TOCES

[SnowPhony]

Any one have any experience of them?

Right now I'm trying to enrol on one of their courses. The website is being a bit glitchy and won't let me proceed to payment so I sent them an email to let them know and ask them to let me know when it's sorted or send me an alternative to enrol with.

I've so far not heard anything from them and its the second time I've sent them an email now about an unconnected issue and that went completely ignored.

Has anyone else ever had to chase them to take their money from them or is it just me?!

 

[ShadowFlame]

Nope. But that about sums up the course quality / service. Total waste of £700

 

[SnowPhony]

Well that doesn't sound too encouraging! What course did you do and what was wrong? Interested to hear views good and bad before I commit (if they decide they do want my money after all!)

 

[ShadowFlame]

Sorry Course was Advanced Cert in Equine Management, or something along those lines. No support, poor course material, it was "recommended" that you go out and buy named textbooks to supplement the course, I did, turns out the course material itself was just photocopies out of said textbooks, word for work At £20 a book I wasn't impressed. I wasn't sent all of the course material, and after struggling through it and giving up, they contacted me nearly 2 years on to ask how things were going(?!).

I complained, they brushed it off. You live and learn, but that was £700 I could've done without losing, really.

 

[lodos24]

Any one have any experience of them?

Right now I'm trying to enrol on one of their courses. The website is being a bit glitchy and won't let me proceed to payment so I sent them an email to let them know and ask them to let me know when it's sorted or send me an alternative to enrol with.

I've so far not heard anything from them and its the second time I've sent them an email now about an unconnected issue and that went completely ignored.

Has anyone else ever had to chase them to take their money from them or is it just me?!

Hi SnowPhony, I am the Equine Course Assistant at the Open College of Equine Studies and am sorry to hear that you have had an issue contacting us recently. Unfortunately we have been experiencing major problems with our internet server recently, which has prevented us from receiving and sending emails. I understand this will have caused frustration for you as it has us! We are working hard to solve this issue, however unfortunately this has taken longer than anticipated. This also appears to be affecting our website connection - we are also addressing this issue.

Are you able to forward your email to my email at admin@equinestudies.co.uk? Alternatively please feel free to contact me at our office on 01787 282 123 as we can arrange enrolment over the phone. We would love you welcome you as a TOCES student!

Kind regards
Leonie Lawson

 

[lodos24]

Sorry Course was Advanced Cert in Equine Management, or something along those lines. No support, poor course material, it was "recommended" that you go out and buy named textbooks to supplement the course, I did, turns out the course material itself was just photocopies out of said textbooks, word for work At £20 a book I wasn't impressed. I wasn't sent all of the course material, and after struggling through it and giving up, they contacted me nearly 2 years on to ask how things were going(?!).

I complained, they brushed it off. You live and learn, but that was £700 I could've done without losing, really.

Dear ShadowFlame

As you will note above, I am the Equine Course Assistant at TOCES and, of course, am very disappointed to see your comments about TOCES on this public forum. As you will know I have tried to contact you via email a few weeks ago. The issue was not "brushed off" and we also explained that students do not need to purchase books, these can be borrowed from our Library if required. We have not had a response from you regarding this - are you able to respond to this email so we can try to resolve this for you?

Kind regards
Leonie Lawson

 

[ShadowFlame]

Dear ShadowFlame

As you will note above, I am the Equine Course Assistant at TOCES and, of course, am very disappointed to see your comments about TOCES on this public forum. As you will know I have tried to contact you via email a few weeks ago. The issue was not "brushed off" and we also explained that students do not need to purchase books, these can be borrowed from our Library if required. We have not had a response from you regarding this - are you able to respond to this email so we can try to resolve this for you?

Kind regards
Leonie Lawson

Leonie. I don't see an issue with discussing publicly when I'm stating facts. Your website recommends supplementing learning with those textbooks, at the time (admittedly now 2 or 3 years ago) I didn't see any links to libraries, perhaps that was my error but I didn't realise you hired books out. Having said that, it still doesn't change the fact that your course material is identical, word for word, to the textbooks, and it was a complete waste of money. That's regardless of hiring or purchasing - unfortunately I went for the more expensive option.

I received no support for the duration of the course, and having heard nothing at all for 2 years I assumed I'd been removed from the course. This poster asked about experiences with TOCES, I gave mine. Sadly it wasn't a good one, and I'm largely out of pocket as a result. Your last email simply offered to extend timescale - when I'm that far behind on work (and baring in mind the other issues), it wasn't a very helpful response; hence the lack of reply.