I've never gone to college to learn any code and have learnt all I know from books but I suppose it depends on you and how you learn as a person. Some things work for some people where as other people find other ways easier to take it in. I'm defo a book guy rather than a college/uni guy but that's not to say it's right for you.
When I also went for my interview as a web development project manager the fact I was self taught, and I knew what I was on about the two kinda have to go together to be honest, to them was a major plus. They where both college/uni trained but from their passed experience the people who taught themselves knew more/got the job done to a better standard than those who weren't, apparently. Never underestimate the need to prove your self, IMO only keeps your knowledge in this field fresh which it needs to be regardless of how you learn.
But its up to you.
If you go the self taught route include things that the Uni's/college's either briefly or don't touch on at all, web security and coding for people with disabilities being 2 of the big ones as that will set you above the rest by far TBH.
I would also say if you go the self taught way look to specialize in 1 server language, PHP is pretty popular or ASP to start off with. Again going on the principle that if you dedicate your time to one language you will know it better than someone who went to uni and learnt several in the same time. PHP or ASP are the main ones going for Jobs when I've been looking.
But regardless you should read:
Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML: Amazon.co.uk: Elisabeth Robson, Eric T Freeman: Books
As its just not another coding book.
First book I used and by far the most creative way to learn any subject, coding or not. The book claims to follow a way that your brian takes it in rather than just the normal text, read, repeat until it goes in and I have to say that it does work, well for me anyway. Must have picked it up about 1/3 faster than any book since, regardless of if they where geared up to coding.
It covers more than the basics and will get you writing good CSS and table-less layouts in a very short time.
I would say about the guide, not picking on you Duncan just my opinion, that hang around specific forums regularly, such as DF and you tend to be the guide for you, or again chose a specific forum and ask a
is this right thread?, submit work in the critique section and take all the feedback constructively not well I don't believe that so it's not true attitude. Regardless if you are uni trained or not IMO you need a guide all the time and you can't just say right learnt it what's next.
My attitude in any area is you have to look at, and understand you have, flaws in your work/coding, I still do as getting complacent is a flaw in it's self. Then when someone comes along and says don't like this because of X Y and Z when you show it to experienced members of that area, be it on a forum or whatever, say right cool thanks for the feedback and learn from it, learn why it's flawed and why its better to do it the way they show you.
That way you can only better your work. I know I have taken in so much and learnt where I was going wrong and as a result improved my work, a lot from reading DF's posts.
Had a meeting 2 weeks back, that is a prime example, and I took in advice that Levi_G, member/layabout on here, lol, gave me, 5 maybe 6 weeks back and used it in the meeting as he taught me something new then. Again going with the whole you need a guide all the time way of thinking. But never think you can't better your self that's perfect, as your flawed if you do.
Just my 2 pence.

Jaz