College criticised for attitude to students

Hopwood Hall College has been criticised for having a poor attitude towards students who forget their student card - needed to gain entry to the college. This morning, Monday 14 January, Charlotte Phillips forgot her student card for the first time and was told either to go home, and with a non-attendance mark would lose her £30 Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the week, or to pay £5 for a new card before they would let her into college.

Having to pay the £5 fee has left Miss Phillips without money for lunch or her bus fare home.

Previously Miss Phillips had to fight to keep her EMA when she was sent home ill and she had the allowance taken off her. Her family’s protests brought about a rethink and the allowance was reinstated.

Miss Phillips says that staff were rude and laughing at her saying they "love to charge kids or make them lose their EMA"!

She added that Middleton campus staff can be really helpful but that Rochdale Campus staff can be really unhelpful and nasty with students.

The student’s mother Stacey Phillips has told Rochdale Online she intends to see the college principal to complain.

Students at the college complain that if they are late once they lose the full weeks allowance, which gives them no incentive to attend for the rest of the week and, given that some cannot get there without the money, can make further attendance impossible.

A spokeswoman for the college said: "The security and safety of our students, staff and other college users is of paramount importance. This is why college policy requires staff and students to carry their ID cards at all times. Students are made fully aware that their ID cards must be produced to gain access to the college and also that their EMA will not be paid if they miss classes because they have forgotten their pass. 

"Should a student forget their card they are given a guest pass for the day and their name is put into a database. Should they forget their card again during that term they are asked to go home and collect it or pay for a replacement card. if classes are missed as a result of this then EMA payments will not be made. This was not the first time this student had forgotten her card, so therefore these rules were enforced. 

"As a further education college, we treat our students as young adults and require them to take a responsible attitude towards their college studies. The college takes all complaints seriously and this matter is currently being investigated."