Ten RGS students receive Oxbridge offers

TEN Ripon Grammar School students are celebrating Oxbridge offers.

Five candidates at the school’s outstanding sixth form have won offers from the University of Cambridge while five received offers from the University of Oxford.

They will be studying a remarkable array of subjects, from economics, English literature, history, law and philosophy to politics, materials science, theology and veterinary medicine.

Alongside them, many students planning their next steps after A-levels have gained offers from highly competitive universities across the country, including Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, King’s College, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Warwick and York.

Highlighting the culture of intellectual curiosity and academic excellence across all departments of the school - which encourages students to pursue their passions - courses range from aerospace engineering, architecture, astrophysics, classics, fine art, international relations, medicine and modern languages to nuclear engineering, production design for stage & screen, sport & exercise science and visual arts & film.

Other highly motivated students have won top level apprenticeship offers or secured employment while a number plan to take gap years before taking up their places at university.

Head of sixth form Terry Fell said: “We are so proud of our students' dedication and their high aspirations as they prepare for the next stage of their exciting futures beyond school. They are entering a world where competition for the best places at universities and at top level apprenticeships is high, but they are resourceful, determined and well prepared for whatever is to come next.”

Head girl and boy Amélie Chaduc and Ollie Kitson won offers from Cambridge and Oxford to study law and history & politics respectively.

Boarding student Amélie, 17, from outside Skipton, is taking maths, chemistry and history at A-level and aims to become a barrister.

The talented musician, who completed her Associate of the Royal Schools of Music piano diploma last year, was thrilled to receive her offer: “I was very surprised as I thought I’d done so badly in my interview,” she said.

Ollie, 17, from Kirkby Malzeard outside Ripon, studying history, politics, English literature and biology at A-level, is not sure what he will do after university but hopes to spend some time travelling.

The keen rugby player and guitarist, working towards his gold Duke of Edinburgh award, said he was relieved to get his offer: “Now I feel doubly motivated to achieve the grades I need in my A-levels.”

Boarding student Abha Kulkarni, from Ingleby Barwick, will be joining fellow student Daniel McClean, from Knaresborough, to study politics, philosophy & economics at Oxford.

Taking maths, economics and politics at A-level, she hopes to work in the civil service after university.

Co-chair of the school’s debating team and a volunteer at a local hospice charity shop, the 18-year-old said she was ‘shocked’ and ‘speechless’ when she got her offer: “I had to ask my friend to read it for me to be sure. When I finally got confirmation, it was such an amazing feeling and I sent a screenshot to my family.”

Planning to join her at Oxford are drama and fencing enthusiast Adam Dickinson, 17, from Grantley outside Ripon, (history & politics) and keen basketball player Hattie Miles,17, from Hampsthwaite (materials science).

Boarding student Francesca Faulks, 18, from Northallerton and her friend Tassy Bell, 18, from Thirsk, both received offers to study theology at Cambridge.

Taking A-levels in religious studies, classics and English literature, Francesca enjoys drama and choir at school and hopes to work in the Foreign Office one day. She said she was surprised but ‘absolutely delighted’ to receive her offer.

Tassy, who aims to join the civil service fast stream programme after university, was shocked and relieved to receive her offer: “Francesca and I celebrated in our religious studies lesson once we’d both heard back.”

The talented musician, who recently achieved a grade 8 in singing and is taking A-levels in religious studies, politics, German and chemistry, is also applying for a choral scholarship at Cambridge.

Planning to join her at Cambridge are talented artist Tess Holloway, 17, from Ripon (English literature), who is currently completing her gold Duke of Edinburgh award, and keen pianist Rachel Rogers, 18, from Green Hammerton (veterinary medicine).

Rising golf star Beatrice Pickles-Mercer, 17, from Easingwold, who has represented her county, was delighted to receive an offer to study medicine at St Andrew’s University, where she can continue to enjoy the game she has been playing since she was just seven years old.

She hopes to play at a higher level: "Having world-class facilities so close to the university is invaluable, and I look forward to balancing my passion for golf with my medical studies."

Another attraction is St Andrews's Academic Families system, where older students support first-years, she says: "This creates a strong sense of community and reminds me of my similar experiences in boarding."

Kayleigh Yarker, 17, from Ripon, is excited about her unconditional offer to study production design for stage and screen at the Northern School of Art: "It will allow me to work on real TV and film sets for companies like Netflix and also opens up pathways to other careers."

The keen costume and prop maker hopes to take a gap year in Japan before taking up her place.