A NEW sixth form centre has opened its doors to its first students.

East Durham College welcomed its first 60 A-level students to its new ED6 centre in Peterlee this rmorning.

Principal Suzanne Duncan said: "We want East Durham Sixth Form to be a place local young people aspire to go to, so we are absolutely thrilled that so many have chosen to study their A Levels with us.

"We are highly committed to providing our new students with high quality, challenging teaching and outstanding support so that each and every one of them achieves their potential and realises their goals."

Former Dene School pupil Rhys Sutheran is one of the first intake.

The 17-year-old from Horden recently passed nine GCSEs including 5 at A*/A grades, said: "I’m really looking to my time here at ED6.

"It’s great to be starting at a brand new sixth form and being in the group of first every students so that we can set the standard for future ED6 students."

Meanwhile, East Durham College announced that a record number of students had enrolled to study at its Houghall Campus, in Durham City, with numbers up by more than 15 per cent on last year.