A Year 13 student at Teesside High School Sixth Form has received a prestigious offer from the University of Oxford.
Sarah, 17, from Redcar, has secured a place to read Classics (Greek and Latin) at Merton College from October 2017.
Merton College is renowned for its vibrant and diverse intellectual community. It is second in the academic league table of all Oxford University colleges and its alumni boasts Nobel Prize winners and cultural leaders from T.S. Eliot to J.R.R. Tolkien.
Sarah was battling for one of only four places on her chosen course.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive an offer from Oxford.
“After such an intense selection process, I was nervous I wouldn’t be successful. I was so surprised when I received my email.
Sarah, who joined Teesside High School in Year 9, credits much of her success to the small and personal nature of the Sixth Form: “I am one of just five students in English Literature, for example, and such small class sizes have enabled me to access in depth and additional subject knowledge from staff which I’m confident I wouldn’t have received elsewhere.
“I also received one-to-one application advice, entrance exam tuition and interview preparation; all of which helped stand me in good stead along the admissions process.”
Jane Bird, Head of Sixth Form at Teesside High School, said: “Sarah is an extremely hardworking and committed student who has rightly been rewarded with a place at one of the world’s most renowned universities.
“Of an estimated 1500 students who study Classics subjects at A Level nationally, Sarah has worked tirelessly to stand out in a small pool of high flying candidates.
“At Teesside High School, we pride ourselves on our small and inclusive nature where students are known as individuals. With this in mind, the level of support and value we can add to A Level studies is exceptional, and proven with a track record of outstanding results.”