Reading College
Reading College is a UK further education institution in Berkshire, part of the Activate Learning group, delivering A Levels, T Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and higher education to students aged 16+ via a 9-campus network and 2,000+ employer partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersReading, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Reading College does
Reading College is a further education institution located in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom, operating as part of the Activate Learning educational group. Founded originally as Reading Technical College in 1955, the college delivers Further Education, Higher Education, Apprenticeships and Adult Learning programmes to over 28,500 students within the wider Activate Learning network. Its core offerings span A Levels across 18 subjects, T Levels with 315+ hours of industry placement, vocational courses at Levels 1–3, Foundation Studies, SEND programmes, ESOL, Higher Education (HNC/HND, Foundation Degrees, Top-up Degrees, PGCE), and apprenticeships from Level 2 through Level 7.
The college operates delivery through on-campus facilities (workshops, studios, training kitchens, a theatre, and a TV studio), the Canvas-based Activate Learning Online (ALO) learning management platform, and employer-based apprenticeship delivery across a network of 2,000+ UK businesses. Supporting technology includes AI and VR learning tools recognised by Jisc as innovative, the MindGreen wellbeing initiative, the Career Pathways planning system, and partnering with Oxford Brookes University, University of Reading, and University of Greenwich for degree-level qualifications.
The revenue model is predominantly government-funded: 16–18 FE students and 19–24 EHCP students pay no tuition fees; Advanced Learner Loans cover Level 3/4 programmes; ESOL courses are charged at £275 per term; apprenticeship delivery is funded through employer/government channels; and Higher Education tuition is paid by students. Ofsted rated teaching quality as 'Good' in 2022, and the college holds Matrix Accreditation for careers guidance. Customer concentration is split between a high-volume individual student base and a diversified employer partner network spanning automotive, retail, entertainment, technology, legal, healthcare, and government sectors.
Reading College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reading College
- Legal name
- Reading College
- Website
- https://reading.activatelearning.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Reading College is a UK further education institution in Berkshire, part of the Activate Learning group, delivering A Levels, T Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and higher education to students aged 16+ via a 9-campus network and 2,000+ employer partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reading College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Further Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Junior Colleges (61121), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways (EDAIAJAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online Community Colleges (2-Year, Degree/Transfer) (EDAHALAC), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)
Keywords
Where Reading College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reading
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Reading College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government-Funded Further Education: Students aged 16-18 on funded further education programmes do not pay tuition fees. Students aged 19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) are also exempt from fees. This is government-funded education with no tuition fees charged to eligible students.
- Advanced Learner Loans: Students studying full-time Level 3 or 4 programmes (not apprenticeships) may be eligible for government loans to pay tuition fees. These loans are not means-tested and repayments start when earning over £27,295 per year. Loans for Access to Higher Education programmes are cleared if students complete higher education with a student loan.
- ESOL Course Fees: ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses are charged at £275 per term. Part-time daytime and evening courses available. This might be lower or higher depending on personal circumstances.
- Apprenticeship Funding: Apprentices work for a company while training for a formal qualification. The college receives funding for delivering apprenticeship programmes at levels 2 through 7 (equivalent to GCSE through master's degree level).
- Higher Education Tuition: University-level programmes offered in partnership with universities such as Oxford Brookes University, University of Reading, and University of Greenwich. Students pay tuition fees for these programmes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | 16-18 and EHCP students - No tuition fees |
| Subscription | Annual | 19+ students Level 2 or below - Fee remission available |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | ESOL courses - £275 per term |
| Subscription | Annual | Level 3 Advanced Learner Loan |
| Other | Annual | Bursary support available |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Reading College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reading College delivers further education, higher education, apprenticeship, vocational, ESOL, and SEND programmes (150+ courses) across Levels 1 to 7 through its Reading campus, employer-based apprenticeship placements, and the Activate Learning Online (ALO) learning platform. Programmes span full-time GCSE retakes, A Levels, T Levels (with 315+ hour industry placements), vocational courses, Foundation Studies, SEND pathways, Apprenticeships (Levels 2–7), ESOL, Adult Learning, and Higher Education (HNC/HND, Foundation Degrees, Top-up Degrees, PGCE) awarded via partner universities. The college serves approximately 28,500 students across the Activate Learning group's 9 UK campuses and reports that 95% of graduates progress to work or higher education.
