A Maidstone school is celebrating after a record number of applications were made to universities.

A total of 62 applications have been made by sixth formers at Cornwallis Academy, which constitutes half of the total year group.

The news comes hot on the heels of the school’s latest Ofsted report, which declared the Academy ‘good’ in all areas, but made specific reference to the sixth form, where bosses said students were now making more progress than those in other schools nationally.

The university application process started for students in March last year, when the directors of sixth form discussed the options and support available to university applicants, supplemented with a visit to Canterbury Christ Church’s university fair and a personal statement writing workshop.

Students at the school are coached through the application and guided by the sixth form management team, their form tutors, external speakers and the academy’s partners from the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church.

Some notable successes include head boy George Watts receiving a conditional offer to study Physiotherapy at The University of Southampton, following a successful work placement at Medway Maritime Hospital.

He has also received a reduced conditional offer from Brunel following a successful interview and also has an interview at Kings College London.

Stacey Wright has an interview at the Royal Veterinary College while Loughborough University has offered places to Brad Smith on its Sports and Exercise degree course and Reece Winter on its electrical engineering programme.

Aby Gibbins has a conditional place at The University of Kent to study English and History.

Director of sixth form Joe Sutton said: “We are immensely proud of all of our applicants and wish them every success in securing places at the universities of their choice.”

The academy’s Ofsted report, issued in January, said it was undergoing a “rapid journey of improvement”.