How an east London state school is beating top private schools at getting kids into Oxbridge

One state school in east London is worming a huge number of students into Oxbridge. 62 pupils landed offers for the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford in 2026. Here’s a nosy look at how the school is managing this, and what it’s like to study there.

Yup, this London state school gets more students into Oxbridge than elite private schools

The London Academy of Excellence (LAE) is in Stratford. The selective sixth-form school has a strong focus on helping pupils from less privileged backgrounds. Approximately two-thirds of students would be the first in their families to go to uni. 51 per cent of students are eligible for free school meals and seven per cent have experienced homelessness.

In January 2026, 39 pupils secured offers for the University of Cambridge, and 23 for the University of Oxford. That amounts to a quarter of the year group. 17 per cent of students got onto medicine or veterinary medicine courses, and 91 per cent got an offer (or several) for a Russell Group university.

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LAE acquired more Oxbridge offers in 2026 than several expensive private schools including Winchester College (which got 38, and currently charges £60,000 per year for boarding) and Wellington College (which got 21, and now costs £62,250 for boarding each year).

LAE is supported by famous boarding schools 

The school has four “Partner Schools”, which are linked to LAE’s houses. LAE pupils are matched up with “buddies” from the partner school, who they visit. The Partner Schools are Brighton College, Caterham, School, Eton College and Forest School.

Putney High School also helps run the Philosophy, Religion and Ethics A-Level course, and Francis Holland School supports the Psychology department.

Students take ‘electives’ in subjects beyond their A-Levels

Pupils have to take classes in a different field to their A-Levels, to broaden their education. Options include ancient Greek, computer science, jurisprudence and linguistics.

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The headteacher Alex Crossman explained to the iPaper: “Our students don’t really need extra qualifications to get into university. It’s much more about broadening their academic horizons and making them more rounded, more interesting and interested people.”

Pupils get loads and loads of careers advice

Students at LAE get lots and lots of help with their UCAS applications, particularly for Oxbridge. The support is comparable to what students at top private schools receive. The curriculum includes 30 hours of academic mentoring tutorials, plus 72 hours of preparation for higher education and careers.

Freshers matriculating at the University of Cambridge

Year 12 students participate in a “work discovery programme”, which includes work experience, trips to unis, and a Higher Education and Careers fair.

Alex Crossman told the iPaper: “How do you provide students who have received, if I’m blunt, no careers information, or actively poor careers information, an overview of the opportunities available to them?

“They get to learn what that career is like. ‘What does it actually require? What would my day-to-day existence be?’ And, bluntly, ‘How do I build a network that is going to be just as helpful as if I had attended an independent school?'”

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Featured image of the London Academy of Excellence via Google Maps.