BAD LANGUAGE FOR STUDENTS IN WALSALL

19-04-2008

A Walsall language school exposed by The Stirrer for falsely claiming accreditation from a number of awarding bodies has now cut off its phone lines.  As revealed in yesterday’s Birmingham Mail, it failed to re-open after Easter.

Aspire Training And Achievement College – previously based in Hockley – first came to our attention in December when students complained that they were having to wait months for the English certificates they needed in order to qualify for British citizenship – despite shelling our £250 for courses (link here).

Our investigation established that Aspire was incorrectly claiming accreditation from a number of awarding bodies.

In January, it emerged that Birmingham Trading Standards were investigating the company, although we understand the case has now been taken on by their Walsall counterparts (see link here).

In The Stirrer’s regular Birmingham Mail column last Thursday, there was more bad news – Aspire hasn’t opened since the Easter holidays, and admitted that it was struggling to process students’ course work (http://tinyurl.com/6hcuuy).

What’s more, another awarding body, the Open College Network said that although it had validated course work for 300 students, it could not accept the evidence supplied for 30 other students.

In a further blow, the OCN added said that it was no longer accrediting the College - now part of London-based Concept Education.

Our attempts to contact Elaine Powell, Aspire’s Birmingham-based “front woman” and Curriculum Manager have so far proved unsuccessful, and in the latest development students have now been told they can’t even ring the Collegeto discuss their situation.

The website now advises:  “For further information contact the college by email only.

"Unfortunately we are unable to deal with telephone enquiries until the college has reopened from its period of restructure [sic].  We apologise for the  inconvenience caused."  (http://www.concepteducation.co.uk/Bulletin%20Board.htm)