The government’s national post 16 achievement and attainment tables for schools and colleges show Truro and Penwith College has both the highest points per entry score (219.4 ) and the highest value added (1023.1) out of all public institutions in Cornwall for A level and equivalent qualifications.

The news has delighted heads of department at the colleges.

In the “points per student” measure the college also achieved an average of 803 points, more than 60 points above the national average for this measure and over 100 points above the average score for Cornish schools and colleges.

The official tables, issued by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, now include all the achievements by students taking the advanced vocational alternatives to A level and the International Baccalaureate.

David Walrond, director of curriculum and quality at Truro and Penwith College, was particularly pleased with the very high score on the new value added measure for post-16 students.

“In simple terms, this new score measures how well students perform aged 18 in relation to their previous GCSE results. To do so exceptionally well on this new measure, as well as on the other more familiar measures, is very exciting. It shows that Truro and Penwith College is literally “adding value” to how students achieved at the end of their compulsory school education. High performance in this new measure is about giving students a wide choice of course with the post-16 expertise and specialised resources that really allow them to engage and achieve.”