A LEVEL league tables "punish" Bridgwater College for having a broad curriculum - according to its principal.

The Government published its league tables which report the college scored 250.7 A Level points per pupil against a Somerset average of 261.5 and a national average of 258.6.

But principal Fiona McMillan says the college runs a variety of AVCEs - Advanced Vocational Certificates of Education, equivalent to two A Levels.

So if a student achieves a double A grade, they can only score a maximum of 240 points.

Taking these 95 students out of the statistics the 224 A level students would have achieved an average of 286 points - well above county and national averages.

The college also has an A Level pass rate at grades A to E of 99.5% and 74% at A to C - the best for any college in Somerset.

Mrs McMillan said the A level league tables punish Bridgwater College for having such a broad curriculum including a large number of AVCE students.