RESEARCH has shown that Worcester Sixth Form College A-level students are in the top four per cent nationwide for making progress in their courses.

The A-level Performance System (ALPS) analysed the exam results of 975 institutions and placed Worcester Sixth Form College in the top four per cent, at 38th place.

The ALPS system, which measures scores between GCSE and A-level, has been supported by the government to analyse past results' data and has, for several years, placed Worcester Sixth Form College in the top three to four per cent nationally.

Principal John Tredwell said he thought the college's results were reliably very good because of the depth of experience and expertise gained from teaching 1,300 A-level students.

"Specialisation pays off," he said.

Worcester Sixth Form College has also been part of the government's value-added pilot survey.

These type of results will be included in next year's post-16 league tables.

The pilot also showed the college was in the top group of schools and colleges.

Students following vocational courses at the college also achieve well.

Edexcel, the country's largest awarding body, has just assessed the college's BTEC programmes.

The assessor, Mick Cowan, said: "There are a number of areas of very good practice at the college, some not found in other well managed centres."