Free bus to Warrington Collegiate and a general moan

[Dizzy]

We were quite suprised (and pleased) to find out there were two free busses to Warrington Collegiate this year. Two different routes but one goes through our neck of the woods.

 

Hurrah.... we wouldn't have to pay the £22 a month for a saver card for his lordship to get there and back.

 

Damn... yes we do as the bus goes at a set time every morning and there is NO return bus so for those kids who don't have to be in for 9am every day (thanks to the stupid timetables split across 4 days) IT IS NO USE.

 

Even if they did have to be in for 9am they'd still need a bus pass or to pay full fare to get home as they can't have a return bus service as everyone finishes at different times apparently.

 

So what is the point of it... sorry Warrington Collegiate/Council/Bus Service bods (I don't know who has arranged it so included all three).

 

I guess we should just be thankful that we aren't having to pay for the college course but what with travel expenses, money for lunch, equipment etc and the fact that his lordship now can't continue with his part time 'job' (which I hasten to add was giving him valuable experience and HE WAS LEARNING A NOTHER SKILL) over summer as his timetable is so higgledy piggledy (how do you spell that).

 

Surely 20 hours of learning spanning a full week could be timetabled better so as not to become part days thus leaving full days to gain experience elsewhere..... or better still make the course REAL full time ie 9 - 5 every day (which would also shorten the course by about least 6 months and they would be qualified sooner) and at least they are getting used to some form of working hours and routine for the big world.

 

And before I forget.... some other kids from round here got £30 a week EMA grant towards their expenses even though they could walk across the bride to Prielstly College (so no travel expenses there) SO WHY (OR HOW) DID THEY GET IT ??

 

Anyway moan over before I say something I shouldn't but I do feel better after that

[Peter T]

Steady Dizzy, you can't bring common sense into a subject like that.

[Sheila_P]

We were quite suprised (and pleased) to find out there were two free busses to Warrington Collegiate this year. Two different routes but one goes through our neck of the woods.

 

Hurrah.... we wouldn't have to pay the £22 a month for a saver card for his lordship to get there and back.

 

Damn... yes we do as the bus goes at a set time every morning and there is NO return bus so for those kids who don't have to be in for 9am every day (thanks to the stupid timetables split across 4 days) IT IS NO USE.

 

Even if they did have to be in for 9am they'd still need a bus pass or to pay full fare to get home as they can't have a return bus service as everyone finishes at different times apparently.

 

 

 

So what is the point of it... sorry Warrington Collegiate/Council/Bus Service bods (I don't know who has arranged it so included all three).

 

I guess we should just be thankful that we aren't having to pay for the college course but what with travel expenses, money for lunch, equipment etc and the fact that his lordship now can't continue with his part time 'job' (which I hasten to add was giving him valuable experience and HE WAS LEARNING A NOTHER SKILL) over summer as his timetable is so higgledy piggledy (how do you spell that).

 

Surely 20 hours of learning spanning a full week could be timetabled better so as not to become part days thus leaving full days to gain experience elsewhere..... or better still make the course REAL full time ie 9 - 5 every day (which would also shorten the course by about least 6 months and they would be qualified sooner) and at least they are getting used to some form of working hours and routine for the big world.

 

And before I forget.... some other kids from round here got £30 a week EMA grant towards their expenses even though they could walk across the bride to Prielstly College (so no travel expenses there) SO WHY (OR HOW) DID THEY GET IT ??

 

Anyway moan over before I say something I shouldn't but I do feel better after that

 

Timetabling is an absolute nightmare. There are so many classes to fit into different rooms and at different times, it's a real head banger.

 

What makes it more difficult is that the college has been shedding staff on an annual basis for years now. Hence,less staff do more work and they can only be in one place at one time. It's a shame that students are left to hang about for a few hours, or have to go in for a couple of hours a day.

 

Students were awarded EMA if their family income was less than a certain figure. From memory, I think the income was around £30k but I'm not certain on that.

 

Re the bus. Ring the Student Services department and let them know how you feel.

[fugtifino]

I think the income was around £30k...

 

That's about right Sheila.

 

Only students who were already in receipt of EMA can continue to claim it, new applications ceased at the end of 2010. Those who do still claim it only receive a maximum of £20, and it's tied to performance/attendance. EMA is/was awarded by central government and administered through colleges. Can't see there's many still receiving the full wack of £30, it's only those who first claimed in 2009/10 and who are going into a third year of study - once they hit 19, EMA stops and ALG (Adult Learning Grant) no longer exists for new applicants.

 

Any financial assistance for students not receiving EMA is going to be through the new Bursary Fund, basically this is money given to colleges from central government (through the YPLA) for the colleges to administer as they see fit. Current estimates suggest that this will be roughly half the figure that was received by students on EMA.

[Dizzy]

Timetabling is an absolute nightmare. There are so many classes to fit into different rooms and at different times, it's a real head banger.

 

What makes it more difficult is that the college has been shedding staff on an annual basis for years now. Hence,less staff do more work and they can only be in one place at one time. It's a shame that students are left to hang about for a few hours, or have to go in for a couple of hours a day.

 

Students were awarded EMA if their family income was less than a certain figure. From memory, I think the income was around £30k but I'm not certain on that.

 

Re the bus. Ring the Student Services department and let them know how you feel.

 

You are right there ShielaP and I reaslise that with all the government cuts, staff cuts etc it is very hard for them to have sensible timetables but by cutting the teachers it's leaving the kids in limbo land in a way. If the courses were proper full time they could be completed quicker and the kids could get jobs sooner (well try to anyway).

 

Of course in reality that is not cost effective and would cause more problems I suppose as there would not be as much nead for the teachers all year round and I suppose and they would only work for 5 months of the year between intakes.

 

I do think that spearding 20 hours of work over 4 or 5 days is ridiculous though and like I said it also stops kids being able to get work experience or part time jobs as they have no full days off.

 

Anyway I'm repeating myself.. sorry

 

As for the bus I did ring and ask and to be honest the college were as much in the dark about it as we were. They did say he could claim 'help' with expenses if the family income was less that £21K though. It's not and I'm sure a lot of peoples isn't either so I guess I should just stop moaning.

 

It DOES annoy me greatly though that 'some' kids have been receiving the par of or the full £30 weekly EMA allowance for the past year when they clearly shouldn't be. Maybe if people like them and thei parents hadn't been so greedy and claimed what they weren't actually entitled to the Government wouldn't have scrapped it for those who genuinely need it.

 

Anyway rant over and we bought him a bus pass as I suppose £22 for a month of free bus travel is not too bad providing he uses it a lot. I'll have to send him on erands to town or sightseing around Warrington etc

[Sheila_P]

I think the income was around £30k...

 

That's about right Sheila.

 

Only students who were already in receipt of EMA can continue to claim it, new applications ceased at the end of 2010. Those who do still claim it only receive a maximum of £20, and it's tied to performance/attendance. EMA is/was awarded by central government and administered through colleges. Can't see there's many still receiving the full wack of £30, it's only those who first claimed in 2009/10 and who are going into a third year of study - once they hit 19, EMA stops and ALG (Adult Learning Grant) no longer exists for new applicants.

 

Any financial assistance for students not receiving EMA is going to be through the new Bursary Fund, basically this is money given to colleges from central government (through the YPLA) for the colleges to administer as they see fit. Current estimates suggest that this will be roughly half the figure that was received by students on EMA.

 

Yes, I knew it was coming to an end.

 

I was never a fan of it. I felt that in a lot of cases it was misused.

 

There has to be a better way to ensure that students get what they need.