Product overview
Reading College operates as part of the Activate Learning educational group, offering a comprehensive portfolio of further education, higher education, adult learning, and apprenticeship programmes. The institution provides over 150 courses across multiple delivery formats including full-time, part-time, and online options. Core educational products include A Levels with STEP/STRIVE/STRETCH progression pathways, T Levels with industry placements, vocational courses at Levels 1-3, Foundation Studies, and SEND programmes. The college also offers Higher Education programmes (HNC/HND, Foundation Degrees, Top-up Degrees, PGCE), Apprenticeships at Intermediate through Degree levels, Adult Learning courses, and ESOL programmes. Supporting services include Career Pathways planning and the Activate Learning Online (ALO) digital learning platform. The institution serves over 28,500 students across 9 locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- A Levels (Full-time) Full-time A Level programmes across 18 subjects (including Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Business, Law, History, Psychology, Sociology, and Art & Design) preparing 16-18 students for university entry.
- STEP and STRIVE GCSE Programmes One-year full-time GCSE retake programmes for 16-19-year-olds; STEP is for students with mostly grade 3s and STRIVE is for students with 5 GCSE grade 4s including English and maths who want to boost grades before A Levels.
- T Levels Technical vocational qualifications equivalent to three A Levels combining 80% classroom learning with 20% meaningful industry placement (315+ hours); available in Accounting, Business, Digital Software Development, Education and Early Years, Health: Adult Nursing, Laboratory Science, and Media Broadcast and Production.
- Vocational Courses Work-based qualifications at Levels 1, 2 and 3 across many industries, designed in partnership with businesses and delivered in facilities replicating work environments.
- Foundation Studies Level 1 Foundation qualifications for learners who may have been disengaged from learning or are unsure about study choices, offering one or two-year programmes with vocational options and employability skills development.
- SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Programmes Award-winning supported foundation programmes for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities, including Pathway to Exploration, Pathway to Independence, Pathway for Progression, Supported Internships, and a Specialist ASC Service.
- Adult Learning Part-time and full-time programmes for adults including Access to Higher Education, Higher Education, Learning for Leisure, and Professional courses (AAT Accountancy, CIPD, Health and Safety) at 9 locations.
- Apprenticeships Apprenticeship programmes at Intermediate (Level 2), Advanced (Level 3), Higher (Levels 4-5), and Degree (Levels 6-7) levels enabling earn-while-you-learn with 1,250+ potential employer partners.
- ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) English language courses for non-native speakers including speaking and listening, reading and writing, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation; includes preparation for UK Visa Extension and Life in the UK exams; £275 per term part-time.
- Higher Education University-level programmes including Higher National Certificate/Diploma (HNC/HND), Foundation Degrees (FdA/FdSc), Top-up BA (Hons) and BSc (Hons) Degrees, and Professional/Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), awarded via partner universities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of graduates go into work or higher education
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Reading College
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Reading College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Reading College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BMWcoreMajor employer partner providing apprenticeship opportunities. Apprentices work for BMW while training for formal qualifications with college attendance typically one day per week.
- DecathloncoreSports retailer employer partner for apprenticeships, providing work-based training and employment for apprentices in the Activate Learning network.
- Merlin Entertainments GroupcoreEntertainment conglomerate employer partner providing apprenticeship opportunities across their attractions including LEGOLAND and Madame Tussauds.
- MielecorePremium appliance manufacturer employer partner providing apprenticeship opportunities in engineering and technical fields.
- HalfordscoreRetail and servicing employer partner for apprenticeships, particularly in automotive and cycling sectors.
- Oxford Brookes UniversitycoreHigher education partner awarding degrees and foundation degrees. Students benefit from university links including UCAS Takeover Week and higher education fairs with 40+ university exhibitors.
- University of ReadingcoreUniversity partner providing progression pathways for students and industry partnerships for A Level students including guest lectures and workshops.
- Penningtons Manches CooperminorLeading law firm providing legal masterclasses for A Level students, offering insights into legal careers and practical skills.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)coreT Level industry placement provider. Worked with Activate Learning to deliver placements for 6 T-Level students with purpose of forming talent pipeline into future apprenticeship roles. 4 students progressed to L6 Management Practice apprenticeships.
