A college has submitted an urgent appeal after a letter explaining a pupil's absence from school was not received by an examining board.

Bicester Community College in Queens Avenue wrote a letter explaining Stephanie Butler, 18, had been given special dispensation to miss a period of school.

But the examining board said it did not receive the letter.

Miss Butler was given an N grade in her Theatre Studies A-level exam, instead of her predicted C grade.

Her mother, Jacqui Butler, of Walpole Close, Bicester, said her daughter was devastated as she was three points short of getting a university place to study teaching.

College head Cynthia Bartlett said: "We are investigating with the board exactly what happened.

"We have appealed on Stephanie's behalf.

"We have done all we can to support Stephanie in her two years at the college and we will continue to support her in her pursuit of a teaching career."