West Herts College, Watford
West Herts College is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Watford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
West Herts College in detail
West Herts College in its own words
In its own words: "West Herts College will inspire achievement and success in ways which stimulate: Our services will be relevant and accessible to people throughout their lives Our evidence-based decisions will deliver value for money for everyone we serve"
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026 and an open day on Saturday 21 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 2886 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 17% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 34% into work. 2% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Watford Underground Station, about 760 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stratford Road (opposite), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Herts College stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 694 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Contribution to meeting skills needs: Strong
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development, Leadership & management.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes.
About
West Herts College (WHC) is a further education college in West Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Established in 1991 through the amalgamation of Watford College, Cassio College and Dacorum College, WHC has campuses in Watford and Hemel Hempstead.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
D-
Average grade
16.1
Points per entry
E
Best 3 A-Levels
0%
Achieving AAB+
Below average
Value added
28
A-Level students
60%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 2,886 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
2%
Top-third university
34%
Degree course
39%
Any L4+ destination
2%
Apprenticeships
Based on 1,384 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from West Herts College
Therapy Dogs help students relax before exams
21 Sep 2026
Project APEX - Road Safety Workshop
21 Sep 2026
Hairdressing students made it to the World Skills Regional Finals
22 Jun 2023
From West Herts College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with West Herts College
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 49
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 41 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Watford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Watford
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(12)
Questions parents ask about West Herts College
What is West Herts College's Ofsted rating?
West Herts College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024.
What is the catchment area for West Herts College?
No fixed boundary. When West Herts College is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to West Herts College?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming West Herts College on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near West Herts College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 41 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is West Herts College?
West Herts College is at Watford Campus, Hempstead Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 3EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)