THE son of a Health Minister is the first English pupil at a West Oxfordshire independent school to graduate with an American high school diploma.

Bobby Burns – son of West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns – is one of four to leave Kingham Hill School, in Chipping Norton, with the US qualification.

The 18-year-old will study politics at Bristol University in September and may study in the States in the future.

Three American pupils also graduated from the school’s American Studies programme, which was introduced in 2007.

Headmaster Nick Seward said: “I’m delighted for Bobby — a great achievement for a real Kingham Hill character.

“The unique programme here allows A-Level pupils to keep their options open for higher education and university, which is ever more important in a global marketplace.”

Kingham Hill has appointed several American tutors and created a study programme that enables pupils to transfer from an American school to England and back without falling behind. The course was set up after the closure of an American school in London.

Non-Americans can also study under the programme, which can complement A-Level subjects and means that pupils of all nationalities can apply to US colleges.