Hot on the heels of the national league tables, in which Peter Symonds' College, Winchester, was placed fourth in England in the college A level stakes, comes more good news.

Forty-seven students have received their conditional offers of places at Oxbridge and, as long as they achieve the required grades, the teenagers will be heading off to these ancient seats of learning in September.

Principal, Neil Hopkins, said this week: "We do seek to extend our students as individuals and bring out the best that they are capable of.

"It would appear that the admissions staff in the Oxbridge colleges now know Peter Symonds' and know our students will live up to the reference we give them. A lot of the credit must also go to the staff of the various schools who sent us these intelligent, hard-working youngsters."

The history department is particularly proud, as seven of its students have been offered places to continue their studies. This is the largest number they can recollect having been accepted for their subject.

Winchester schools are well represented. Six students come from Henry Beaufort, with four aiming for Cambridge - Charlotte Melly to read Modern & Mediaeval Languages at Emmanuel; Jacqui Jeffery to read Engineering at Peterhouse; Claire Nichols to read Economics at Girton, and Ben Ritchie to read Natural Sciences (Physical) at Trinity Hall.

The two hoping to take up their Oxford places are Matthew Elliott, who will read Economics & Management at Worcester, and Lorena Vila, who will read Modern Languages at Balliol.

Ten former students from Kings' School have conditional places. Five are off to Cambridge: Jon Ahearn will read Mathematics at Churchill; Tom Lacey History at St Catharine's; Sandy Scott Engineering at Jesus, and Rachael Sprot English at Trinity Hall.

The five who have offers from Oxford are Andrew Aitken, to read Engineering Science at Wadham; David Nash to read Economics & Management at Exeter; Eleanor Pett to read Medicine at Keble; Olivia Rann to read Medicine at Worcester; and Emma Salisbury to read PPE at Christ Church, while Rachel Bateman has an Open Application to read Chemistry.

Other offers have been made to five students who attended The Westgate School. The four with their eyes on Oxford are Jocelyn Corner and Clare Eagling, who will read Philosophy and Modern Languages at St John's and Christ Church respectively; Richard Dyble Mathematics at Mansfield; and Henry Reeve, off to St John's to read Mathematics. Patrick Orson will also read Mathematics, at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Matthew Barrett, who attended Perin's School, Alresford, has received an offer to read Geography at Christ Church, Oxford, and James Nuttall, who was at Winchester College, will read Economics and Management at Hertford College, Oxford.

Chandler's Ford students have also done well. From Thornden, Portia Harris will read Law at Gonville & Caius Cambridge and Emma Mussell will read Modern History at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Gemma Hyde, who attended Toynbee School, has been offered a place at University College, Oxford, to read Chemistry.

Three former Swanmore pupils have offers: Alison Gross to read Mathematics at Girton, Cambridge; Richard Robinson, to read Computer Science at Worcester, Oxford; and Alice Westbury to read Experimental Psychology at Brasenose, Oxford.

Natalie Duric and John Russell, who were at Wyvern, Fair Oak, have Oxford offers for St Edmund Hall to read Medicine, and Somerville to read Biological Sciences, respectively.

Danica Verrall, of the Wildern School, Hedge End, will read Theology & Religious Studies at Fitzwilliam, Cambridge.

Three former Mountbatten School, Romsey, pupils have been offered places at Oxford. Paul Abbott will read English Language & Literature at St Anne's, Jacqui Casey Philosophy & Modern Languages at Somerville and Claire Saunders Classics at Somerville

Two places at Cambridge have been offered to students who attended Romsey School. David Edwards will read Economics at St Catharine's and Gemma Payne History at Clare.

Katherine Burrows, formerly at the Godolphin School, Salisbury, and Sarah Havers, who was at St Swithun's School, Winchester, both live in Romsey. They hope to take up places at Oxford to read Modern History at Magdalen and Worcester, respectively.

Also aiming for Oxford are Charlotte Macey to read History (Modern) at Somerville and Andrew Mackintosh to read PPE at Christ Church. They both attended King Edward's, Southampton.

Also from Southampton, Jillian Xin, who was at St Anne's Convent, has been offered a place at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, to read Economics.

Offers for a place at Cambridge have been made to: Lara Anderson, from Brighton Hill School, Basingstoke, who will read Natural Sciences at Christ's and Hazel Lambert, who attended John Hanson School, Andover, who has an Open Application to read Geography

Other Oxford places have been offered to: Robert Dix, formerly at King's School Senior, Fair Oak, to read History (Modern) at Keble; James Nuttall, from Winchester College, Economics and Management at Hertford; Justine Ramsden, who attended Rookwood School, Andover, to read PPE at Worcester; and a former Cantell Secondary School student, has an offer to read Modern History at Oriel.