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Original poster

The Student Support Centre

48 replies

christywhisty · 27/09/2008 18:23

From what I gather this is a hard sell company that costs thousands of pounds. I put this on a note to the HM and she wants to see me.

Anyone got any more infor

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 27/09/2008 18:39

I think there have been threads on this in the past - can't recall anyone on here (or in RL) that thought it was any good. So annoying that schools are used to promote it.

magentadreamer · 27/09/2008 19:08

Not had any exeprience of them but googled them and found an article written on Ciao a couple of days ago which states they wanted to charge the writer £28 a week for 48months for a pack that would take his 7 year old up to GSCE level - a gulping £5824. Their web site also states parents do the marking etc!

magentadreamer · 27/09/2008 19:12

Oops meant to add I find it rather odd/wrong/damn right weird that schools send out the companies leaflets. I'm assuming that the school get a commision for the children that sign up? I feel that is totaly wrong. It's a bit like me suggesting we can kinda cure you but try the private hospital up the road and I'll get a fee for suggesting it to you...

Original poster
christywhisty · 27/09/2008 20:37

I am not sure if they get commission, but doing some searches today I found out that they pay the school a small fee to send out the letters. I think the fee is based on how many replies they get.
I did try doing a search on here but if I do "student support centre" but the words are too commonly used on here so I get thousands.

OP posts:
Jumente · 17/06/2009 19:50

This makes me really angry. We just ahd this rubbish sent home asking for our children's names and ages etc even if we are not interested. I am and boycotting returning the form, I disagree with it totally and think it's bloody cheeky of the HT to not tell us they are being paid

janeite · 17/06/2009 19:53

I'm not sure if it's the same company or not but I wrote a note of complaint last time the school sent out literature like this. I totally, totally disapprove of the idea that schools support private companies in this way and help them to 'sell' their services.

Jumente · 17/06/2009 20:00

Thanks Janeite - just emailed the HT in rather a fit of crossness, so that's more 9am nerves for me

Do you know whether the school does benefit from aiding in this market research? I have suggested as much and am afraid I'll be shot down if it's not true. Oops.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 17/06/2009 21:21

Jumente, if you look at this old thread there are some useful links for ammo. Clearly, they operate high-pressure sales techniques to promote educational material of doubtful value.

Jumente · 17/06/2009 21:23

Thankyou very much for the link - I have had a bit of a dig around and read some shocking stuff.

HT is now being very very defensive and arsey about it...that was to be expected, I didn't really give her a way not to lose face. My approach was quite, erm, forthright..

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 17/06/2009 21:25

You go, girl!

welshdeb · 17/06/2009 21:31

hi i posted on the other thread on this.

My dc h/t said privately to me that she does not agree with private tutoring for most mainstream children and would never endorse this company.

However she also told me that the school earns a fee based on each reply slip sent back and thats the only reason she sends the leaflets out.

For that reason I always send back a "no thank you" reply and have never had any further contact from them.

I don't know anything about the company but I would be surprised if a h/t worth their salt would recommend this type of arrangement unless they were a either highly sensitive in respect of league tables or possibly a grammar feeder or private school

I

welshdeb · 17/06/2009 21:32

sorry for the random I

Jumente · 17/06/2009 21:36

Thankyou WelshDeb, I did see your other reply and am grateful to you for sharing your experience. Perhaps I ought tohave taken the same line as you and sent back a polite no thankyou, but they asked for ages and names of all my kids, other stuff about me and my address etc. which Ireally didn't want to submit. Also the way the commission wasn't referred to (not even covertly) really put my back up. I think I felt the need to speak out about such disingenuity iyswim/ though it has landed me in it now.

Dawnheartagram · 16/09/2009 13:44

I'm in the trap. Don't join up with the ssc. My sons board of it, finances are tight and I am trying to get out of a contract. 12 months down the line life's changed and cant afford it but they wont let us out of the contract. Waste of money, time and you get no support. All they want is your money. Any advice from me will be DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THE STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE.

coconutice4 · 23/09/2009 21:13

I have just had a visit from a Student Support Centre rep and was pleasantly surprised after having read so many negative reviews here. He presented the programme in a clear, fair manner with no hard sell. We liked it and so did my daughter and we were seriously thinking of joining. However we were very disappaointed to learn that akthough we were quoted £13/week for Maths and English together, you have to sign up for 4 years! No trial period or money back if you want to drop out of the programme. He was prepared to do a 1 year programme but then the weekly fee rocketed to £33/week.
What a shame. We are going to search the internet for a cheaper package. Anyone know of a good one?
Just thought I would add this for anyone thinking of looking into it. I did like the style of the DVDs and workbooks and they provide free helpine with teacher support right up to GCSE. Worth a look and ok value for money if you are prepared to sign up for 4 years.

Duritzfan · 16/10/2009 15:27

we got suckered by this company too.. because it was "recommended" by the school we had our guards down and hubby signed up.. We are still paying for it three years later ..they are SCUM !!
Dont touch them with a barge pole ..

YorkshireGal · 15/11/2009 13:24

I have a very slightly used course (only a few pages used in one of the books) and most of the items are still in original cellophane wrappers. I agree it does seem like a good course but it is far too expensive and too long a contract to commit to. I am left with no choice to sell it and am open to offers from anyone interested in the product. Simply email me [email protected] with any offers and I will reply as soon as possible.

lahlah1 · 28/02/2010 19:21

Hi, I'm new on here but have been looking at the comments about the Student Support Centre as my child's school has just handed out this information, have no intention of doing this as I'm rather alarmed by the cost, but looking at the form think I'm just going to tick the 'not interested' box and not put my address or contact number on at least then hopefully school will get it's precious commission and we won't be bothered??????????

strugglingmother · 30/06/2010 06:10

The letter just reached north-east yorkshire schools and I was suspicious of the hard sell. Thank you for all the reviews and comments, I won't be subscribing.

Ladybird0143 · 22/08/2010 15:41

As a mum whose children have used and benefitted from the programme, I posted last week to say that ours and that of my sister's family has been a good experience.

I find it strange that my comment has been removed even though I invited people to contact me if they thought it wasn't genuine.

Anyone care to comment? I am pretty Angry

I will add my post again if you wish to hear a genuine experience that isn't bad. I realise that only people that have bad experiences tend to post but to have the good comments removed is unjust and defeats the object of Mumsnet as I understand it.

coppertop · 22/08/2010 15:51

Ladybird - Your comment hasn't been deleted. You're on a different thread to the one you originally posted on.

Your comment was on this thread in the Primary Education section. :)

Ladybird0143 · 23/08/2010 12:36

I apologise Coppertop. I didn't realise there was more than one thread. I will be happy for you to delete my post from Sunday 22nd and I am now Smile again!

coppertop · 24/08/2010 18:42

It was an easy mistake to make. :)

I'm just another poster on MN so no power to delete things or anything like that. I just saw your post and (like you) wondered where your original message had disappeared to. :)

ladyrosie · 23/02/2011 10:18

WE have also been taken in by this company as it came from the school we thought it was ok.How wrong can you be!!What a massive expensive mistake!!!!!All done with the best intentions of helping our child who is struggling in school to keep up!!!They are not interested in taking the goods back or helping us.We are in for a long struggle to get a refund BUT WILL NOT STOP TRYING!!VERY VERY ANNOYED TO SAY THE LEAST!

propatria · 23/02/2011 14:35

If I achieve nothing else-the one thing Im proud of doing since being appointed a Governor is -the school will no longer distribute flyers for this company,they prey on the vulnerable and no school should be seen to "promote" them in anyway