Level 4 colleges cancelling

reddwarf

So Harrow pulled the plug on Technician course 1 day before term begins! And they have £1110.00 of my money! Reason given tutor 'pulled out'.

The tutor at High Wycombe said funding is short and only West Herts and High Wyc and Reading ( I think) are running level 4 in Herts/Bucks.

Anyone know any more about this?

I am so pleased I drove over to High Wycombe last night and re-signed on after cancelling on Friday in favour of Harrow!

mark130273

more importantly...are oyu getting your money back ?

reddwarf

I am getting on the phone at lunchtime, I think they should pay me interest and compensation for stress caused!

I am lucky, but some people won't have time to sort another college in time for December exams.

lessci

Because Technician is an NVQ level 4 a lot of colleges can't get the same funding from local/national government so they don't run the course if there isn't a full class. My college ended up with a lot of students from their local rival last year because this happened.

reddwarf

I am hearing such mixed info, High Wycombe said they were told (by government) they had to do more teaching hours - that must raise costs?!

It's interesting that you use the word 'rival' I thought there would be some co-operation between these colleges but they do seem to compete with one another.

Harrow are running NVQ not diploma, I wonder if that has anything to do with it, as I thought NVQ is being phased out?

Does anyone have any idea of what the ratio of Diploma to NVQ courses being run? We need an accountant to sort this one:001_unsure:

Jon_1984

Ultimately FE colleges are private businesses (who get a large percentage of funding from Govt) and all compete for the most income from the sale few sources, so cannot co-operate very well.

reddwarf

I also heard that government funding is lower at NVQ level 3 as the aim is to educate up to NVQ level 2 and not beyond! Great!

A-Vic

There is money and grant avlaible through european money i know because my college managed to organise it this year (Diploma)

reddwarf

Trouble is now Gordon has bitten the bullet and admitted cuts, I bet FE will be in the firing line...

A-Vic

well they already mentioned putting up uni fee's