Students at Swindon schools and colleges achieved the lowest average A-level results in the south west, according to new figures.

Across England, the average point score for the 2022-23 academic year was lower than the previous one, which was expected to return to pre-pandemic grading.

Department for Education figures show the average A-level score achieved by pupils in Swindon was 28.1 out of 60 maximum points.

This represents the lowest result in the whole of the south west, where youngsters averaged 33.9 points.

Of the 741 students who took A-levels at state-funded Swindon schools and colleges, 5.9 per cent achieved three A* or A grades.

Just 10.4 per cent received AAB or better while 83.7 per cent of those students got at least two A-levels.

The gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students in England stood at 4.9 points, with average scores of 34.7 and 29.8 points, respectively.

This rang true for Swindon too where those better-off received 28.8 points while their peers from disadvantaged backgrounds scored 24.1 points.

Swindon Borough Council, while reacting to the new figures, acknowledged that more needs to be done to ensure grades increase in the coming years.

A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council said: “A-Level results in Swindon are clearly not as high as we would like but all our providers have strategies in place and are working incredibly hard to improve students’ grades.

“These grades do not reflect the outcomes of all young people in sixth form and college as many young people study for technical and vocational qualifications.

“There are a number of initiatives in place to improve outcomes but we know we need to do more.

Alongside recognising the need to improve, the council also announced that it would be setting up a new partnership between businesses, universities and schools.

This is aimed at bridging the gap and ensuring that everyone can aspire to go onto further education at university no matter their background.

“The number of young people progressing to university is increasing and we have more opportunities for young people with additional needs,” added the spokesperson.

“We are setting up a Swindon Learning Together Partnership to bring key businesses, our universities, politicians and schools together to raise aspirations and ensure the great opportunities locally are all well promoted, all our young people are benefitting from them and employers are getting the skills they need.”