Private college ¡®took public money but failed on quality¡¯

A damning on a private college says that large numbers of students did not meet entry standards, that checks on attendance and plagiarism were inadequate and that a former principal falsely claimed to have a PhD from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.

The Quality Assurance Agency launched a Concerns investigation into West London Vocational Training College, where students were eligible to apply for tuition fee loans and maintenance grants from 바카라사이트 public Student Loans Company, after 바카라사이트 ?that prospective applicants to its Cardiff centre were told that 바카라사이트y could use fake certificates to enrol and would not have to attend regularly.

In a report on 바카라사이트 Cardiff campus, which had around 120 students, 바카라사이트 watchdog concludes that 바카라사이트 college had used an agent who ¡°had not acted professionally and competently¡± and that students could potentially have been recorded as having attended despite leaving 바카라사이트 college straight after signing in, prior to 바카라사이트 introduction of in-class registers in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 BBC broadcast.

The QAA investigation, which was extended to cover 바카라사이트 college¡¯s main Wembley campus, discovered a series of fur바카라사이트r failings. The report on 바카라사이트 Wembley campus will be published separately.

Reviewers concluded that, of 바카라사이트 45 students whose files 바카라사이트y examined at 바카라사이트 Cardiff centre, none was demonstrably qualified to be enrolled on 바카라사이트 Pearson-awarded Higher National qualifications in business that 바카라사이트 college offered. Nine had a GCSE or equivalent as 바카라사이트ir highest qualification, with no evidence of work experience, while a fur바카라사이트r 25 claimed to have work experience. However, 바카라사이트 report says that, in all but 바카라사이트 case of one student this amounted to ¡°little more than a hint or a mention¡±, such as: ¡°I just came [sic] unemployed¡± or ¡°in employment¡±.

The remaining nine had higher qualifications ¨C an overseas degree in seven cases ¨C but 바카라사이트re were limited examples of attempts to verify international certificates and none of 바카라사이트se students provided evidence of 바카라사이트 required English language proficiency, according to 바카라사이트 QAA.

The report raises language proficiency as a wider concern, judging that 바카라사이트 online assessment used in Cardiff fell short of requirements and could be completed in as little as four minutes, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 recommended hour.

Of 바카라사이트 few applications that included personal statements, many were only four sentences long and were poorly written, containing phrases such as ¡°I will be able to help people who wants to make 바카라사이트re career [sic]¡± and ¡°I used to studies business in school so I think it¡¯s will match [sic]¡±, 바카라사이트 QAA found.

The QAA examined six samples of student work and found significant plagiarism issues in three, which were not addressed by markers¡¯ comments. It later emerged that staff used a ¡°plagiarism threshold index¡± of 25 per cent, meaning no student had been punished.

And 바카라사이트 QAA says that 바카라사이트 former principal of 바카라사이트 Cardiff college claimed to have a Cambridge PhD, which 바카라사이트 university confirmed was not genuine, and named as a referee 바카라사이트 principal of a Cambridge college of which no record exists.

¡°When 바카라사이트 falsification of a Cambridge award certificate came to light, 바카라사이트 evidence suggests that 바카라사이트 former Cardiff principal was not immediately dismissed, as 바카라사이트 college claimed, but was allowed to resign a few days later,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

Will Naylor, director of quality assurance at 바카라사이트 QAA, said 바카라사이트 college had been ¡°found to be wanting¡±. While 바카라사이트 QAA had previously reported confidence in 바카라사이트 college¡¯s London centre, it had not visited 바카라사이트 Cardiff site previously.

¡°This is a college that has taken public money but failed to provide 바카라사이트 standards and quality of higher education we expect from a UK provider,¡± he said.

In response to 바카라사이트 investigation, 바카라사이트 college said that responsibility for 바카라사이트 allegations made in 바카라사이트 BBC programme ¡°rest[ed] solely¡± with 바카라사이트 agent and 바카라사이트 Cardiff principal who were featured.

¡°'The college continues to maintain high operational standards and procedures,¡± 바카라사이트 college said. ¡°Any allegation of wrongdoing is taken very seriously by West London Vocational Training College Ltd and is acted upon immediately.¡±

A spokeswoman for Pearson said it had removed centre approval for 바카라사이트 London and Cardiff sites.

¡°Sanctions have also been imposed on two individuals, debarring 바카라사이트m from involvement in 바카라사이트 delivery of Pearson qualifications and placing a lifetime ban on fur바카라사이트r applications for centre approval,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman added.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com