Figures released by the Department for Education show Havant & South Downs College (HSDC) to be the top College for academic and vocational excellence in the Portsmouth area.
More students studying ‘facilitating’ A Level subjects* at HSDC achieved AAB grades or higher compared to other local Colleges, such as Portsmouth College and Highbury College.
Facilitating subjects are those most commonly required by the top universities in the country.
Data shows that 6.1% of students secured the top grades at HSDC, compared to 4.6% at Chichester College and 2.5% at Portsmouth College.
Havant & South Downs College was also confirmed as being above the national average for students’ grades and progress in its vocational subjects. HSDC ranked higher than Portsmouth College, Highbury College, Fareham College and Chichester College and its performance is similar to other high-performing Colleges such as Peter Symonds College and Barton Peveril Sixth Form College.
The statistics also showed that a greater proportion of students secured positive destinations after leaving HSDC than those attending other local Colleges.
Eighty-nine per cent of Havant & South Downs College students successfully progressed to education or employment after their success at College, compared to 88% at Portsmouth College and 85% at Highbury College and Fareham College.
Principal and Chief Executive of HSDC, Mike Gaston, said: “We are so pleased to see our students’ superb achievements recognised in the Department for Education’s information today.
“Supported by our fantastic staff, thousands of young people have achieved their full potential and progressed to Higher Education and employment.
“Whether a student wishes to study A Levels or vocational courses and whether their aspirations are to study at one of the country’s top universities or secure a career with a leading employer – Havant & South Downs College is clearly the first choice locally for academic and vocational excellence.”
*Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Geography, History, English Literature and Classical or Modern Languages