Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want to quit my college course because I feel unsafe?

71 replies

TiredAndAnnoyed · 18/11/2013 21:27

I'm a regular who has name changed for this.

I started college in September to do a HE access course. The college has bought a new building for this year which is about a 15 minute walk away from the main campus and it's where us mature students have to go to for all our lessons. This wouldn't be a problem except the building is in quite a rough area. There have been numerous muggings and attacks reported in the area just outside and near the college. There are also drunks and druggies who sit just outside the college and intimidate a lot of people.

Those things on their own are an annoyance in themselves but it still wouldn't be too bad as they're outside the college...except the security in this new building is utter shit! They have only one security guard who mostly sits there looking bored most of the time and although they have a member of staff by the entrance who is supposed to check student ID before you enter, they seldom ever do check and usually just let anyone walk straight in! As a result, some of the drunks and druggies who loiter outside have been known to just come in and loiter around the corridors outside the classrooms. As you can imagine this does make people feel uneasy. Like I said, it's in a well known rough area already yet they just let anyone walk in. God knows who else could just wonder in.

There was an incident about a month ago where I was leaving the building and there was a man who was swearing his head off at everyone who walked past, he was very aggressive and intimidating people who walked past. The security guard was standing there of course, not really doing anything to get him off the premises, he was just looking bored as usual Hmm

The thing is though, the main campus isn't exactly in a nice area but it is a lot safer than where we are. There are also numerous security guards down there so I don't understand why they couldn't have put us in a building on the main campus. There's not exactly a shortage of them. Some people on my course have decided to put in official complaints about it as it's not fair that we don't feel safe coming to college. Tbh I feel really unsafe where we are now and am seriously considering dropping out and going to a different college next year instead. I keep telling myself it's only for a year but I really don't feel safe especially now the dark nights are here. I'm going to put in a complaint too but not sure how much difference it will actually make.

I should also add that there used to be a children's support service next door (I think that's what it was) but it closed down because the area was deemed to be too unsafe. So they put us here with barely any security instead Hmm.

There are also little things that are irritating about this building such as the heating doesn't always work properly so it's often freezing cold and as it's a new purchase by the college there is still a bit of building work going on. Those are minor things compared to the safety issue though.

Would you stick around in this sort of situation? I was looking forward to college this year and going to university next year but now I just feel completely uneasy and just not safe so not sure if it's worth sticking it out.

This turned out quite long and I realise that my description would make it obvious which college I'm talking about if you're a student there but whatever.

Is it too much to ask to want to feel safe in a learning environment?

OP posts:
TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 12:23

Oh well, I guess it's a good thing that staff have raised their concerns too. At least we know it's not just us.

I also can't be the only one who thinks it's mad that they closed down the childrens place next door because the area was deemed too unsafe yet they put us there instead Shock

OP posts:
RenterNomad · 19/11/2013 12:47

Commercial property took a battering in the financial crisis, and there are still shops closing, here and there, now. Perhaps the building rent was so attractive, or there were other incentives, that the college leaped at it. After all, the children's centre left, too...

Why not ask publicly (or threaten to) if the college is in so much financial trouble that it will trample on its pastoral duties to save money. If so, it's in big trouble and your qualifications aren't going to be worth much from an institution which has gone bust, so why should you continue?

Such public questions about the institution could kill enrollment for next year, so it's not exactly a mild threat.

I understand that finances put institutions under pressure, but if they can't fulfil requirements like ensuring safety, securing buildings, etc., they sre doing the same as a company which is continuing to trade while insolvent.

CrazyKids100 · 19/11/2013 13:01

Hello, I joined specifically to post in this thread. I know which college you're talking about, I go there too and yes it is ridiculous. I have thought about transferring to a different college but don't know if it's too late to do that otherwise I would.

Just a thought but once official complaints have been put in but if nothing gets done about it would it be too over the top to get the press involved?

I think the college is planning on using that place for all HEFC students from now on so things have to change.

RenterNomad · 19/11/2013 13:16

Welcome to MN, CrazyKids! Smile

The press is not too OTT, but don't stop at the local paper, as many people just bin those. Look for:

  • trade press (higher education professionals)
  • community police newsletter (and yes, get the police in for "invasions" of the building)
  • student publication
  • local talk radio
  • education correspondents of national newspaper (esp. the Guardian). You can ring the news desk for contact details of where to send your concise press release, and have a "spokesperson" standing by.

If the college offers journalism/pre journalism/ PR modules, this is a great extra-credit chance for one of those students. S/he can find out who the building belongs to, use a Freedom of Information request to ask the terms of the lease (rent, length of lease, any additional incentives, any penalty for cancelling the lease). While s/he's at it, is security provided by contract, and what penalties are there for incompetence (not checking ID and allowing outsuders to wandet about, FFS).

