Oxford University has offered a record number of places to state school students this year, according to new statistics.
More than 69 per cent of undergraduate offers were to pupils from schools run by the state - up 4.6 per cent compared to last year.
The total accepted from state education centres was 3,909 for the 2020 cycle as opposed to 2,889 for 2019.
Oxford University says that this is the best percentage increase it has ever had, and the uptick comes following pledges to try and increase the number of offers to the non-private sector.
The university said the overall offer rate has gone down to 16.7 per cent, from 16.9 per cent last year, due to a competitive process involving a higher number of applications.
State school pupils received 69.1 per cent of the offers, while independent school pupils got 30.9 per cent.
UK applicants accounted for 78 per cent of offers, with 7 per cent of offers going to EU and 15 per cent to overseas applicants.
Dr Samina Khan, director of undergraduate admissions and outreach at Oxford University, said: “We are delighted by this record number of offers to state school students, and to students from under-represented backgrounds.”
She added: “We know that students from some backgrounds are not as well-represented at Oxford as they should be, and we are determined that this should change.
“Having taught in state schools during my career, I know the wealth of talent that lies there.
“We wish the students every success in their studies, and hope they flourish at Oxford.”
