Staff and students at Loreto Sixth Form College are celebrating a double win at the Association of Colleges Award Ceremony. Loreto had been awarded the new and prestigious Beacon Award from the Department for Children, Schools and Families for the Successful Delivery of Advanced Level Qualifications. The Award recognises Loreto's outstanding delivery of Advanced Level qualifications to 16-19 year olds. The Awards celebrate 16 years of outstanding teaching and learning in further education Colleges.

Through advice, sustained support and careful monitoring of their progress, Loreto Sixth Form College has helped students to achieve higher grades than the national average in their A-levels. These results have placed the College at the top of the Government league table for value-added. It also noted that 85% of Loreto students go on to higher education.

Charles McCann accepted the DCSF Award on behalf of the college. A spokesperson for Award sponsors, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Loreto Sixth Form College has achieved excellent results at Level 3 for students. The College's investment in innovative teaching and learning and very high quality support and guidance, which starts at school stage and continues through to gaining HE places, contributes to this success."

As the twenty-third plaque was given out and people started to ready themselves for a light lunch, the chair announced the President's Prize, the "cream of the crop … an outstanding example of achievement in further education" chosen by the President of the AoC Charitable Trust, paralympic gold medallist Giles Long, MBE. The winner was Loreto College.

He said: "This project stood out for me because of its aim of providing a pathway to channel young people towards bettering themselves through education. I am a big believer that talent is gifted irrespective of class, but it is the harnessing of that talent that is not only crucial for the individual but for the nation as a whole. Loreto Sixth Form College seems to be filling an important gap where it is most needed."

Ann Clynch, principal accepted the award on behalf of Loreto and said, "Loreto College is delighted to have won the DCSF Award for the Successful Delivery of Advanced Level Qualifications. It is wonderful that the work and commitment of staff and students, year on year, has been recognised in this most valued of Beacon Awards."

A spokesperson for Award sponsors, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Loreto Sixth Form College has achieved excellent results at Level 3 for students."