The ten Maple Group colleges have had a hugely successful year with regard to Oxford and Cambridge applications. A total of 225 students are now holding conditional offers for entry this autumn.

“This is a real testament to the quality, and indeed excellence, that exists in our colleges”, said Executive Director, Neil Hopkins. “Much is made of the success the independent sector has with Oxbridge entrance, but these figures show that the best of the state sector can easily hold its own. There aren’t many independent schools that can match these sorts of numbers. Each college has its own systems, but all make arrangements to support students applying to Oxford or Cambridge. Such a large number of offers does not happen by accident.”

The offers build on the exciting work that many Maple Group members do to help other nearby schools or colleges with their own students’ applications to Oxbridge, via the “Cambridge HE+ “ scheme and similar initiatives from Oxford University. So the good practice in the Maple Group is spreading further afield.