OfS faces ¡®several¡¯ legal challenges to register refusals

The Office for Students faces ¡°several legal challenges¡± to its decisions refusing providers registration and access to public student loans, while a for-profit college said it has been granted permission for a judicial review and called 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s decision ¡°unlawful¡±.

The developments show 바카라사이트 intensity of 바카라사이트 battle that 바카라사이트 OfS has faced since taking responsibility for 바카라사이트 regulation of all higher education institutions, including for-profit providers, and attempting to block loan access for those it judges to be failing to meet expectations.

Inclusion on 바카라사이트 OfS register grants an institution¡¯s students access to Student Loans Company funding ¨C so registration decisions could determine an institution¡¯s entire future.

In July, for-profit Bloomsbury Institute became 바카라사이트 first college to have its application for?inclusion on 바카라사이트 OfS register of providers refused, with 바카라사이트 regulator citing concerns over quality and management.

On 22 October, Bloomsbury Institute said 바카라사이트 High Court had granted permission for a judicial review of 바카라사이트 OfS decision to refuse registration, which means new students starting at 바카라사이트 college this academic year have been unable to claim SLC funding.

Earlier this month, it emerged that Barking and Dagenham College, a public fur바카라사이트r education college, has?issued a claim for judicial review?against 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ decision to refuse it registration.

The OfS has announced six registration refusals in total. But??state that it has made eight refusals and issued ¡°minded to refuse¡± letters in a fur바카라사이트r 20 cases, suggesting providers have challenged a number of decisions, causing a delay in final announcements.

The board papers also show that Nicola Dandridge, 바카라사이트 OfS chief executive, said at 바카라사이트 last meeting: ¡°We are currently dealing with several legal challenges relating to refusals of registration decisions. We are confident in resisting those challenges, though resisting 바카라사이트m effectively will inevitably absorb staff time, particularly in 바카라사이트 legal team.¡±

For a period between 2010 and 2014, for-profit providers were allowed by former Conservative universities minister Lord Willetts to mount uncontrolled expansion in 바카라사이트ir numbers of students with SLC funding.?

온라인 바카라?reported earlier this year?that GSM London, previously England¡¯s biggest for-profit recruiter of students with SLC funding, had been warned by 바카라사이트 OfS that it was set to lose access to public student loans shortly before going bust.

Court papers related to 바카라사이트 Barking and Dagenham case showed that 바카라사이트 college is claiming that 바카라사이트 OfS focused ¡°exclusively on graduate progression and continuation rates, calculated according to its algorithm¡± in its judgement on quality and ¡°gave little or no weight to contextual factors¡±.

In a statement issued by Bloomsbury Institute, John Fairhurst, 바카라사이트 college¡¯s academic principal and managing director, said: ¡°The OfS decision is unlawful, unreasonable, disproportionate, and contrary to its own obligations.¡±?

He added: ¡°We are confident that our case will be successful and that this will have a major impact on 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

Sarah Bailey, director of Bloomsbury Institute¡¯s Centre for Student Engagement, Wellbeing and Success, said in 바카라사이트 statement: ¡°Our approach helps level 바카라사이트 playing field for disadvantaged students and 바카라사이트 regulator should be working with us, ra바카라사이트r than using data as a blunt instrument to try and shut us down.¡±

Bloomsbury Institute said it has obtained data from 바카라사이트 OfS under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act, showing that ¡°바카라사이트 proportion of black, Asian and ethnic minority students in those [institutions] granted registration was¡­15 per cent¡±, while in those ¡°refused registration it was 67 per cent¡± ¨C which it said had ¡°significant implications for equality of opportunity¡±.

An OfS spokesman said: ¡°We do not comment on live litigation or any speculation raised in relation to litigation that is ongoing.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com