STUDENTS at West Somerset Community College have chalked up some "phenomenal" A level results, headteacher Nick Swann revealed yesterday (Thursday).
This year's results for both A levels and GNVQs were among the best ever achieved by the college.
The A level pass rate was again above the national average at 93 per cent, some four per cent higher than the average figure of 89 per cent.
Of those, 70 per cent of students gained pass grades at C or above, 42 per cent achieved pass rates of B or above and 20 per cent gained A grades.
The success story continued at GNVQ level with more than two thirds of the 45 students taking advanced level in business and health and social care gaining distinctions.
Mr Swann said: "These results are once again outstandingly good and in keeping with the high standards consistently achieved by students studying vocational courses at the college and are among the best in the country.
"All subjects performed according to expectation with several curriculum areas achieving phenomenal results. In art, for example, ten out of the 16 students gained an A grade."
There were some excellent performances from individual students as well, with three teenagers achieving straight As.
Daniel Tacagni achieved A grade passes in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics and is planning to go to university in London to study medicine.
Daniel Stone excelled with As in geography, history and biology, while Peggy Mo hit top form with As in double GNVQ business and in art.
Other notable achievers included: Naomi Betts - ABB, Daniel Coomber - ABBC, Katherine Cornes - AAC, Louise Evans - ABB, Roxanne Grimmett - AAB, Rachel Lee - AA (with one result to come), Beth Spiller - ABB, Nick Turner - AAB.
Science results also showed a "significant upward trend", with a 90 per cent pass rate in biology, chemistry and physics. Of those, 72 per cent were at C grade or above and 41 per cent at grade A or B.
Mr Swann said: "This bodes well for the future at a time when we will soon be opening our new £1 million science facilities which will include specialist A level laboratories."
He added: "Staff across the college have worked hard with students to raise standards of attainment and these excellent results demonstrate just how well they and the sixth form as a whole are performing.
"This confirms the positive feedback received from both OFSTED and from a recent parents' survey, which highlighted the positive working ethos in the sixth form and the close partnership with parents."
The majority of the A Level college students are planning to go on to higher education, especially as many have achieved top flight grades.
Mr Swann said he certainly had not seen any evidence to back-up claims in some national newspapers that A levels were getting easier and said the college had also bucked the national trend which had seen girls getting better grades than boys.
In Minehead, the girls have been getting slightly higher pass rates than their male classmates, but the boys have been fighting back with fractionally better grades.
Pictured clockwise from front are Daniel Tacagni, Peggy Mo, Naomi Betts and Roxanne Grimmett.
Photo: Steve Guscott