Merton College, where J. R. R. Tolkien taught as professor of English and T. S. Eliot studied, has retained its status as the highest-achieving college at Oxford University.

Nearly half of its 83 undergraduates scored first-class degrees and the same proportion took 2:1s, according to official results produced by the university.

The Norrington Tables – named after Sir Arthur Norrington, the former President of Trinity College who first suggested them in a letter to The Times in 1962 – also show a return to academic ignominy for St Hilda’s, the last all-female college. The college, which will accept men for the first time next year, fell five places to 27th position out of 30.

Pembroke College, whose almuni include Samuel Johnson, rose fastest up the rankings, from 23rd place to 10th, while the biggest loser was Corpus Christi, which fell 14 places to 23rd.

The score is calculated by awarding five points for a first-class degree, three for a 2:1, two for a 2:2 and one for a third. The total is expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible score.

Study sheet

Merton College 76.63% Magdalen College 74.81% Christ Church 73.23% Balliol College 73.10% New College 72.46% St John’s College 71.64% Trinity College 71.36% Lincoln College 70.57% Hertford College 70.20% Pembroke College 69.47% Worcester College 69.08% St Edmund Hall 68.67% St Anne’s College 68.50% University College 68.38% Jesus College 68.28% The Queen’s College 67.76% Wadham College 67.37% Keble College 66.92% Somerville College 66.27% St Peter’s College 66.10% Brasenose College 65.98% Lady Margaret Hall 65.94% Corpus Christi College 65.48% Exeter College 65.27% St Hugh’s College 65.25% St Catherine’s College 65.15% St Hilda’s College 64.88% Mansfield College 64.13% Oriel College 63.46% Harris Manchester College 53.64%

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