Croydon College: Past, Present and Future

At Croydon College you would be a part of a College with a long and well-established history of quality education provision, a unique and inspiring present and an exciting future.

Past

Croydon College can trace its history back to 1868 when Croydon School of Art was first established. Twenty years later, in 1888, the Pitlake Technical Institute (which later changed its name to Croydon Polytechnic) was founded. These two institutions continued to educate separately in and around Croydon until the Polytechnic was destroyed by fire during the Second World War, prompting plans to combine them on a new site in Fairfield, right at the heart of Croydon. The new Croydon Technical College (later known as Croydon College of Design and Technology) opened its doors for the first time in 1955 and was finally completed and formally opened by the Queen in 1960.

In 1974 the College was renamed Croydon College and has remained as such on the main Fairfield site ever since. However, change and improvements have continued to be a part of Croydon College’s story…

Present

The College now offers a broad range of academic and vocational qualifications including Construction, Engineering, Science, Business, Law, Care and Childcare, and Hospitality and Catering. To accommodate this wide range of subjects and to ensure the facilities were available to provide top quality provision, a new rotunda was built on the south side of the College building alongside modernisation of the rest of the building. The new development was opened by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, in April 2012 and houses an impressive three-storey modern Library and Learning Resource Centre.

Croydon College has been providing quality higher education courses for a quarter of a century. In September 2012, the HE arm was formally opened by The Prince of Wales and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall. In December 2020, this was renamed Croydon University Centre, providing higher education degree programmes in many subjects.

In October 2013 Croydon College went back to its roots when former student and world renowned fashion designer John Rocha officially re-launched the Croydon School of Art. The School offers both college and degree courses across a range of disciplines, encouraging creativity and expression.

Alongside its strong academic and vocational teaching, Croydon College also offers a wider learning experience through a unique and inspirational enrichment and volunteering programme working closely with UNICEF UK. This incredible work was recognised in 2014 when the College was presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Granted to groups, rather than individuals, this award recognises the College’s outstanding achievements striving to improve the quality of life for others in the local community.

Future

At Croydon College we are always looking towards the future – the future of our current students and how to help them achieve their aims, and the future of the College as a whole for the benefit of new students and the wider community.

Croydon College and Coulsdon Sixth Form College have merged in February 2019 into one new organisation, with the aim to provide even better educational services to communities within the borough and beyond. Coulsdon will continue as a Sixth Form College, providing A Level and vocational qualifications for 16-19 year olds, whilst we will continue to provide a broader Further and Higher Education offer, aimed at those aged 16 and above.

We have worked in partnership with Croydon Council to introduce the SEND Centre alongside the Pathway to Adulthood Programme for young people with severe and complex needs at Coulsdon College. This provides an opportunity for these young people to develop their skills and potentials for the future.

We are one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in south London. Apprentices earn while they learn, gain nationally recognised qualifications and receive professional on-the-job training. At Croydon College we offer a whole range of different types of apprenticeship, and we’re always looking to offer new and exciting programmes so you can own your future.

If you want to be a part of this exciting future at Croydon College, apply now!