Three Keswick School pupils are celebrating after being offered Oxbridge university places.

Laura Wilson, of Cockermouth, has been offered a place at Christ Church College, Oxford to study English and French.

Connor Richards, of Keswick, has an offer of a place at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge to study physical natural sciences.

Fellow Keswick resident Caitlin McKeever has been offered a place at St Catharine's College, Cambridge to study biological natural sciences.

Headteacher Simon Jackson said: “Keswick School sixth form students are confident, articulate and distinctive. I am delighted for Laura, Connor and Caitlin and their success in the Oxbridge interviews and to be offered a place is very well deserved.

"The majority of our students are accepted on places at the most prestigious universities in the UK and this reflects their attitude and determination to take up opportunities at school and achieve their considerable potential.”

Laura said: “It feels surreal to have been offered a place at Oxford, which has been a dream of mine since I was about 10. I am incredibly grateful to all the teachers at Keswick who encouraged me to stretch and challenge myself beyond the curriculum - not to mention their unwavering support during the intense, yet ultimately rewarding, Oxford application process. Hopefully, through lots of hard work, I will achieve the required grades this summer.”

Connor Richards added: "I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to read physical natural sciences at the veritable focal point of scientific research in the UK, surrounded by like-minded individuals who share a passion for all things physics.

"I was initially inspired to pursue a degree in physics by Stephen Hawking's pioneering book A Brief History of Time. This was compounded in my first year of sixth form by the fantastic physics and maths departments, whose enthusiasm for their respective subjects encouraged me to research further into those fields. To any students considering applying to Oxbridge, I would say that you should absolutely aim for that goal. There is nothing to be lost in trying, and the application process is itself a worthwhile experience."

Caitlin McKeever said: "While Cambridge is a recent ambition of mine, I was overjoyed to receive an offer from the prestigious institution and I would like to thank the admissions staff for their encouragement throughout the application process. Now it is just the matter of achieving the grades with the outstanding support that Keswick School offers."

The school will hold a sixth form information evening for new students on January 23.