New figures show that on average ex-Bilborough College students achieve higher classes of degrees than their counterparts from state, independent schools and other sixth form colleges across the UK.
A total of 84.93 per cent of students from Bilborough College achieved a first or upper second class honours degree at university in the 2015/16 academic year.
This compares to 76.12 per cent from sixth form colleges, 73.62 per cent from state schools and 79.52 per cent from independent schools across the country.
The figures have been released by the Sixth Form Colleges Association for the 2015/16 academic year using information supplied by its 90 members and data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Bilborough College also came out on top in a table that ranks the percentage, on average, of students across the UK who live in an area where young people do not traditionally progress to university who achieved a first or upper second class honours degree.
The statistics show that 88.89 per cent of Bilborough College students from these areas achieved top honours, compared with 69.50 per cent from state schools, 72.32 per cent from other sixth form colleges and 76.32 per cent from independent schools.
More Bilborough College students – 87.65 per cent – who attended Russell Group universities also achieved first or second class honours degrees on average. This compared to 81.63 per cent from other sixth form colleges, 80.20 per cent from state schools and 81.43 from independent schools. The tables of Degree Classification obtained by students at UK Universities can be viewed here.
Chris Bradford, Principal at Bilborough College, said: “At Bilborough College we set out to make sure all our students are ready for that vital next step at 18.
“We know from official UCAS data that the rates for our students who are accepted at university when they have applied are higher than the national averages. Plus, our former students always tell us that Bilborough College is a great preparation for university and now this HESA data confirms that our ‘graduates’ on average go on to achieve significantly higher classes of degrees than their counterparts from state and independent schools and other sixth form colleges.
“We’re incredibly proud of their achievements and of the part we’ve been able to play in preparing them for that success.”