A café run by students with learning difficulties and disabilities has been rated excellent in every category by examiners.

Students from Waltham Forest College operate a rota system to keep the Horizon Café in Lloyds Park, in Walthamstow, open to the park users seven days a week all the year round.

There are 24 students on Towards Independence courses at the college in Forest Road who serve lunches, hot drinks and home made cakes.

They have learning difficulties ranging from Asperger’s and Down’s syndrome, and others have speech, hearing, vision, and mobility impairments.

While working at the café, the students take entry level qualifications set by the Ncfe exam board which conducts monitor visits to ensure the quality of the courses.

A report by the external moderators from the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) rated the college provision excellent in all 45 categories examined.

Park keeper Levi Smith uses the café daily.

He said: “I think it is brilliant. The students are learning and are helping the community at the same time.”

It is a view shared by regular customer Yoko Hiro-Oshim, who takes her two children Cerika, three, and Jun, nine months.

She said: “The service is very good. It alters any prejudices and discrimination you might have about their abilities and it is an excellent opportunity for these young people to gain the work experience they need to go out into the community.”

The cafe aims to offer a realistic working environment to prepare the students for independent living and to enhance their future employment prospects.

The courses focus on working as a team, catering, customer service, money matters, and English and mathematics.

Danny Roche, head of the college’s Additional Learning Needs department, said: "It is completely run by the students and it is a really superb facility providing a realistic working environment.”