Student support centre - be very wary...

[newtoedf]

We've just received a letter home from school about the student support centre. If you get one too then I suggest you read this article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/9018047/The-2700-tuition-hard-sell.html

It's not exactly a scam but very sharp practice at least, signing people up to a credit agreement which they can't get out of if they decide the programmes don't suit their child. Several thousand pounds for something you don't want would be a big issue for most.

The schools receive a fee for the number of forms they send back.

[tiddles]

which school is this?? i underdstand if you are reluctant to say, however it would be interesting to know which local schools are willing to screw families for the sake of ?120.

thanks for the heads up

[newtoedf]

I don't really want to name the school - I'll be handing in my letter of complaint tomorrow so I'd rather deal with it that way.

Posted this mainly to warn anyone else receiving a similar letter.

[ticket2ride]

I'd be interested to know whether this was a local authority or academy school.

[newtoedf]

LA school - an awful lot of schools are caught out by this firm.

It might be worth sending a copy of the article to your school and warning them in advance. Hindsight is a wonderful thing...

[Ole]

newtoedf Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> LA school - an awful lot of schools are caught out

> by this firm.

>

> It might be worth sending a copy of the article to

> your school and warning them in advance. Hindsight

> is a wonderful thing...

Surely the school, especially the headteacher, would be aware that they are sending out advertising material in their name? I would have thought that the school would have had to say 'yes' to the firm providing the materials.

Except perhaps the firm is going straight to LAs for approval and LAs are saying 'yes' on behalf of the school and are allowing this (does the ?150 go to the school or the LA?). Wouldn't surprise me, profiteering at any cost is rampant these days.

[newtoedf]

The standard practice is for the school to send out a letter on their letterhead and enclose the leaflet from the student support centre. The school are very clear that they are circulating this but not (I hope!)about the sales practices of the firm involved. That's why it is probably a good idea to alert them in advance.

I dropped a letter of complaint in this morning to the head and one to the chair of governors and explained the situation to the office staff - we'll see what this afternoon's book bags hold...