TWO talented students from East Lancashire have bypassed an extra year’s study to secure places at internationally-acclaimed art schools after they impressed interviewers.

Katherine Midgley, 18, and Adam Fenton, 18, both from Darwen, were told they did not need to complete a foundation year before begin their courses in September.

Teachers at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Blackburn, said it was rare for any student to be granted a place without the compulsory year’s study.

Works such as Katherine’s self-portrait created from around 700 Post-it notes with extracts from her favourite book, photos of herself and the London Underground map were included in her submission.

Katherine, who was not confident when she left her interview, rejected a place on a fine art course at Oxford University to accept the fine art degree at the Slade School in University College London.

The former Ashleigh Primary School pupil said: “I was really surprised, over the moon. I never expected to get in without a foundation year.”

Adam impressed with a number of his paintings, including one of Darwen moors and his piece from a visit to St Ives where he used sand, slate, seaweed and a music stand to create his piece.

He won a place at Goldsmiths Art Department, which is part of the University of London.

He said: “I wasn’t expecting to get in, the foundation year was an entry requirement. I was just shocked when I got a place. I was really excited.”