College dispute

[fast21]

Hello, I am having problems with a dispute with a training provider. The dispute has been ongoing for nearly a year. I hope there can be help with this unhappy issue.

 

I studied a "foundation degree" a while back and am unhappy with the way they (the college) have treated my complaint. I want my money back because I strongly believe the service was of exceptionally poor administration and not value for money.

 

The administration of the course was extremely poor, the teaching was lacking and the vocational learning non-existent. In addition the lead lecturer clearly did not know the subject. There were no areas of work based learning offered and little material substantial to the area.

 

In response to complaints of lack of expertise or lecturer handling of the subject, we were offered third party courses. These were available from one computer at set college times. The college has later denied a complaint took place and that the case was that the course was not for me.

 

The college has refused to discuss the intricacies of my complaint (professional practice; relevant technology; conduct of staff) and thoroughly insisted that this is a personal student experience.

 

In addition, the complaint is not to be upheld due to positive anonymous student comments and verification by an external verifier. And finally, they have openly aserted that I am a drop out. I was student representative of this course and heard many complaints regarding the course from other students. I was laughed at openly by the said course leader several times.

 

The Skills Funding Agency have also insisted that as a corporate entity, the college is allowed to answer complaints as it sees fit. As such I am not eager to let the matter drop as it was very degrading. I am wondering if it is worth it to continue a complaint with the ombudsman as they have shredded me every step of the way, and I only know that I 'received' a final decision from correspondence with the SFA. I have demanded all records of my involvement at the college published under the FOIA, but of course this is a DP issue. It has been months and the college have yet to acknowledge my request anyway. I really appreciate any feedback whether positive or negative.

 

**Long story short, went to a college, did a University course, got very bad value for money and have had exhausted their complaints procedure.

Edited May 5, 2014 by fast21
readability

[havinastella]

Was this to be the first year of a 4 yr course?

[havinastella]

Did you drop out?

[fast21]

Sorry about the delay in getting back dead tired from work. No I didn't stay on for the last month. My client backed out and my group bailed. It was a two year course. I made the complaint before the end of the course and it took over three months for them to dismiss it. They initially lost* the complaint. We never got round to discussing the outstanding modules as they were too busy insisting there was nothing wrong with the course and the content wasn't up for argument.

 

*Lost, as in misplaced. I had to send it again twice.

[fast21]

Sorry to push, but can anyone help??? I made the final complaint in January and have heard nothing back for months. The student union referred me to a different student union, who referred me back to the website I found the original student number on. I can't go to the ombudsman until the college has responded and they are refusing to, where can I go from here?