A LAUNCESTON school is celebrating after being rated fourth in Cornwall for its overall performance at the end of Key Stage 4 this year.

Launceston College, part of Athena Learning Trust, received the high rating for its overall performance at the end Years 10 and 11.

Ratified GCSE result league tables have been published by the Department for Education this month which also show that over half of students at the college received a grade 5 or above in their English and maths GCSEs.

Launceston College has also been awarded an above average ‘Progress 8’ score, meaning that students at the college achieve up to half a grade higher in each qualification on average, compared to similar students across the country.

Progress 8 is one of the main performance measures for schools - calculated by comparing each student's best grades across eight subjects to those nationally of other students who had the same KS2 SATs results from primary school - designed to encourage schools to concentrate on improving the performance of all students, rather than those on the ‘borderline’ or those pushing for the very top grades.

The school has said that students were in high spirits at the college back in August when they picked up their GCSE results. Approximately 50 percent of grades in biology, chemistry, physics, religious studies and drama, and approximately 25 percent of grades in maths, history and geography, were grade 7 to 9.

Mr Matthew Thompson, principal at Launceston College said: "I am thrilled that Launceston College has been recognised as the fourth highest performing school in Cornwall at Key Stage 4 by the Department for Education.

“This achievement reflects not only the success of our students but also the dedication of our staff.

“Our strong Progress 8 score also shows that every student at Launceston College will be supported to reach their full potential.”