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Our Vision & Values

Campuses in Truro and Penzance both offer an exceptional range of courses for a variety of students, providing industry-standard equipment and resources housed in modern, purpose-built facilities.

College Charter
Three students sit on the grass outside a building at Penwith College. The sun is shining and there are daisies surrounding them.

Our Students

The College prides itself on providing a fantastic student experience, giving the perfect platform for our students to prepare for and succeed in the world of work or at university.

Our Mission Statement is: ‘To provide the best possible learning experience, leading to the highest possible level of achievements by our students’ and we promote the Values of Wellbeing, Engagement, Aspiration and Respect among our staff and students.

A large group of students stand in a line and smile at the camera. Some students have their arms around each other and some are resting their heads on each others shoulders. It is a sunny day and there are trees in the background.
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The image is of a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision for learners with high needs', '42 Penwith College' and '162 Truro College'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'Apprenticeships by level and age group', '82 Level 2 19+', '183 Level 3 19+', '30 Level 4 19+', '70 Level 5 19+', '104 Level 6 19+', '164 Level 2 16-18', '84 Level 3 16-18', '01 Level 5 16-18' and '02 Level 6 16-18'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'Education for young people', '3760 Level 3', '297 Level 1' and '647 Level 2'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision type by student numbers', '4,877 16-19 learners', '704 adult learners', '194 high needs' and '740 apprenticeships'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision type by funding', '5% 16-19 L1', '3% adult learners', '10% apprenticeships', '9% high needs progression pathways', '4% high needs cross college', '9% 16-19 L2' and '59% 16-19 L3'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'adult learning', '449 AEB and loan funded learners on qualification courses', '808 adult community learning', '849 full cost recovery learners on qualification courses' and '776 full cost recovery learners on non-regulated courses'.
Previous slide
Next slide
The image is of a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision for learners with high needs', '42 Penwith College' and '162 Truro College'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'Apprenticeships by level and age group', '82 Level 2 19+', '183 Level 3 19+', '30 Level 4 19+', '70 Level 5 19+', '104 Level 6 19+', '164 Level 2 16-18', '84 Level 3 16-18', '01 Level 5 16-18' and '02 Level 6 16-18'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'Education for young people', '3760 Level 3', '297 Level 1' and '647 Level 2'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision type by student numbers', '4,877 16-19 learners', '704 adult learners', '194 high needs' and '740 apprenticeships'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'provision type by funding', '5% 16-19 L1', '3% adult learners', '10% apprenticeships', '9% high needs progression pathways', '4% high needs cross college', '9% 16-19 L2' and '59% 16-19 L3'.
The image is a pie chart. The chart reads 'adult learning', '449 AEB and loan funded learners on qualification courses', '808 adult community learning', '849 full cost recovery learners on qualification courses' and '776 full cost recovery learners on non-regulated courses'.

the college history

The College you see today was formed in 2008, when Truro College merged with Penwith College in Penzance.

Truro College opened in 1993 with the aim of providing education and training to the city and its surrounding areas. Soon, these ‘surrounding areas’ expanded to encompass most of Cornwall, as increasing numbers of students were attracted by our reputation and results.

Before the merger, Penwith College was a small tertiary college serving the area from Land’s End to Hayle and Camborne. It was decided in 2006 that Penwith should be merged with Truro College; a process completed in 2008. In the five years that followed, £30m was spent on redeveloping the site, student numbers more than doubled, and results across all levels rose dramatically to match those of Truro College.

A picture of a Truro and Penwith College building in 2009. There are palm trees in the foreground.

the college today

Truro and Penwith College now offers a wide number of courses across many qualification types and levels, from traditionally ‘academic’ A Levels and Degrees to Apprenticeships, vocational courses and business training.

Building on the best individual traditions of both centres, the merged Truro and Penwith College has a local and national reputation as an institution which is lively, innovative, demands high standards of its learners, but is also caring and supportive of individuals.

We continually invest in buildings, facilities and resources for our students across all ages. Recent developments include the opening of the £7.3m South West Institute of Technology building at Truro College, investment in new Science labs at Penwith College and the opening in 2023 of the STEM and Health Skills Centre in Bodmin, a brand-new education hub for students in the north east of Cornwall.

A picture of the Sennen building at Penwith College on a sunny day. You can see the exterior of the building, a pathway and a directional sign.