ALMOST nine out of 10 students at a Middlesbrough school stayed in education after completing their A-levels.
Among the former King’s Academy pupils is Easterside student Stephen Cox, who is getting ready to go into his third year studying maths and physics at Queen’s College, Cambridge.
New Government figures show the sixth form at the Coulby Newham school came top in the North-east for the percentage of students staying in some form of education after their A-levels.
A total of 88% went on to another educational establishment, whether it be a college, university or other FE provider.
Department for Education (DfE) data - detailing the 2009/10 academic year and published for the first time - shows 68% of Middlesbrough students did the same.
But only 3% of them went to the country’s top universities.
Redcar and Cleveland made the top 10 local authorities nationally for students continuing in education. Three-quarters did so, with 7% at Russell Group universities.
Stockton had 71% stay on - with 8% in the Russell Group and 1% at Oxbridge. The English overall average was 64% - meaning all three council areas topped the norm.
Cleveland College of Art and Design, meanwhile, came out joint top in the North-east for the number of students carrying on specifically in higher education after their A-levels - 76%.
Marketing and recruitment manager Nicola Craddock said: “We’re thrilled with the figures which show that we have the highest percentage of any institution in Middlesbrough progressing on to higher education.
"76% of students’ progressing from our Green Lane site is a fantastic achievement and shows the college gets students to achieve their full potential.”
It was also the first time that the numbers of young people who went on to attend Oxbridge or a Russell Group university was published - although some schools and colleges queried the figures.
The Department for Education said the figures are “experimental statistics” which remain subject to further testing to determine their reliability.
King’s Academy’s number, for example, showed zero.
However, Stephen went on to study at Cambridge that year - the academy’s first. Since then, another student - James Craig - has gone on to Oxford.
A spokeswoman for the academy said: “It hasn’t been a conscious aim to start getting students to Oxbridge as such, but there has always been that ethos to raise the aspirations of all pupils.
“The head of sixth form this year took eight students to Cambridge to look around.”
Stockton’s Egglescliffe School was notable as the second highest in the North-east for the numbers going on to Oxford and Cambridge.
Its impressive 4% figure was four times the national average. It meant that, in that year, six students from the school went on to Oxbridge.
Top of the schools for the percentage of pupils carrying on in education after their GCSEs was All Saints CofE School in Ingleby Barwick, at 95%.
And headteacher Kevin Mann said: “Everyone at All Saints is thrilled to hear that our students are taking the educational opportunities afforded to fulfil their potential.
“It is a privilege to think that our school has helped so many students on their journey.
“Without the drive and commitment of our students, staff and parents, this would not be possible,” said Mr Mann.
The previously-unreleased DfE statistics give parents and the public greater information with which they can then choose the right school or college for their child.
It is the latest step in the DfE’s pledge to open up a mass of previously unpublished data.