William Badger
1/5
My Experience Studying BTech Media and HNC
I studied BTech Media at Level 3 and later continued with an HNC at this college. My experience has, unfortunately, been disappointing on multiple levels.
Level 3 Programme
The Level 3 course was underwhelming, particularly in the lack of regard teachers showed for students' commitments outside of college. Tutors often encouraged students to quit their jobs or sell their cars to focus solely on the course, which felt unreasonable and impractical.
One unit was especially frustrating. It was meant to culminate in a public exhibition, which ultimately fell apart due to poor management. During the incident, a teacher claimed that part of the display structure had fallen on her. I witnessed the incident from just a few metres away and can confirm it didn’t happen as she described. Several students, myself included, saw that she was unhurt, yet she still took a month off. During her absence, we were left to salvage what we could from her notes, with minimal guidance, relying on other teachers who had to step in and manage the chaos. When she eventually returned, she claimed memory loss and disregarded the entire unit. Later, when maintenance staff reviewed the "incident," they ignored student testimonies and dismissed our input, even though we were willing to formally confirm what we had witnessed.
Another tutor frequently spent more time talking than teaching, which impacted our progress. When we missed deadlines, she would chastise us for submitting work late, despite her role in delaying our productivity.
HNC Level Programme
The following year, I enrolled in the HNC Media course. The atmosphere was disheartening, as most tutors barely acknowledged students in passing, which felt rude and unprofessional. Additionally, one of my tutors missed a total of 22 sessions without prior notice or any attempt to arrange cover. For a course that cost £6,000, this was an unacceptable waste of time and money. Given these issues, I am now considering lodging a formal complaint and requesting a refund through external channels.
Campus Facilities
The campus itself has numerous issues:
1. Canteen: As someone with barista experience at a major coffee chain, I found the standards in the canteen appalling. The food was consistently subpar; the pasta tasted dreadful, and the cookies were stale. By midday, most food options were depleted and not restocked, forcing students to seek better, more affordable options off-campus.
2. Security and Student Welfare: A friend’s purse was stolen, but the college offered no assistance, claiming that the CCTV wasn’t positioned to capture the area. When she reported bullying by other students, the staff did little to intervene, allowing the situation to escalate to the point where even her teacher was visibly upset.
3. Parking: The parking facilities were also problematic. The ticket machine and barriers frequently malfunctioned, yet the college charged £1 per visit. Given these issues, offering free parking for students with ID would be reasonable, but this option is not available.
4. Cleanliness: The campus hygiene was poor, particularly in the toilets, which were often in an unacceptable state. I even found food in odd places, like behind wall clocks, indicating a severe lack of thorough cleaning.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this college falls far below acceptable standards. At this point, I’ve invested more effort in warning potential students than I ever felt motivated to put into my coursework, simply to prevent others from wasting their time and money.
TL;DR: DO NOT ATTEND THIS COLLEGE!
