A SECONDARY school in St Austell has proved to be top of the class when it comes to GCSEs.

Penrice Academy has announced that its class of 2025 has been recognised as the highest achieving state school cohort in Cornwall for the Attainment 8 measure.

Attainment 8 is a yearly score showing how well students perform on average across key subjects.

The latest scores are shown in the government GCSE performance tables for 2025.

A school spokesperson said: “This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication of Penrice students, who have shown remarkable togetherness and ambition throughout their time at school.

“The 2025 GCSE results mark a significant milestone for Penrice Academy, which continues to build on its reputation for academic excellence.

“In addition to this latest achievement, Penrice was inspected by Ofsted in February 2025 and proudly retained its outstanding status. The outcome means that the school continues to hold Ofsted outstanding status that it first obtained in 2011.”

Headteacher Tanya Coleman said of the latest achievement: “This is a moment of real pride for our school community but, above all, it’s a celebration of our students. Their determination and their belief in themselves have led to this success.

“We know how much they’ve overcome and how hard they’ve worked – this recognition primarily belongs to them and their families.

“As Penrice looks ahead to the future, the school remains committed to helping every young person achieve their personal best, both academically and as active global citizens; with our futures in their hands, it is indeed exciting times ahead!”

The class of 2025 celebrated their prom in the summer at the Atlantic Hotel in Newquay. The joyful event was said to be in sharp contrast to when the youngsters started their education at the school during the coronavirus pandemic.

Penrice Academy is part of the Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT).