FIGURES obtained by the Oxford Mail show wide variations at county schools and colleges over the number of students who get into Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Last year, 53 out of 4,659 youngsters from state schools and colleges were accepted while 138 out of 1,430 private school pupils got in. This year, 64 state pupils got in.

The Cherwell School in North Oxford was a consistent high performer among state schools, with eight per cent of pupils last year getting into Oxbridge.

Meanwhile, private Magdalen College School got 20 per cent into the two institutions.

But our figures, for 2006 to 2011, show eight state schools and colleges out of 35 got no pupils into Oxbridge during this time.

County education boss Melinda Tilley said: “If we had no one going in then I would worry, but I think it is a very good figure, one I am extremely pleased with.”

But Mrs Tilley, cabinet member for schools improvement at Oxfordshire County Council, said more should go.

She said: “We need to raise aspirations of the pupils, teachers, headteachers and governors that it is possible to do this with enough hard work.”

Latest official figures, for 2010, show the average point score for sixth-formers is in line with the England state average.

And school results have improved, from 48.1 per cent getting five GCSEs grades A* to C including English and Maths in 2007 to 57.3 per cent last year.

Oxford English literature graduate and Didcot Girls’ School head Rachael Warwick backed steering pupils towards “academic” A-Levels like science and maths.

Mrs Warwick said: “Oxford and redbrick universities are increasingly choosey about what students take.”

Pupils with top GCSEs are mentored through sixth form to “make it clear that they are able to apply for Oxbridge” she said.

Oxford Spires Academy headteacher Sue Croft said she expected more pupils to get Oxbridge places.

The school replaced Oxford School under new leadership in January and its provisional key GCSE score is 41 per cent this year, up 10 per cent on 2010.

Former Burford School pupil Ann Tivey, 18, who is to study medicine at Oxford this year, said her university-educated parents who “valued higher education” made a difference.

She said: “I was encouraged and given support by the school but they didn’t go out of their way. You were left to your own devices. More need to be encouraged to apply.”