Case Summaries
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Case summary April 2025 | Justified
A student had a long-term health condition which caused pain and mobility issues, and which was subject to flare ups. Before enrolling on the course, the student was told that they could access teaching remotely during flare ups. Shortly after the student enrolled on the course, they had a flare up of their ongoing condition. After one month staff raised concerns with the student about their attendance. Staff said that remote attendance was not permitted because of the requirements of a professional regulatory body. The student withdrew from the course before the end of the first term.
The student made a complaint about their experience saying that the provider had failed to make reasonable adjustments for them as a disabled student. The provider rejected the complaint, describing the student’s claims as “false” and writing that the student was “feeling entitled” based on “poor understanding”. The student complained to us.
We upheld the complaint (we decided that it was Justified). The course was not directly accredited or regulated by the professional body, although graduates might choose to register with it. The information provided to students about this was unclear. It was incorrect for the provider to say that the requirements of the professional body prevented it from considering making a reasonable adjustment to its in-person attendance requirement. We were also critical of the tone of the provider’s communications with the student.
We recommended that the provider apologise to the student and pay £2,500 compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused by its failure to properly consider its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, and that it should cancel the student’s tuition fees. We also recommended that the provider should review its procedures and practise to ensure that there is a formal mechanism for deciding what adjustments can be put in place to support disabled students and to ensure that these decisions are documented.