicants. 

"Congratulations to everyone who took part in the programme, all of whom would be a credit to any university, and we’re delighted that so many have received offers.

"I look forward to congratulating other students in the year group as their offers come in over the next few months."

Some 221 of the school’s 326 year 13 students have applied for university this year and 68 per cent of them have chosen to apply to at least one Russell Group university. 

Students are set to progress to a wide range of destinations after they leave the sixth form this summer. 

This includes many students who will begin excellent higher level apprenticeships in careers such as nursing and business.