Waltham Forest College celebrates milestone in empowering ambitious futures for young people

Waltham Forest College is celebrating a significant milestone, with 2025/26 Vector data placing the College number one in the London Borough of Waltham Forest for post-16 recruitment for the first time.

The achievement provides a powerful endorsement of the College’s commitment to high-quality vocational and technical education and, more importantly, its ambition to prepare young people for successful futures.

At the heart of the College’s approach is a simple belief that education should equip young people not only with qualifications, but with the skills, knowledge, behaviours and confidence to thrive in work and in life.

Through career-focused education, technical learning and meaningful engagement with employers and industry, students connect their learning with the world beyond the classroom, develop professional behaviours and gain a greater understanding of the opportunities available to them.

Central to this is raising aspiration, the College encourages young people to think big about their futures, challenge perceptions of what they can achieve and recognise vocational and technical education as a powerful route to ambitious careers, apprenticeships, higher education and long-term success.

The milestone is particularly significant given that Waltham Forest College does not currently offer A Levels, highlighting the important role that high-quality technical and vocational education plays in creating ambitious pathways for young people.

Jane Button, Principal and CEO, said:

“Reaching the number one position in the borough for post-16 recruitment is a significant milestone for our College and something our whole community can be proud of.

“It reflects the confidence that young people, families and our wider community are placing in the College, and the strength and relevance of our vocational and technical education offer. Achieving this position without currently offering A Levels makes the result particularly significant.

“Most importantly, this achievement belongs to our staff. Every colleague, whether teaching and supporting our students directly or working behind the scenes, plays a part in creating the experience, opportunities and sense of belonging that encourage young people to choose us.

“We should celebrate this success, while continuing to look forward. Our ambition is not simply to be the first-choice college locally, but to ensure that every student who chooses us receives an outstanding education that prepares them for their next step, whether that is employment, an apprenticeship, further study or higher education.”

Building skills, raising aspirations and creating opportunity

The College will continue to strengthen the relationship between education, employers and opportunity, ensuring its curriculum responds to the skills needed by industry while giving young people the foundations to adapt, progress and succeed throughout their careers.

For Waltham Forest College, this milestone represents much more than a number-one position. It reinforces a wider ambition to raise aspirations, develop talent and create meaningful pathways to opportunity, ensuring young people are equipped to succeed in employment, apprenticeships, further study and higher education.