WHILE Wootton Bassett topped the list of Swindon area schools, the highest ranked state school was Colchester Royal Grammar School in Essex, where pupils averaged 504.9 points according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service scale, in which an A is worth 120 and an E-grade 40.

Colchester Royal Grammar School came third overall behind first-placed King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, where pupils averaged 521.9 points, and St Swithun's School, another all-female institution in Winchester, with 518.5.

Many students and their teachers complained in summer 2001 that the demands of AS-Level exams left them with no time for other activities such as sport, music, drama or voluntary work.

Further education and sixth form colleges took the bottom four positions in the 2002 A-Level tables.

Salford College in Greater Manchester was last year's worst performer, with candidates averaging 47.4 points, or just over one E-grade each.

Stroud College of Further Education was ranked second from bottom, with a 57.7 points per candidate on average, followed by Lowestoft College (62.1) and Bishop Auckland College (66.5).

The Association of Colleges insisted they "added about the same value" as schools.

A spokeswoman said: "The reason that colleges predominate with lower grades in A-Levels is that they are largely non-selective, inclusive institutions which will take anyone who wants to try to achieve.

"Unlike schools, which are very concerned to protect their positions in league tables, they do not screen out people who do not have a high chance of success."