A graphic design student at Canterbury College has taken first place in the national competition to design the education logo for the London 2012 Olympics.

Eighteen-year-old Reiss Evans was one of four students from the college to gain a place in the competition finals to create the new design to infill the Olympic logo.

Reiss, from Dover, beat off competition from more than 150 other 16 to 21-year-olds from colleges and universities across the country.

He will now see the design for Get Set, London 2012’s official education programme, being used by schools and colleges up and down the country as part of the effort to get children excited and inspired by the games.

In addition to Reiss, the finalists from Canterbury College were Luke Groves (18), Adam Reeves (17) and Zoe Washer (17), who are all studying for a BTEC National Diploma in graphic design.

The students pitched their ideas for what would be the official London 2012 education logo to a panel of judges, including BMX world champion and Olympian Shanaze Reade, in June at the Olympic Park

Alison Clarke, principal of Canterbury College, said: "This is a fantastic achievement by Reiss against gold standard competition from some of the best graphic design students in the country.

"The college is very proud of Reiss and all our students who took part. The fact that four of the six finalists were our students is a credit to them and the graphic design department in the college."

The result was announced on Tuesday when the new London 2012 education logo, featuring colourful rows of pencils, was unveiled.