West Herts College

West Herts College
Location
Hempstead Road

Watford
,
Hertfordshire
,
WD17 3EZ

England
Information
Other namesWHC
Former nameWatford Library and School of Science and Art
Watford Technical College
Watford College of Technology
George Stephenson College
Watford College
Cassio College
Dacorum College
TypeFurther education
MottoShaping life through learning
Established1991 (1991) (WHC)
2019 (2019) (WHC Group)
Local authorityWatford
Department for Education URN130720 Tables
OfstedReports
Chairman of the GovernorsPhil Thompson [1]
PrincipalGill Worgan CBE [2]
GenderMixed
Age range16+
Enrolment5,869 (2024) [3]
Websitewww.westherts.ac.uk

West Herts College (WHC) is a further education college in West Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.[3] Established in 1991 through the amalgamation of Watford College, Cassio College and Dacorum College, WHC has campuses in Watford and Hemel Hempstead.

Since 2019, WHC has been a member of the West Herts College Group (WHC Group) together with Barnfield College.[3][4]

Range of courses

Courses offered are vocational and apprenticeships. The College works with local secondary schools to offer entry to applicants of 16 years of age and older. Some school pupils may transfer their full-time education to the College in order to restart their education or to take some vocational subjects at Level 1, either as full subjects or as "tasters" (to judge suitability). A few GCSE subjects are offered to gifted pupils.

Tertiary qualifications (foundation and extended degrees and Higher National Diplomas) are offered, overseen by the University of Hertfordshire (UH). The foundation degrees may lead on to full BA or BSc awards elsewhere, while extended degrees provide the entry requirements for a degree course at UH. In addition a number of stand-alone courses are offered to part-time students for personal development or leisure.

History

The Watford Library and School of Science and Art began in 1874 on Queens Road, Watford. A new building on Hempstead Road for the college was designed by the architects Henry Vaughan Lanchester and Thomas Arthur Lodge[5] and construction of the large, Art Deco-style college, known as the Lanchester Building, began in 1938. The new college was located on former lands of the Cassiobury Estate, sold by the Earl of Essex. Although the stately home was demolished in 1927, the 17th-century dower house, Little Cassiobury, remained. Progress on the new building was interrupted by the advent of World War II and the building remained unfinished throughout the 1940s. Watford Technical College was founded in 1947[6] but it was not until 1953 that Watford Technical College was officially opened in its new premises.[7]

In the 1980s Watford College of Technology merged with the George Stephenson College (built 1965/66)[8] to form Watford College. West Herts College was established in 1991 as part of the reorganisation of Further Education in Hertfordshire. It was created from the two local colleges Watford College and Cassio College, and Dacorum College in Hemel Hempstead. A new Watford Campus building was constructed in the early 21st century and West Herts College vacated the Lanchester Building; now a locally listed building due to its architectural merit;[5] the Lanchester Building is due to be converted into a primary school.[9]

In 2017 the College was awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework administered by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.[10] That same year a merger with Stanmore College was announced, but the plans were cancelled after three months.[11]

Former principals include Elizabeth Rushton (2004–2011), Tony Pitcher (2003–2004),[12] and Andrew Bragg (1997–2003).[13]

Campuses

The College has inherited campuses from its predecessors and now occupies sites at Watford (Hempstead Road) and Hemel Hempstead (Marlowes).

In 2020, West Herts College Kings Langley campus was closed with facilities moved to the Hemel Hempstead campus.[14]

Notable former pupils

Watford Technical College

Watford College

Cassio College

West Herts College

Notable former teachers

Watford Technical College

Dacorum College

West Herts College

References

  1. ^ "Meet our Governors". West Herts. Watford: West Herts College. 2025.
  2. ^ "Principal & Chief Executive, Gill Worgan, awarded a CBE in King's Birthday Honours". West Herts. Watford: West Herts College. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Inspection report: West Herts College 23 to 26 April 2024". Reports Ofsted. Manchester: Ofsted. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  4. ^ "WHC Group". West Herts. Watford: West Herts College. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Appendix 6 - Locally Listed Buildings". Wtfrod Borough Council. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  6. ^ "West Herts College". The Independent. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  7. ^ Cooper, John (2013). Watford Through Time. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445632032. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  8. ^ The Buildings of England, Hertfordshire, 2nd edition page 388
  9. ^ Wright, Mike (4 February 2014). "Work to turn Lanchester building, in West Herts College, into Watford Town Community Free School to begin". Watford Observer. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Teaching Excellence Framework". Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Colleges scrap merger plans less than 3 months after announced". 16 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Principal to oust 100". The Guardian. 6 April 2004. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Colleges judged 'inadequate'". BBC News. 8 April 2004. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  14. ^ Louis, Nathan (11 September 2019). "West Herts College Kings Langley campus set to be demolished for flats". Watford Observer. Newsquest. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Pervaiz Elahi as chief minister fought terrorists effectively: Wikileaks". www.thenews.com.pk. 7 December 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  16. ^ "Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi". DAWN.COM. 25 June 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Special BCCT Luncheon (Lord Evans)". British Chamber of Commerce Thailand. Bangkok: British Chambers of Commerce. 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Hon. Nyaga, Beatrice Nkatha". The Kenyan Parliament, The National Assembly. Nairobi: Parliament of Kenya. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Meet the MP: Grant Shapps". BBC News. 16 June 2005. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  20. ^ "Gail Porter: 'Someday I'll let my hair down — if I had any'". The Times. London. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  21. ^ "CAMPAIGN FOR BEGINNERS: LADIES WHO PUNCH - It takes balls to be an advertising creative". Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  22. ^ Lacey-Davidson, Mattie (4 August 2017). "The Hunna discuss love of hometown Watford and finding fame ahead of Reading Festival". Watford Observer. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Raymond Moore". National Galleries of Scotland Artists. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  24. ^ Laing, Olivia (22 December 2007). "A life in writing: Richard Mabey". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  25. ^ "Claire Fox". The Moral Maze. London: BBC Radio 4. 19 March 2003. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Claire Fox – Citation" (PDF). House of Lords Appointments Commission. London: House of Lords. Retrieved 7 February 2026.

51°39′38″N 0°24′27″W / 51.66056°N 0.40750°W / 51.66056; -0.40750

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