West Thames College is a further education provider to 6,500 students, and is situated in the London borough of Hounslow. It has further study centres in Isleworth and Feltham. The college was granted a 'Satisfactory' grade from Ofsted in 2010.
Background and history
Spring Grove house on the Isleworth campus has resided in its current location since 1779 and is the oldest building on college grounds. However, the college itself can trace its direct roots back to 1922 under the name of Hounslow Polytechnic, which was renamed Hounslow Borough College in 1976. In 1993 gained incorporated status and was renamed again, thus bringing it up to its current incarnation.
Location and accessibility
The main Isleworth campus is situated in 'Zone 4' of the London Underground and is a mere five-minute walk from Isleworth station - which in turn has regular trains from and to Waterloo. There are also five buses (237, 235, 110, 117 and H37) that stop directly outside the college gates.Additionally, there is college parking for students able to drive, but spaces are limited and granted on a 'first come, first serve' basis.The Feltham Skills Centre is located ten minutes from Feltham Station and is serviced by the Reading or Windsor lines. The campus can also be reached by bus and is just a short stroll from the bus stop, with buses 285 and 490 dropping students closest to the campus.There is also a direct bus link between the two campuses that runs every half hour.
What's on offer?
The college primarily specifies in vocational training, offering NVQ, BTEC, and HND, as well as Foundation Degree and BA qualifications. Additionally, it provides a small range of A-levels, restricted largely to the sciences. As well as vocational courses, the college provides extensive opportunities for workplace study and a range of short courses targeted at adults. Furthermore, the college has a good output of students going onto Higher Education and maintains strong links with Kingston, St Mary's and the University of Westminster.