KENDAL College has assured a group of IT students that they will succeed in their course despite their complaints about teaching at the centre.

A group of first-year students on the City and Guilds Advanced Diploma in Information Technology and Networking course believe they are four to five months behind in their studies after a difficult year, in which they allege they were left without proper teaching and equipment.

However, the college, which is investing £15,000 in a new workshop for the course and appointing a new tutor, believes the students' complaints are overstated and maintains that it has answered the group's concerns throughout the course.

The students state that:

l they were left without teaching for critical parts of the syllabus after a key course tutor went on long-term sick leave;

l the course was disorganised and they were often left with nothing to do;

l they were rushed through exams at the end of the course for which they were not prepared.

Of the 12 students who started the course only seven remain; two cite problems on the course as their reason for leaving.

The mother of one such student, Morag Hodgson, told the Gazette: "I'm not prepared for my son to waste another year.

I'm surprised there aren't more students leaving."

Her son Michael has decided to go back a year and start a similar course at Lancaster and Morecambe College instead.

College principal Graham Wilkinson admitted it had been difficult covering for staff absences but said other tutors had "held the fort" and students had had proper instruction throughout.

Steve Hill, the college's head of teaching and training, said disorganisation was a matter of perception and the tutors did not agree it was the case.

Mr Hill added that he did not believe the students were as far behind as they imagined.

Their course leader, Karl Meyer, maintained they were in an "excellent position to start the next year."

Mr Meyer explained that computer construction and networking modules had been put back to the second year of the course because of a staff absence but this would not affect the students' successful completion of the course.

The college also denies that students were left without equipment or that they were rushed through assignments at the end of term.

Mr Hill said: "Nobody has failed the course and nobody will fail the course.

I think they will look back at the end of the course having been successful, having realised what a great deal they have learned.

"The principal is very keen that we become a centre of excellence in IT.

We want to provide the best courses."