Ref. 71832-68 Ridgeway students Sophie Palmer (left) and Gemma LeadleyA -LEVEL RESULTS: SIXTHFORMERS from Swindon have excelled in this year's A levels.

Four of the six institutions catering for the town's students exceeded the national pass rate of 96 per cent.

They were New College, Wootton Bassett School, St Joseph's School and Cirencester College with Swindon College falling short by only one per cent.*

Results have risen for the 22nd successive year, once again prompting critics to say A levels have been dumbed down and that the qualification has become worthless.

But teachers in Swindon robustly defended the integrity of the exams and applauded the hard work of their students.

Peter Henly, head of A level studies at Swindon College, said: "This debate about whether exams are getting easier has been going on for 20 years.

"It's a myth perpetuated year on year.

"I think that the pass rates have been improving because of the quality of teaching and the application of students.

St Joseph's School deputy head Maureen Harries has been teaching sociology and psychology A level for nearly 25 years.

She said: "I don't agree A levels have got easier.

"The assessment criterion has changed. There is more course work and students take modules.

"Maybe A levels test different things these days, they are not so much knowledge based but skills based but they require just as much work.

"It's not good for education to keep saying the exams are getting easier.

"It devalues the hard work of many students and may even put them off going onto further education."

*Ridgeway School headteacher Elizabeth Cooper refused to disclose the overall pass rate because the school wanted to celebrate the successes of individual students.