FORGET Eton, discount Harrow – it's St. Ambrose College in Hale Barns that is now dominating the ministerial ranks with two former pupils promoted under Theresa May.

Damian Hinds, who went to the Hale Barns Catholic Grammar School from 1980 to 1987 has been made Minister of Employment at the Department of Work and Pensions.

Paul Maynard who followed on from Damian going to Ambrose from 1987 to 1994, has been made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Transport.

Damian went up to Trinity College, Oxford, where he studied politics, philosophy and economics and was happy to recount his rise: “I worked for a few years for a management consultancy, then most of my career in the hospitality business, including several years with InterContinental and Holiday Inn hotels, some time as a freelancer, and a couple of years with Greene King, the pub company and brewer.

“I first stood for Parliament in Stretford and Urmston in 2005 but was not successful. In 2010 I was elected as MP for East Hampshire, and re-elected last year.”

He added: “It is a huge honour, privilege and responsibility to represent constituents in Parliament. My new role is very engaging, with responsibility for the help we give people to get into or back to work. I am lucky to work with highly committed civil servants and dedicated colleagues in the network of job centres.”

He added: “My memories of St Ambrose are very good ones. St Ambrose was where I got my interest in current affairs and public policy. We had many opportunities for debate in lessons, in the debating society, and informally. It is good to see the school doing so well today.”

Paul studied history at Oxford getting a first class honours degree which he attributes to “the careful teaching of the wonderful Sean Fleming at Ambrose.”

He added: “I contested Twickenham in 2005 against Vince Cable before being selected a year later for Blackpool North and Cleveleys in 2006, winning it from Labour in 2010 and increasing my majority to 3,340 in 2015.

“After a few years as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Oliver Letwin then Amber Rudd, the new Government saw Mrs May offer me the job of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Transport. I’m also responsible for light rail and trams, which is for the best, as a Blackpool MP."

He continued: “It has been something of a step-up as you have to learn how to be a Minister as well as carrying on with your equally important constituency role. Not only do you have to learn the mechanics of how to operate as a Minister, managing the workload and bringing pressure to bear where you need it most, but you also have to rapidly familiarise yourself with what can at times be the quite arcane world of railway terminology.”

He added: “St Ambrose for me will always be a place that gave me an opportunity that I might not otherwise have had to aim a bit higher. It was never less than stimulating, and my memories will always be fond ones, not least of the staff.”

He added: “We’ve had a lot of focus on grammar schools of late, and I’m glad to see we’ve put out a green paper which seeks to ensure that parents will have as much choice as is practicable in their local area. But we should never see this as an either or debate; it’s about every child having access to a high-quality education that stretches them.”

St Ambrose College's former deputy head, Phil Howard, said: “To have one government minister is wonderful, to have two is quite incredible. We always follow with the greatest interest the careers of our Old Boys.

"Damian and Paul were outstanding students of the college and are an inspiration to today’s young Ambrosians. We congratulate them on their promotions and wish them every success in the future.”