Almost 2,000 A Level, International Baccalaureate, Level 3 Vocational and T Level students received results this summer, with high-grade performance significantly above national averages for further education colleges across the College’s principal qualification types.
At A Level, the proportion of A*-A grades was twice the corresponding national average for further education colleges, once again placing Truro and Penwith College among the country’s top-performing colleges.
Vocational and technical students also achieved some of the College’s strongest results. Across BTEC, OCR and NCFE programmes, the proportion achieving the highest possible grades was double the national average, while 80% of T Level students across its Truro, Penzance and Bodmin campuses achieved Merit, Distinction or Distinction* grades.
The results are the latest chapter in a record of high-quality, specialist post-16 education that began when the College first opened in 1993. The College has consistently achieved top outcomes for its students year after year, a testament to the experience and hard work of both its students and staff.
Today, Truro and Penwith College offers Cornwall’s largest choice of A Levels, alongside an extensive range of Vocational Diplomas, T Levels and Apprenticeships, as well as being the only provider in the county to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Across more than 2,300 A Level entries, students achieved an overall pass rate of 98%.A remarkable 576 A* or A grades were awarded, with 1,324 A*-B grades.
These outcomes place Truro and Penwith College above the A*- B average for Cornwall and nationwide. They also reflect the exceptional progress made by students from their individual starting points and provides them with a wide range of opportunities for their futures.
A total of 18 A Level subjects achieved a 100% pass rate, and high grades were particularly strong in English Literature, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Law, Computer Science, French, Geography, History and Sociology.
The College’s Level 3 Vocational students achieved exceptional outcomes. More than 1,500 first and second year students received results across a wide variety of subjects including Sports, Education, Health and Social Care, Creative Industries (Music, Acting, Musical Theatre, Media, Games Design), Business, Travel and Tourism, Engineering, Applied Science and IT, achieving high grades significantly above the national average.
Creative industries students studying on UAL courses achieved high grades 10% above the national average.
T Level students combined high-quality classroom learning with substantial industry placements, with 28% achieving Distinction or Distinction* grades. Standout programmes included the T Level in Education and Childcare (Early Years), where every student achieved Merit, Distinction or Distinction*.
At Penwith College in Penzance, students and staff had particular cause for celebration as another exceptional set of results reinforced the campus’s position as a centre of A Level excellence for West Cornwall.
Across 375 A Level entries, 62% achieved A*–B grades. Particularly strong results were recorded in Biology, English Literature, Environmental Science, Law, Art, Illustration and Graphics, Physics, History and Film Studies, with high-grade performance in these subjects exceeding the corresponding national averages. The results reflect the specialist teaching, close individual support and ambitious progression opportunities available at Penwith.
Penwith’s academic success was matched by outstanding vocational achievement. More than 90% of Music Performance and Games Design students achieved high grades, alongside 88% of Media and Art and Design students. Across its BTEC programmes, 62% achieved Triple Distinction or higher.
The Level 3 success follows excellent International Baccalaureate Diploma results announced in July. Truro College – Cornwall’s only IB provider – achieved over a 97% pass rate, well above the global rate of 82.6%. A total of 86% of students gained 30 points or more, while 11% achieved more than 40 points, equivalent to four A*s at A Level and a standard reached by only 5% of learners globally.
These results are helping students progress to a range of destinations. By Level 3 Results Day, more than 800 students had secured their first-choice university place, including nearly 300 progressing to 22 of the UK’s 24 Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. Others are moving into higher and degree apprenticeships, specialist training and skilled employment.
The College’s education programmes for young people are rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and this year’s results demonstrate how specialist teaching, personal support, enrichment and progression planning combine to help students achieve ambitious next steps.
Truro and Penwith College Principal Carl Riding said: “These exceptional results across A Levels, the International Baccalaureate, vocational qualifications and T Levels once again place Truro and Penwith College among the top-performing further education colleges in the country. I am particularly proud that excellence is evident across every pathway.
“More than 30 years of experience matters because it continues to deliver for students today. These results reflect the specialist expertise, outstanding support and culture of ambition that have been built across the College over generations.
“We are proud to offer young people and their families a track record they can trust: an environment in which every student is known, challenged and supported, and where academic, vocational and technical excellence sit alongside personal development and an exceptional student experience.
“I congratulate every student receiving their results today and thank our staff, parents, carers, employers and partners for everything they have done. We wish all our leavers the very best as they begin the next exciting stage of their lives.”
Truro and Penwith College is continuing to accept applications for courses starting in September 2026.
With over 30 years of top results and another joyous day of celebration today, our staff are here over the coming weeks to offer advice and to support more young people in Cornwall towards life changing outcomes.
Students receiving GCSE results on Thursday 20 August who are reconsidering their options, or who have not yet applied, can apply online or contact the College for advice and support.
