Truro and Penwith College

Truro and Penwith College is one of the best colleges in the country, a fact recognised by Ofsted which gave us Outstanding status following our review in February 2016. We have campuses in Truro and Penzance, both offering an exceptional range of courses, providing industry-standard equipment and resources, all housed in modern, purpose-built facilities.

We were thrilled to be awarded Beacon Status in recognition of excellence and innovation in the Learning and Skills sector, and our Ofsted Outstanding Status is a source of great pride, but what does it mean for you? Comments made by the Ofsted inspectors' report give an insight as to why our students thrive during their time with us and how you will have the best chance of achieving your goals when you choose Truro and Penwith College. “Learners enjoy great success because of the ethos of aspiration and achievement that pervades the College”. “Teachers are highly skilled, apply their expertise to great effect in planning lessons, and bring a passion to their teaching that challenges and inspires learners to make rapid progress". Other findings in their report included the teaching being “often inspirational” and that as a consequence “learners make exceptional progress, often well above that which their expectations and their qualifications on entry would predict”. Ofsted also applauded governors and senior leaders for creating “a culture where learning and achievement flourish as a result of excellent teaching.”

The College you see today was formed in 2008, when Truro College merged with Penwith College in Penzance. Truro College opened in 1993 with the aim of providing education and training to the city and its surrounding areas. Soon, these ‘surrounding areas’ expanded to encompass most of Cornwall, as increasing numbers of students were attracted by our reputation and results. From an initial 2,770 students in 1993, learner numbers increased to around 13,900 students in 2008.

Before the merger, Penwith College was a small tertiary college serving the area from Land’s End to Hayle and Camborne. It was decided in 2006 that Penwith should be merged with Truro College; a process completed in 2008. In the five years that followed, £30million was spent on redeveloping the site, student numbers more than doubled, and results across all levels rose dramatically to match those of Truro College.

Truro and Penwith College now offers a wide number of courses across many qualification types and levels, from traditionally ‘academic’ A Levels and Degrees to Apprenticeships, vocational courses and business training. The happiness of our students shows in their results, which place us in the top 4% of colleges in England. Our Academies, focusing on a range of specialisms from medical and academic to surfing and tennis, provide learners with an outlet for their talents outside formal studies. We’ve even got two public restaurants, offering top-quality food prepared by our own cookery students.

Building on the best individual traditions of both centres, the merged Truro and Penwith College has a local and national reputation as an institution which is lively, innovative, demands high standards of its learners, but is also caring and supportive of individuals.

Your education and your future couldn’t be in better hands when you choose to study with Truro and Penwith College.

We are officially recognised as one of the best colleges in the country and Ofsted has awarded the College ‘Outstanding’ status as a result of its inspection in 2016.

Not only are we the best performing state A Level provider in Cornwall, we are also one of the highest performing colleges nationally on all courses at all levels. You can choose from a huge range of A Levels, vocational courses and Apprenticeships, all taught by highly-qualified, specialist educators.

We are also the only college in Cornwall to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and our results place us as the top, non-selective, state provider of the qualification in the country.

The positive and nurturing environment, combined with world-class facilities and exceptional tutors, provides you with the best opportunity to achieve your educational goals. So whether you have a career in mind, or you are still exploring your options, we have the perfect course for you.