AN ISLE of Wight secondary school rated by Ofsted as failing just seven years ago is now sending more than half of its students to world-leading Russell Group universities, including Oxbridge.

More than half of the second-year sixth form students at Cowes Enterprise College have secured university places.

This year, of the 80 students in the last year of sixth form at Cowes Enterprise College, 43 have received offers from Russell Group universities.

Of those, one has secured a place to study archaeology at Cambridge, another has an offer to study politics at Oxford, and a third has an offer to study medicine at Bristol.

Rachel Kitley, principal of Cowes Enterprise College since 2017, said: “We are so proud of all our students for their achievements.

"Those who go to Oxbridge or Russell Group universities make the headlines, but we also have students who win highly prized apprenticeships with leading employers or go straight into great jobs.

"Our role as educators is to help our young people do as well as they can, fulfil their potential and be as well-placed as possible to be successful in the next stage of their lives.

"Our staff have done a fantastic job in helping to make that happen."

In 2013, the school was placed in special measures by Ofsted, when it was then known as Cowes High School.

Soon after, it became an academy and joined Ormiston Academies Trust. Ofsted re-inspected the academy in 2017 and rated it as good in all areas.

Nick Hudson, chief executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, said: “Rachel and her team have done a superb job over the last four years. They have transformed the school and are creating opportunities which the students are seizing."