- Reading Borough CouncilcoreT Level digital and IT placement partner. Digital and IT Service provides placements helping students gain hands-on experience working on real-life issues while supporting council's growing digital services needs.
- SP1 IT SolutionsminorManaged IT services company providing T Level industry placements. Managing Director praised student enthusiasm, energy, and maturity, providing hands-on industry experience.
- JiscminorUK research and education organisation visited Reading College to view Activate Learning's award-winning AI and VR tools, recognising innovative technology implementations in further education.
- Royal Berkshire HospitalcoreSupported internship partner providing work experience opportunities for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, supporting progression into employment.
- MencapcoreLearning disability charity partner for supported internships, helping students with SEND gain valuable work experience and employment pathways.
- OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership)minorLocal enterprise partnership supporting SEND programmes through partnership with Activate Learning colleges.
- Project SearchminorSupported employment programme partner providing internship opportunities for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Reading College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Buckinghamshire College Group: FE group formed from merger of Aylesbury and Amersham colleges offering A Levels, vocational, T Levels, and apprenticeships in the wider Thames Valley region adjacent to Reading College's catchment.
- Abingdon & Witney College: Oxfordshire FE college offering A Levels, vocational, apprenticeship, and HE programmes, overlapping with Reading College's broader Thames Valley catchment and Activate Learning's Oxfordshire footprint.
- Farnborough College of Technology: General FE college in Hampshire offering A Levels, T Levels, vocational, and apprenticeship programmes; comparable further education profile but operating in a different catchment north of Reading.
Direct peers
- Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT): Regional FE college in Hampshire offering A Levels, vocational courses, T Levels, apprenticeships, and HE, with similar further education and employer partnership model serving a comparable Thames Valley commuter geography.
- East Berkshire College: FE college in Langley serving eastern Berkshire with A Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and HE progression, directly competing for students in the Reading-area commuter belt.
- Newbury College: West Berkshire further education college offering A Levels, vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and adult learning in overlapping geography to Reading College, serving a similar 16-18 and adult learner demographic.
- City of Oxford College: Sister college within the same Activate Learning group, offering nearly identical FE, HE, apprenticeship, and adult learning portfolio; useful intra-group peer for benchmarking and resource sharing rather than direct competition.
- Activate Learning (Group): Parent educational group operating 9 campuses and 28,500 students across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Surrey; the overarching operating entity that owns Reading College and shapes its strategic positioning.
Others
- Oxford Brookes University: Core university partner awarding degrees through Reading College; relevant as a partnership-driven comparator showing how FE colleges extend into HE without full university infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Kaplan UK: Large private provider of further and higher education, apprenticeships, and professional training; a broader incumbent competing for adult learners and employer-funded programmes in the same UK vocational market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reading College social profiles
Digital presenceReading College compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Reading College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reading College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Reading College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reading College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reading College
What does Reading College do?
Reading College delivers further education, higher education, apprenticeship, vocational, ESOL, and SEND programmes (150+ courses) across Levels 1 to 7 through its Reading campus, employer-based apprenticeship placements, and the Activate Learning Online (ALO) learning platform. Programmes span full-time GCSE retakes, A Levels, T Levels (with 315+ hour industry placements), vocational courses, Foundation Studies, SEND pathways, Apprenticeships (Levels 2–7), ESOL, Adult Learning, and Higher Education (HNC/HND, Foundation Degrees, Top-up Degrees, PGCE) awarded via partner universities. The college serves approximately 28,500 students across the Activate Learning group's 9 UK campuses and reports that 95% of graduates progress to work or higher education.
Is Reading College a public or private company?
Reading College is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Reading College founded?
Reading College was founded in 1955. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Reading College based?
Reading College is headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Reading College make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Government-Funded Further Education is the primary driver. The others are advanced Learner Loans, ESOL Course Fees, apprenticeship Funding and higher Education Tuition.
Who are Reading College's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Buckinghamshire College Group, Abingdon & Witney College and Farnborough College of Technology. Direct peers are Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT), East Berkshire College, Newbury College, City of Oxford College and Activate Learning (Group). Oxford Brookes University is listed as an others. Kaplan UK is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Reading College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reading College.
What industry is Reading College in?
Reading College's product category is Further Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAJAI, Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways, with a secondary code of EDAHALAC, Online Community Colleges (2-Year, Degree/Transfer). Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8200.