An independent school in Northwood is celebrating after nine students were offered places at two of the country’s top universities.

Nine girls from St Helen’s School, Eastbury Road have been offered places at Oxford University and Cambridge University after going through "the notoriously difficult interview process".

School leaders say this is the best result at the school for more than twenty years and said more than half of the girls who applied to the two universities were successful.

Some applicants also faced additional examinations before they received offers from the two universities, popularly dubbed "Oxbridge".

Dr Mary Short, headteacher at St Helen’s, said she is delighted with the results.

She said: "Amongst the many university offers being received by the Upper Sixth at St Helen’s, nine girls have been successful in their applications to colleges at Oxford and Cambridge.

"This reflects the girls’ talents, ambition and readiness to work very hard, as well as the support and encouragement of their parents and teachers.

"They can feel proud of their achievements so far, which will spur them to fulfil their potential in next summer’s A-level examinations.

"We are equally excited by the success of all of our pupils in securing places at university to study the subjects which inspire them intellectually.

"St Helen’s pupils go on to study a tremendous range of subjects which reflects the academic interests they have developed during their school careers, including many of the most sought-after courses such as Medicine at Imperial College, Economics at LSE and Engineering at Bath."

Four students at St Helen’s have received offers from Cambridge, to study English, Medicine and Natural Sciences at St John's, Emmanuel, Pembroke and Corpus Christi Colleges.

Five students have received offers from Oxford, to study Law, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, Music, Biological Sciences and Human Sciences at The Queen’s, Somerville, St Catherine’s and Keble Colleges.

The school said they have supported applicants across a number of subjects, including: law, natural sciences, human sciences, music, classical archaeology and ancient history, medicine and biological sciences.