Private college St Patrick's falls short in QAA review

One of England¡¯s biggest private colleges, where students received ?259 million in three years via 바카라사이트 public student loans system, has fallen short of UK quality expectations on two out of four criteria.

In a Higher Education Review by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, St Patrick¡¯s International College was judged as having to make improvements to meet UK expectations in 바카라사이트 quality of, and enhancement of, student learning opportunities.

The college, which offers Higher National courses awarded by Pearson, met UK expectations on 바카라사이트 maintenance of academic standards and quality of information about learning opportunities.

In April last year, 바카라사이트 QAA published a Concerns report on St Patrick¡¯s, which upheld concerns in two areas ¨C admissions procedures, and student retention and attendance ¨C and outlined areas for improvement.

That Concerns report found dropout rates of more than 30 per cent and reports of fighting in 바카라사이트 classroom, and said 바카라사이트 college¡¯s recruitment approach included ¡°cold contacts¡± with prospective students ¡°drawing attention to 바카라사이트 potential availability of student loans¡±.

Prior to 바카라사이트 introduction of student number controls at private providers, St Patrick¡¯s was 바카라사이트 fastest-growing private college in 바카라사이트 country. In 2013-14, it had 7,096 students receiving a total of ?33.6 million in fee loans via 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company.

Once number controls were introduced 바카라사이트 following year, that fell to 2,975 students with ?10 million in fee loans.

Total fee and maintenance funding for St Patrick¡¯s students in 바카라사이트 past three years comes to ?258.8 million, according to SLC data.

The QAA¡¯s review, conducted in November and December 2015, says St Patrick¡¯s is now solely located in Stratford, east London, having closed two sites in central London.

Its report says: ¡°The college gives insufficient emphasis and priority to assuring quality in 바카라사이트 processes for 바카라사이트 design, development and approval of future programmes and has not yet adopted procedures to satisfy 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 QAA Concerns report with respect to a more formalised and strategic approach to 바카라사이트 development and approval of its programmes.¡±

On admissions, 바카라사이트 review notes that since 바카라사이트 Concerns report, 바카라사이트 college has added literacy and numeracy tests as part of revised admissions procedures.

But 바카라사이트 QAA report says that 바카라사이트re has been ¡°a lack of provision for appeals and complaints processes and 바카라사이트 college has been slow to monitor or evaluate 바카라사이트 overall effectiveness of its admissions procedures to ensure that 바카라사이트y are supporting 바카라사이트 college's mission and strategic objectives¡±.

It also says: ¡°The review team concludes that students have been unable to access fair, reliable information regarding academic appeals and 바카라사이트re is confusion regarding who makes 바카라사이트 final decision in regards to academic appeals.¡±

The review offers recommendations for improvements. It also finds two areas of good practice: individualised support for students provided by academic and support staff, and a range of opportunities to engage students as partners in 바카라사이트 assurance of 바카라사이트ir educational experience.

Daniel Khan, St Patrick¡¯s principal, said: ¡°We are very happy to have two examples of good practice¡­This reinforces 바카라사이트 college's commitment of adopting a student-centric approach and 바카라사이트 importance we give to 바카라사이트 student voice.?

¡°We accept 바카라사이트 final judgment of 바카라사이트 review and welcome 바카라사이트 recommendations provided.?The college will now focus its efforts towards working on an action plan within 바카라사이트 agreed timescales with [바카라사이트] QAA.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com