A COLLEGE that hit the headlines for helping young students gain A-level and GCSE qualifications has gone into voluntary liquidation.

Northwood Computer Tutorial Centre Ltd, which traded as Ryde College in Watford, became insolvent in July, due to insufficient demand for its services.

Ivan Carter, facilities manager at Watford Business Centres Ltd, which rented premises in Greenhill Crescent to the college, said: "They still owe us £20,000 in rent arrears for the premises in Greenhill Crescent.

"Over the years we have written off £8,000 of rent for them. On top of this, they left the building full of rubbish when they went, which cost a further £1,000 to clean up.

"We know that some other businesses we deal with are in trouble, but we heard nothing from them at all. I don't expect we will see any of that money now."

Former managing director at the college, Mike Ryde, said: "The college has gone into voluntary liquidation and not a single child has been affected by this.

"The business became insolvent, as the numbers of children weren't forthcoming.

"It should have been no surprise to Mr Carter, as he knew we were having problems with our rent."

The college went into administration before staff there were paid for their last month of work.

Mr Ryde said: "There was every intent to pay them, even up until days before we went into liquidation."

He said the staff were not paid after the employers took advice from the liquidators and that it would not be legal to pay them now.

A meeting for creditors was due to take place today on Friday, September 2, at the offices of the liquidators, Begbies Traynor in King Street, Watford.

Mr Ryde said before the meeting: "I have lost thousands of pounds personally and will probably lose even more tomorrow.

"I am continuing to teach children through Ryde Teaching Services, through whom I was always contracted to manage the college.

"Some of the pupils were due to take their exams in January and it is not fair on them otherwise."

Ryde Teaching Services has existed for two years and has been based at Bushey Meads School in Bushey since it started teaching pupils in July.

During its final year of operation, Ryde College taught Armaan Genomal, aged six, from St John's Wood, who passed GCSE information and computer technology with a B this year.

He is thought to be the youngest person ever to have gained such a qualification.

The college also helped 14-year-old Ilia Karmanov from Harrow get a B in A-level economics.

Mr Ryde said: "I am extremely pleased for all of my students who achieved fantastic results in their GCSE examinations at such a young age.

"I am especially proud of the class of six and seven-year-olds who have once again demonstrated that children of average ability can achieve academic success regardless of age."

The college was founded in 1982 by Dr Ronald Ryde, Mr Ryde's father, who now runs Dr Ryde's School in Harrow, a separate organisation from Ryde Teaching Services.