ProphetOfDoom · 19/11/2013 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WilsonFrickett · 19/11/2013 13:38

Re: students Union, do you have a union building on any part of the campuses? If so, you just walk in and ask to speak to someone in student services.

CrazyKids100 · 19/11/2013 13:52

I'm paying for this course too. Which is why I don't want to drop out but that makes it even more ridiculous. I'm essentially paying to feel unsafe every day.

SueDoku · 19/11/2013 14:35

I didn't work at your college, but at one with similar problems - and I can tell you that the most important things for management (because they are the ONLY things that Ofsted are interested in now) are student retention and achievement. Angry

If you all threaten to go to another college, not only will it hit your college financially, but their Ofsted statistics will look very, very bad... They couldn't give a stuff about your safety, staff safety (several lecturers at my workplace ended up in hospital after being attacked by their own students Shock) or anything that the Students' Un ion etc say - but they DO care about their Ofsted statistics, so that's where you should be looking to aim your complaints.

MrsWedgeAntilles · 19/11/2013 14:44

I think you need to go to the press.
Years ago when I was a uni there was a serial rapist at large in the city where I studied. At several of the student union bars the security were removing girls who'd got too drunk and throwing them out on their own into the street. There was no attempt made to find the girls' friends or let them sober up or phone them a taxi or any thing, they were just horsed out the door.
There was an out cry from the student body but very little was done until it reached the national tabloids.

howmuchwouldyoutake · 19/11/2013 17:17

Make sure you look up the health and safety policy on the college Intranet and quote from there when you make your complaints and that you're all saying the same thing. The college is duty bound to keep you safe.

howmuchwouldyoutake · 19/11/2013 17:19

Or post daily on their Twitter / Facebook asking whether someone can tell you where the Student Union office is because you want to ask about safeguarding. You need to be public and in a group when you tackle this.

Try not to let it push you out of your course though - if enough of you stick together and speak up then hopefully they'll listen. Staff are trying too.

CrazyKids100 · 19/11/2013 18:05

i have no idea what they were thinking.

Clearly they weren't.

Any idea whose bright idea it was to stick us there in the first place?

Maybe they think us mature students are expendable or something.

WhatTheFoxSays · 19/11/2013 18:15

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask this, but which college is this? I'm dying to know what kind of shitty institution actually does these things.

I know you've said that the college is identifiable from your description if you're a student there or work there. That seems to have already happened here with a member of staff and another student identifying which college it is.

But seriously are we allowed to name educational institutions on MN in situations like this? You know a bit of naming and shaming might do the trick. Or would that be a step too far?

TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 18:26

I've thought about naming it but scared I will get into trouble for it. Sad

OP posts:
TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 18:29

Also not sure if naming it would be against MN rules

I'm going to see if I can get a group of people together and we can complain in a meeting with the principal or head of school. I've decided I'm not going to drop out but do want things improved especially as future students will be there too.

I think if I can get a group (and that shouldn't be too hard) they'll be more inclined to listen to us.

OP posts:
RenterNomad · 19/11/2013 18:36

howmuch, have you posted before, about a student intimidating you and not being disciplined?

howmuchwouldyoutake · 19/11/2013 20:06

I did, yes.it used to be such a good place to study and work too but imo has expanded too much and isn't run properly (runs off to name change)

TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 20:48

Do you work in one of the campuses in the city itself or one of the ones away from the city?

OP posts:
TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 20:49

Also hearing about students not being disciplined doesn't surprise me neither Sad.

OP posts:
ShinyBauble · 19/11/2013 22:04

I'm sure you would be allowed to post the name, though I have a feeling I know which one it is anyway! I wonder if they know how far their reputation precedes them! It's a shame.

BobPatSamandIgglePiggle · 19/11/2013 22:07

I think i know which college it is too - maybe we could be cryptic? ;-)

TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 22:25

I think if you work there or if you're a student there it's pretty clear which college it is. I think even if you don't go there but you're from the area it might be obvious too.

That's assuming that we are talking about the same college. It would be a bit awkward if we were talking about completely different colleges Grin. Though it would be worrying to know that something like this was common place.

Still not sure if I'd be allowed to out the college by naming it. Even if it's not against MN rules I'm not sure if people would get trouble at college for it (not specifically me as obviously they wouldn't know who named it) but no doubt they would kick up a fuss and we'd get a general group telling off for it. The college are petty about these things. Then again maybe it would actually make them do something about it if it was out in the open.

OP posts:
TiredAndAnnoyed · 19/11/2013 22:57

After going through the guidelines here again it doesn't seem to be against the rules to post names and I don't really care what the college think on this, so...

It's Newcastle College. The one in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Hoping I don't regret this...Blush

OP posts:
BobPatSamandIgglePiggle · 19/11/2013 22:58

Well i hope the managers take you seriously so that you can complete your course. I know that some hefc pathways are inflexible which can be a pain too.

BobPatSamandIgglePiggle · 19/11/2013 22:59

I knew it! Riverside dene?