HARD-WORKING Tavistock College sixth formers have been rewarded for their efforts with offers from Oxford and Cambridge.

Owen Drage, Camilla Longden and Jack Shepherd have all been accepted to study at Britain's most prestigious universities and are revising conscientiously to ensure they achieve the grades.

Phil Mathieson, head of sixth form, said: 'Congratulations to all three. It's a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work put in by the students, as well as the staff and teachers who supported them in their studies and the application process.

'Tavistock College students submitted a record number of university applications this year and the offers are still flooding back.'

Camilla — who passed 12 GCSEs and is studying for A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry — has achieved a place on the Natural Sciences degree course at Downing College, Cambridge.

She said: 'I was very happy to be accepted but slightly unbelieving, as I had no idea whether I was going to get in. I'm working very hard to get the grades; I need an A* and two As in Maths, Physics and Chemistry.

'I would like to thank my parents and teachers for supporting me throughout.'

Jack Shepherd has been offered the chance to read Physics at Hertford College, Oxford after taking A levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics and gaining 12 GCSEs.

'I was incredibly surprised when I got the acceptance letter,' he said. 'To some extent you focus on what went badly instead of well and there were so many incredibly smart people there.

'The application and interview process was fairly long. I had to fill in an application form, take a test and do three interviews over three days. We stayed in the college which was awesome. I looked at it philosophically and thought it was a free holiday if I didn't get in.

'I need three As to take up the place. I wouldn't mind A*AA, but I'm not worried as long as I get what I need.

'I'd like to be an academic, so after my degree I want to do further research into science.'

Owen has been offered a place to study veterinary medicine at St Catherine's College, Cambridge after passing 12 GCSEs and taking an astonishing five A levels in Maths, Geography, Chemistry, Biology and Further Maths.

He said he chose veterinary medicine as it was something he was interested in.

'I thought it would be more varied and interesting than medicine,' he added.

'The application process wasn't too bad; I just had to fill in a UCAS form and went for an interview and admissions test.

'I was really pleased to get accepted but I haven't decided if I want to go there yet as I'm still waiting to hear from London, Bristol and Nottingham. If I do, I need two As and an A*.'