ICollege Alternative Education food hygiene rating
School/college/university · West Berkshire
ICollege Alternative Education holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the school kitchen that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 24 January 2006, more than 20 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: The Oaks Foxglove Way, Thatcham, RG18 4DH
How it compares in West Berkshire
A 2 is rare: only 12 of 1,090 rated places in West Berkshire score this low, about one in 91. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 932 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 93 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ← ICollege Alternative Education | |
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 163 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At ICollege Alternative Education the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to ICollege Alternative Education, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal Spice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 147 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| The Mill House Pub/bar/nightclub | 198 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
| Colthrop Service Station Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Sainsbury's Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2015 |
| Pied Piper Pre School Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2009 |
| Francis Baily Out Of Hours Club Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2025 |
| Impact Food Group at Francis Baily Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2025 |
Questions about ICollege Alternative Education
What is ICollege Alternative Education's food hygiene rating?
ICollege Alternative Education has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by West Berkshire Council on 24 January 2006.
Is ICollege Alternative Education safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The school kitchen is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was ICollege Alternative Education last inspected?
ICollege Alternative Education was last inspected on 24 January 2006, more than 20 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Berkshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at ICollege Alternative Education?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does ICollege Alternative Education compare to other places in West Berkshire?
86% of the 1,090 rated food businesses in West Berkshire hold the top rating of 5, while ICollege Alternative Education holds a 2. 12 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Berkshire Council inspects ICollege Alternative Education and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch ICollege Alternative Education and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at West Berkshire, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: West Berkshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
ICollege Alternative Education is one of 168 rated food businesses in Thatcham. See every hygiene rating in Thatcham →
West Berkshire inspects and rates 1,253 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Berkshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westberks.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →