STEPHANIE Davis is dazzling a national TV audience as she aims to slip on Dorothy’s red slippers in the West End…but it’s come as little surprise to teachers and pupils at her former high school.

The 17-year-old has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to win the coveted role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber inspired musical based on the Wizard of Oz.

She is now among the final eight and was again showered with praise by judges after her high tempo routine of the Jennifer Lopez hit, Let’s Get Loud.

Pupils and former teachers from De La Salle High School, in Eccleston, have been glued to their screen and are ensuring she is getting plenty of support for the phone vote.

The school used its text messaging service to encourage parents to back the former pupil so she can make it up the Yellow Brick Road.

And Steph’s success hasn’t come as a shock to the secondary school’s headteacher, Will Daunt, who believed the girl was destined for the top.

He told the Star: “I am not surprised to see her doing so well on the programme because we knew she was going places.

“She threw herself into the performing arts as soon as she arrived here. She is very talented in all the artistic and drama side of things.

“She is what we see on the programme – very talented and very popular.

“We are following the show with great interest and encouraging people at school to support her. It’s really good news for the school and for St Helens as well.

“I remember showing some headteachers around from abroad and took them up to where she was rehearsing in the theatre for West Side Story.

“They were amazed by her voice. We think she has a really good chance.”

Bookies made Stephanie favourite after early frontrunner Danielle Hope clung to her place following the sing-off.

Dani Rayner, 16, from Cheshire, became the third hopeful to be eliminated, leaving Steph as the youngest remaining competitor.

The Whiston teenager was hailed as “awesome” by Welsh singer Charlotte Church after Saturday night’s performance.

Eastenders and West End star, John Partridge, described her as a “firecracker” and has likened her to a “mini Ginger Rogers”.