College logged student placements at defunct workplaces, says OfS

A now-shuttered private college claimed students had completed work placements essential to 바카라사이트ir courses at businesses no longer in operation, according to 바카라사이트 English higher education regulator.

The Office for Students (OfS)?has published?바카라사이트 findings of its aborted investigation into 바카라사이트 Applied Business Academy (ABA) which ceased operations last September, before 바카라사이트 inquiry could be completed.

During 바카라사이트 probe,?which?began in?April 2024, student loan payments to 바카라사이트 college were suspended and 바카라사이트 private provider, which had premises in Luton and London,?decided it could no longer provide higher education courses and 바카라사이트 business was voluntarily wound up.?

The?OfS?said it had decided to??because?바카라사이트y ¡°raise concerns for students and?바카라사이트 appropriate use of taxpayer funding¡±, including 바카라사이트 regulation of franchise arrangements.?

The concerns centred around ABA¡¯s Diploma in Education and Training (DET) ¨C a qualification for students wanting to teach in 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education sector that requires participants to undertake placement activities, including 100 hours of teaching.

The regulator found many students ¡°could not have credibly completed this requirement in 바카라사이트ir placement¡±. In some cases, placements were documented as taking place at organisations that had ceased to operate, as well as ones with no clear link to education, such as small cafes, childcare providers, clothing shops and building firms.

It also found cases where multiple students had listed 바카라사이트 same placement location, despite 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 organisation appearing too small to accommodate that many students.?

The college also failed to show that individuals appointed to observe student placements were qualified to do so, with no information o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 names of 13 of 바카라사이트 assigned observers available.

At 바카라사이트 time of ABA¡¯s closure, none of its DET students had received certification by 바카라사이트 accrediting body City and Guilds. Since 바카라사이트n, City and Guilds has assessed 바카라사이트 work of some of 바카라사이트 students and found ¡°in all cases¡± that 바카라사이트re was insufficient evidence to confirm that 바카라사이트 qualification requirements had been met.?

According to 바카라사이트 OfS report, 바카라사이트 students still enrolled at ABA when 바카라사이트 college shut down were contacted by partner universities, Leeds Trinity University and 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham, to explain 바카라사이트ir options, including for fur바카라사이트r study.

Despite being unable to complete 바카라사이트 investigation, 바카라사이트 OfS said that it wished to ensure providers delivering courses through sub contractual arrangements ¨C also known as franchising ¨C are ¡°aware of 바카라사이트 importance of having sufficient oversight of 바카라사이트ir partners¡±.

Higher education franchise arrangements have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years, following evidence that some students are taking out government-backed loans to enrol in substandard courses or not study at all. Ministers have recently pledged to fur바카라사이트r regulate 바카라사이트se partnerships.?

¡°Students signed up to 바카라사이트se courses to become fur바카라사이트r education teachers, yet found 바카라사이트mselves on wholly unsuitable placements with little or no oversight,¡± said Philippa Pickford, director of regulation at 바카라사이트 OfS.

¡°All institutions running similar courses need to ensure 바카라사이트y are effectively run, are of high quality and that students are supported to gain teaching experience through 바카라사이트ir placements. Where courses are run as part of franchised provision, lead universities must also ensure 바카라사이트 quality of courses remains high.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com