Activate Learning: a college group committed to excellence
Benefit from some of the best teaching and learning in the sector. Improve your employability. Join an Activate Learning college.
At Activate Learning, we're passionate about empowering individuals to achieve their academic goals and unlock their full potential.
We are proud of our award-winning approach to teaching and learning, which has led to a consistent track record of success and delivered the essential skills our local communities need to grow and thrive.
Our commitment to quality education:
Ofsted Good rating: Our 2022 award of a Good grade by Ofsted, with Strong contribution to identifying and meeting local skills needs was testament to the work we do with our learners. Our dedication to providing high-quality education that equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the workplace is something we are incredibly proud of. Ofsted also found our High Needs provision to be Outstanding.
Award-winning approach to education:
Beacon Award-winning: Our commitment to excellence has been evidenced with several Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Award wins over the past several years.
In 2019, we won the Beacon Award for Support for Students, with the work we do in our Outstanding High Needs provision.
In 2023, we were winners again, when we were recognised for our effective use of digital technology in FE for our sector-leading approach to online learning. The same year our online offering scooped the prestigious Edufuturist Uprising Award for Outstanding Online School.
Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom with the Marketing, Communications, and Events Team receiving multiple awards at the prestigious FE First Awards in 2023 and 2024.
In 2025, Activate Learning’s Marketing team secured a Gold Award at the FE First Awards for the Best Low Budget Campaign. We also received Gold for the Best Use of AI in Learning at The Learning and Performance Institute’s (LPI) Learning Awards
Investing in your future:
Continuing investment in our campuses:
We are dedicated to providing our students with access to the latest facilities and resources. Our ongoing investment program is transforming our campuses, creating modern learning environments that inspire and empower our students.
This has included investment in care skills training centres at our campuses in Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham, and Guildford.
We also invested £3m into redeveloping our hospitality and catering teaching spaces at our City of Oxford College and University Centre city-centre campus, and will soon be unveiling our new state of the art science facilities in Oxford, Reading and Guildford.
High-profile partnerships:
We believe in the power of collaboration to enhance the student experience. We have established partnerships with leading organisations, including, BMW, Beard Construction, The Fat Duck Group and Microsoft, providing our students with invaluable industry insights and work experience opportunities.
Student success stories:
We have some remarkable students across our group of colleges and here are some of their recent achievements that we are particularly proud of:
Berkshire
- Reading SEND students create rural fashion for a museum project
- Reading Art students showcase creative talents
- Bracknell apprentice comes second in regional heat of Sparks female skills competition 2024
- Mannequins Upcycled unveiled
Oxfordshire
- Rugby stories of national u20 teams
- GCSE success for Banbury and Bicester College students)
- Groundbreaking partnership launches new leisure industry careers in Oxfordshire
- Oxford Health and Social Care student wins Student – Learner category at Oxfordshire Care Awards
- City of Oxford College and University Centre student wins national canapé competition
Surrey
Activate Alumni
Our vibrant Activate Alumni network provides a way for former students of our colleges to stay connected to their college community and provide them with opportunities to help develop and train the next generation of talent.
With over a thousand active members, Activate Alumni also provides former learners with benefits such as access to careers advice and discount off of selected future courses and programmes.
Ready to embark on your journey to success?
Explore our wide range of courses, discover our vibrant campuses, and connect with our dedicated team today. We are here to support you every step of the way.
Our success
An award-winning education
Our sector-leading approach to learning has been recognised with two Association of Colleges Beacon Awards, recognising our use of technology and practical approach to teaching and learning.
Where do our student alumni go?
95% of students that completed a programme with us progressed directly into employment or onto higher-level learning such as a higher-level programme, apprenticeship or university study. *From AL destination data for 16–19-year-olds
How are they achieving?
We are proud that our student achievement is increasing year-on-year, now standing at 84.1% in 2017/18.
Our Access to Higher Education students enjoy great success
Each year, around 95% of our Access to Higher Education alumni progress to university on completion of their programme. 26% of Access graduates go on to get a first-class degree.
Employer Recognition Scheme Silver award
Activate Learning are proud to be supporting our Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. This is the next step on our journey to achieving the Gold award. We are now working on implementing the pledges we have made within the Covenant ensuring we are an armed-forces friendly organisation and are open to employing reservists, armed forces veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.