“Id give it 0 stars if I could I started this college last year in September and it was the worst decision I ever made. I lost a family member in November and that’s when my attendance started to go downhill,I had a lot of days of due to bereavement,mental health and also the day of the funeral.I also had other days of due to been at hospital because of a condition I have which is why I attend hospital every few months for check ups.The college didn’t care what I was going through all they cared about was my attendance.as it gets towards the end of the year my health and social teacher Mandy fall was “helping me” through it saying how she is going to”fight for my place” and say “how well I have done these past few weeks and how I deserve to come back in September”Little did I know she was saying the opposite to Colin peaks and Lois behind my back,saying that she doesn’t think I will succeed in September and how she thinks I won’t be able to do level 3.I’ve appealed since then and had 2 meetings and they don’t want to know how I feel they basically just wanted me out of the college.I was sat in the meeting today very upset due to not been able to come back they had no options for me in this college “apparently”.bear in mind one of my friends has 60 percent attendance and has been kicked out of college she appealed and now she’s allowed back and allowed to change course and they told me I couldn’t do any of those things although everything what I have been through and I got kicked out of college with over 70 percent attendance Someone please tell me how this works? Honestly if you’re thinking about sending your child here don’t it will be the worst decision.”
“Wouldn't recommend this college at all, my sister wanted to go here after leaving school and has spent the last year here, she has made friends here and wanted to stay to be amongst them, she thought she was coming back in September and she found out they don't want her back, myself and my mother have both attended a meeting with Colin and his main reason was her attendance but the times she had off was when our step dad passed so I'd have thought they'd have been more than understanding, to which he then said she doesn't meet the requirements, she maybe isn't as bright as some of the other pupils but it feels like there's no help for the pupils who maybe struggle abit more, my mam had spoke to a lady named Lois on the phone and she spoke down to my mam as if she was a child, we then attended another meeting as a lady named mandy had promised my sister she would fight for her and keep her place, this lady didn't even attend this meeting and apparently she is the one who said she shouldn't go back to the college! I get the impression they only like 'clever students' and there's no support what so ever for people struggling mentally etc. My sister was begging for her place and crying her eyes out...Colin in his words could 'only offer her a tissue' if you're a school leaver or a parent thinking of sending your child to this college then please consider their mental health as this has impacted my sisters massively...also Lois is the rudest person I have ever met. She judges you from the second you walk into a room and makes you feel looked down on! I'm sure I won't be the only person to comment on her nature....disgusting college and disgusting people, would not recommend!”
“Where do I start. Please do not consider this college if your child has additional needs or an EHCP. My child had zero support in their first year. Currently in second year completing another course and from the onset it was nothing but disgraceful. Told they couldn’t return after first year, but got enrolment forms and an appointment to enrol. Child attended enrolment and was pulled out, told they knew they weren’t allowed back, even though the college actively invited said child back. I complained, managed to get my child enrolled. I also attended the enrolment with my child and we both left in tears. The enrolment was 3 female teachers, one including Lois, who works in the beauty therapy department. She was nothing short condescending, discriminatory, judgemental and down right rude, not just to me but to my daughter too. She had the nerve to imply I was a bad parent by saying ‘we’re all parents here, do you think you’re setting your child up to fail by encouraging them to do a course they’re going to fail’. I genuinely feel I’d be setting my child with additional needs up to fail if I held them back and didn’t support them! It was a bloody beauty therapy course, not quantum physics! My child also struggles with reading, I’m well aware of this. I offered to purchase a reader to support my child on the course and Lois bluntly advised they’re not allowed in class! Would she be saying that to a child who is blind??? To be fair, even if my child wanted to do quantum physics, I would be right be their side! I left feeling belittled and bullied. If I feel like that as a 40 year old adult who has a lot of life experiences and rarely upset, how on earth are they making vulnerable students feel when us parents aren’t around? She should not be working in an educational setting! I would happily have allowed my child to go to another college but they absolutely wanted to be at Wilberforce. Since returning 4 weeks ago, my child’s timetable has just randomly changed 3 times now. Even though my child struggles with change, they just update it and don’t pre-warn us. My child missed a maths lesson the other day as it had been changed again and wasn’t on the register for any of the teachers. My child rang me from the canteen upset and shaking not knowing what to do. I feel utterly defeated and let down if I’m honest. I’m past complaining. I haven’t even complained about the issues I experienced at the second enrolment appointment because I don’t want to make things worse for my child while studying there. I will say the head, Colin is generally supportive. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and he’s always been pleasant and my child really likes him as well. I really wish this college had more training and understanding of neurodiverse conditions to offer the right support. My child is far from incapable and has many strengths but the college focus too much on weaknesses. I hope they can look at training staff on neurodiversity in the future. I feel like this college would only be a positive experience for Neurotypical students. After all, a lot of the reasons my child was told they weren’t able to return was partly down to funding and partly down to then getting into trouble with OFSTED for students failing. Whilst I understand that OFSTED would have questions around a high failure rate for the college, I also believe that if the staff and SENCO’s were trained to a high standard, students with additional needs would have a higher chance of passing their courses. I will say, my child does seem to be getting more support now than she did in her first year, it did only happen because I fought for it. It should be standard practice when needed.”
“I would happily give a minus star review. Absolutely shocking college. Half of my coursework was lost during my first year meaning I could only leave with a merit in law rather than the distinction I was supposed to get. I was continuously told I was going to fail. On top of this, one of my best friends committed suicide due to stress from this college. They did nothing to support his mental health and nothing to support the students affected. Nothing to improve the support either.”
“I would give 0 stars if it were an option. I had the worst year of my life at this dump! do not go here or send your children here. the staff are appalling and they treat there students with no respect or understanding whatsoever. I never normally write reviews but I had such a bad experience at Wilberforce college. I had the worst drama teacher I have ever had in my life at this college who almost made me give up on my ambitions. They treated me like a naughty school child instead of making any attempt to find the source of my bad attendance or falling grades, which were result of a very serious situation in my life at the time which the college could and should have helped me to improve. I cannot find the right words to express my disgust at this establishment and all I hope is that this review will stop someone else from giving them there time.”
“I didn't particularly love this place because I felt like I was back at school. However I re connected with some old friends and we had long breaks which is always nice ????. The food was amazing and the teachers cared about our education which was the main thing ????”
