Ref. 28709-19HARD work has paid off for 11 New College students who have been offered places at Oxford or Cambridge.

The students have passed rigorous entrance exams and an interview. Now they just need to get the right grades to take up their places.

John Little, the Oxbridge co-ordinator at the college, which has just celebrated a year at its new campus in Queen's Drive, is delighted.

He said: "We are extremely pleased with the achievements of these students in gaining conditional offers.

"It is a reward for a tremendous amount of hard work as well as talent.

"If past experience is anything to go by, they will all achieve the grades necessary to take up their offers.

"Last year all of our Oxbridge candidates achieved straight grade As."

One student who has worked particularly hard is Jane Lovett.

Jane, who was featured in the Advertiser recently, is visually impaired, and can only make out light and dark and some colours.

The 37-year-old mother-of-three, from Limes Avenues, Pinehurst, studied for her access course using Braille and audiotapes.

If she passes her course, she will study English at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

The other Oxford students are Chris Drew, 18, who wants to study computer science; James Earle, 17, Egyptology and ancient near eastern studies; Ben Harris, 18, philosophy, politics and economics; Jack Hazzard, 18, history; James Powell, 18, computer science; Luke Purdy, 17, mathematics; Hiroki Takeuchi, 17, mathematics and Sam Williams, 18, mathematics.

The students who have received offers from Cambridge are Heather Burgess, 18, and Richard Beaumont, 17, who are both planning to study natural sciences.

Tamash Lal