OXFORD Spires Academy has yet to send a pupil to Oxbridge.

In 2010, its predecessor school, Oxford School, had just 32 per cent of pupils going to university.

Headteacher Sue Croft, pictured above, said that number was now well over 70 per cent and is confident the school will soon have its first acceptance at Oxbridge.

Two pupils applied unsuccessfully to Oxbridge for this September, while three applications are expected next year and between six and 10 the following year.

Mrs Croft said: “It starts right from Year 7. You can’t suddenly start talking about it in Year 10 or Year 12. It has to be presented as a possibility and an aspiration.”

Year 7 pupils have one-to-one interviews about their aspirations.

By Year 9, a group will go with primary school students to Oxford Brookes for a weekend and have a mock graduation, while they will also have motivational speakers and visit a university.

And in Year 10, they will work with students from Oxford’s two universities who will mentor them.

She said: “Oxbridge is something we most definitely raise the profile of very early on. Before we didn’t have the students getting the grades but we do now.

“It will happen and it won’t happen by chance, it will happen because we are targeting it.”

She said she would be disappointed if less than 80 per cent of pupils in the coming year were going to university and 10 per cent considering Oxbridge.

Inspiring manager Deliah Wilkinson said: “No matter what their age, they need to start believing in themselves and the potential they have to go on to higher education.

“My role is to give them the facts about GCSEs, the importance of maths and English, and how they can continue their journey of education.”