A PAIR of students from Selby College have secured places at Oxford University's Summer School.

Former Holy Family School pupils Emily Morbey and Beth Walker, both 17, have both been accepted for the university’s UNIQ programme, which is open to only 875 students nationwide, and which aims to provide high-performing students from areas with a typically low number of Oxford applicants the chance to experience life at the esteemed institution.

The students had to prove their high achievement at GCSE, and write personal statements to gain entry, and statistics show students who attend the programme have a 40 per cent chance of successfully applying to the university, which is double the typical average of 20 per cent.

During their week-long stay in July, Emily and Beth will stay in student accommodation, attend lectures, seminars, and extra-curricular activities including a formal ball.

Beth, who will study English for the week, said: "I am so happy to have been accepted

"I can't wait to study the subject that I'm so passionate about in more depth at Oxford and find out more about the university itself."

Emily will be on Oxford’s Human Sciences degree programme and said: "I am really excited to discover what the week will hold and I hope the experience will act as a stepping stone into a top university for me in the future."