Graduate But No Certificates Yet!!!

saintstreaky

The reason I asked if you were still in contact with others was to suggest (as you are) that you could get in touch with the local newspaper. You could try the BBC too, but if several of you got together and talked to the local paper you might well get somewhere - in my experience many would love something like this!

However, I would exhaust the 'proper' channels first.

It doesn't surprise me that a college doesn't have that sort of information online, but ring the switchboard and talk to someone in 'Student Services' or whatever they call the student support division. You never know, just by bringing it up you might make progress.

I would write a formal letter rather than an email (you can send an email too, but not just that). I find emails are more likely to be ignored.

BTW, you can google a specific website if it doesn't have a search function. Try putting in

compaints site:mycollege.ac.uk

(no www bit in the address). Can you tell us which college it is? We'll understand if you don't want to, of course!

Savvy_Sue

Good suggestions from saint streaky, the local paper is probably a better bet in the first instance to get publicity.

Didn't know that about google, that's very useful! But if it doesn't bring up anything, then yes, an email or phone call to reception asking HOW to make a formal complaint and for a copy of their complaints procedure would be sensible. Same with EdExcel, they have SOME responsibility for this if their name is on the certificate, and they ought to be concerned if their name is being linked with a college which isn't dishing out certificates earned under their umbrella.

Lady_K

I've rang this morning to give them 1 last chance before official complaint. I said I didn't want to speak to anyone I'd spoken to before as I'd tried it all so they put me through to some head of that section or something but it was her secretary. She wasn't available so she took my number and she has rang me this afternoon saying it is now being looked into by the head of the section. I have a feeling though it will be another dead end.

If theres no success this week we will put complaints to both edexcel and the college. Not sure if I should say which one it is just yet as this is about my Daughter so I don't really want it effecting her in anyway. Maybe after we have the certificates at least but I do believe they need to be named and shamed. I don't think the college should get away with the many many things that happened during her time there. Too many to mention

There were some good teachers though who really cared that did overtime without any pay because they knew the students were struggling, those were her Aromatherapy and Reflexology teachers in particular but of course they couldnt do everything for every subject.

In the main it was the fact that the college was having money problems and cut staff to save money and that put pressure on the remaining staff as they were expected to do the work of the teachers that had left for no extra pay. Those teachers obviously were not happy about that and couldnt cope, they started striking and then most of them quit. But with the state of the place the college had difficulty employing new replacement teachers as no one wanted to do the job. Then if they managed to get a replacement they were not really competant for the job but the only ones they could get to do it basically, which again caused huge problems for the students. I really don't know how my daughter got through it. The worst was the course leader though, she really shouldn't be in that job

saintstreaky

I totally understand why you don't want to say which one! Have you found out what the official complaints procedure is?

I assume from what you've said that it's an FE College, in which case the money problems are a big issue at the moment (believe me, I know!) - not that it's an excuse. And (I'm sure you realise this) it's very unlikely that the teaching staff are at fault for this, it's an admin thing. The most likely reason is that there's someone totally incompetent working in the exams office - maybe they had a temp in at the peak time. Or maybe they lost the certificates and they're trying to save money by not getting them reprinted until the next batch are done for this year?

Keep us informed.

saintstreaky

Any joy on this yet, Lady_K? Realise it's been Christmas, but I'd be interested to know if you've got anywhere.

Lady_K

No, I had decided to wait until Monday as I'm not sure when they start again. The last time I spoke to them they said the lady that sorts out the certificates once the results are recieved was probably away and they would make sure she sorted this out and contacted me as soon as she returned. Yet I left a message on that ladys answerphone and it said she was not in the office on that day only as she had a graduation ceremony so I think once again she just couldn't be bothered. I think a lot of the problem lies with this lady as the results were through months ago but of course the school should have sorted this out as soon as complaints started coming in during the summer which was the time we were told my daughter would recieve the certificates.

I may phone tomorrow but they are most likely going to re-open on Monday. The way things are going she won't have her certificates by the time this years students should recieve thiers. It's completely disgusting when they have worked so hard and ran up so many debts to study it just shows the amount of care and respect they have for thier students

greyster

hmm this is madness to me. Universities can take quite a while to produce documentation such as certicates. The employer in my eyes should understand this. I am sure a letter from the course secretary titled "to whom it concerns" stating that person x has completed and passed course y should suffice.

My university gave me a temporary certificate within 2 days of passing and an official one (with shiney hologram on side) a month later.

Heir_2_Hesjane

My University took about 9 months to send me my certificate for my first degree. That didn't really matter to be honest though as the certificates are only a fancy wall decoration. The important thing as far as jobs are concerned is the official transcripts which you should be able to get after a simple 5 minute phone call to the administration office. Normally you have to pay a token amount to cover some costs - about £5 at my University - but then you end up with an official letter-headed transcript of your results. I would imagine that in your case they would waive these fees.

Obviously the certificate should be chased up - but in terms of employers it isn't the only way of proving you have passed and is certainly not the best way (as the transcripts can provide a complete breakdown of results, module by module).

Lady_K

Yes I thought that too as there was a lot of modules in the course, I'll as them that aswell. They did send one with a module breakdown on to her but it was falling to bits on thin pink paper and you couldnt see properly as it was a photocopy, really dreadfull. And she never got any breakdown for her Aromatherapy and Reflexology theory and practical exams

Also not sure if I mentioned it before but her end of year report that should have been filled out by her course leader and all the results filled in that same form. It was sent to her completely blank and just had scribbled in the middle "this student completed the course" plus is was pp'd by the secretary as the course leader couldnt be bothered to fill it in as usual or even sign it.

The same went for her requested reference from her, we tried politely for absolutely weeks to get the course leader to send one, theres a lot more to this story too much to write down but basically they do not care and she didn't want to write a reference and in the end, once more she passed it on to her secretary, it said "this student completed this course" and again pp'd by the course leaders secretary. Nothing personal about it and I was totally disgusted. My daughter has always been a good hard working student all her life so it wasn't anything to do with her personally just teachers that don't deserve a job

Lady_K

I have just rang the college again and spoke to the overall head of that department who is above the course leader. I'm amazed I actually got to speak to her usually they say shes not in or busy they will take a message which is what they did before christmas again, then they rang to say they had passed it on to her and it was now in her hands and she would get back to me asap and here I am having to ring her back again.

She made excuses saying she had been promised a reply from the certificate lady but hadnt got one. To me thats no excuse, if she didnt got one it was up to her to chase it up. She had obviously forgotten completely about it.

She told me my daughter must have had fees outstanding as thats the only reason why they don't give out the certificates which I found quite insulting after this amount of time that they try to push the blame onto us. She actually had her fees paid for because of our financial situation but thats beside the point, I was not impressed they just don't have any clue about what is going on there.

Her tone of voice and attitude was disgraceful they make you feel like your asking for something that doesnt belong to you. This is the last chance they are getting coz I'm completely sick of trying to get them to do their job.

Shes just rang back saying she has now passed it on to someone else this time a man, so whatever happened to the certificate lady I don't know but she didn't bother going back to her even though she was meant to hear from her. I asked for the mans name and asked for her personal direct number in case I need to yet again chase this up. If this doesnt take a swift turn around I will have to make an official written complaint. I feel sorry for any students they have there