Last month Calderdale college became the first higher education provider to fail a Quality Assurance Agency subject review inspection on the basis that its "learning resources were inadequate".

Whilst the inspectors found the academic standards of the two higher national certificate and two higher national diploma courses (accredited by Edexcel) provided by the college to be "satisfactory", they drew attention to the "staffing difficulties". Stating their concern about the number of staff teaching these courses on an hourly paid and therefore insecure basis, they expressed disquiet that the college was failing to "substantiate" its claims that the programmes were being taught by full time lecturers.

In Hebden Bridge and the surrounding area, there are many former students and ex-teachers from the college. The Hebden Bridge Web is aware that there is long standing concern about standards at the only further education institution in Calderdale. Many feel obliged to travel considerable distances to neighbouring authorities to find a college which meets the standards we should all expect.

Source: Times Higher Education Supplement, 15th August 2003

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