Frequently Asked Questions

Online enrolment

I have forgotten my password

Select the 'forgot your password' option. Please use the exact same email address tied to your account.

I cannot remember my username

Enter your email address to access your account. Please use the exact same email address that is recorded in your account.

I cannot remember which email address I used

Check your previous receipt/confirmation correspondence, it will be printed on there. If you can't find it please contact learnerservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk and request a password reset.

I have not received the password reset email

Have you checked your SPAM/Junk folder?
Have you used the correct email address attached to your account?
When you registered your account, did you consent to be contacted by email?
Contact learnerservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk and ask for a password reset.

How can I find my enrolment ID number?

Log into your online enrolment account and select my personal details. Your enrolment ID number appears at the top of the screen.

I searched for a course and it did not appear

Make sure you searched using the correct course code?
Have you used the word search?
The course may not be running anymore. Please look for another course
The course may have been closed. Please look for another course

I cannot upload my concessionary evidence

Are you uploading a supported file type. You can upload the following file types:

Word documents (.DOC;.DOCX)
Excel spreadsheets (.XLS;.XLSX)
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Images (JPG; .GIF; .BMP;. TIFF; .RTF; .PNG)

The file size should not be bigger than 10MB.

I cannot enter my date of birth using my mobile

Please refer to the guidance and instructions that came with your mobile device.

I cannot pay online

If you do not have a credit/debit card, please visit your local Idea Store.

I have been charged both the full and concession fees

You did not select a payment waiver on the payment and waivers screen. Visit the request for reimbursement of tuition fees page and fill out the refund form for the fee you should not have been charged.

I cannot enrol on a course; I get an error message

Try selecting the my homepage option to go back to the search screen.
Try clearing the cookies or cache on your device.
Then try using a different browser.
Contact learnerservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk and send a screenshot/copy of the URL at the top of the page.

I cannot continue enrolling because my session expires in the middle of trying to enrol

You did not log out properly when you were last in the application.
Use the refresh button on your browser bar and log back into the application.
Remember to use the log out option in the top right-hand drop-down menu.

I cannot enrol on a course because the system says I am already enrolled on the course

If you have already tried enrolling on the course, please contact
learnerservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk and ask for your enrolment basket to be cleared.

Course-related information

How can I find out what courses are available?

Please check the online enrolment course search

How can I find out if there are still any spaces on a course?

Please check the online enrolment course search.

How can I find out what is the time, date, or cost of a course?

Please check the online enrolment course search.

I am an overseas student - how much do I pay?

Please select on the course title and check the course details screen. In the online enrolment system course search. The overseas rate is £9.50 per course hour plus any examination fees.

How can I find out what concessionary evidence documents I need to supply?

Please check the list on the concessionary fees page. You only need to upload evidence once a term. If you are a pensioner new to online enrolment you only need to upload once a year. If you are a pensioner who is a returning learner, you do not need to supply and upload evidence.

How can I find out who is the tutor for a course?

Please check the online enrolment course search.

How can I find out what the course will cover?

Please check the course overview paragraph, of the course outline, in the online enrolment system course search.

How can I find out what is involved in the assessment?

Please check the course outline, in the online enrolment system course search.
For functional skills and ESOL please visit the Idea Store skills page

How can I find out when the assessment is taking place?

Please check the course outline, in the online enrolment system course search.
For functional skills and ESOL please visit the Idea Store skills page

How can I find out if a course is certified or ends in an exam?

Check the course outline in the online enrolment course search. It should tell you if there's an examination as part of the course.

How can I find out the official name of the qualification/certification/ accreditation, I will obtain at the end of the course?

Check the course outline in the online enrolment course search. It should tell you if there's an examination as part of the course.

How can I find out if I am at an appropriate level now to get onto a course?

Check the course outline in the online enrolment course search. It should tell you what level of qualifications or experience you need.

What materials do I need for my course?

Check the course outline in the online enrolment course search. It should tell you if there's an examination as part of the course.

What materials do I need for my course?

Check the course outline in the online enrolment course search. It should tell you what materials you need.

How can I find out what I can do or the next level I can move onto after the course?

Please check the 'what courses can I go on to?' section of the course online on the search system. During your course, please speak to your tutor about your progression options.

I am unable to attend a course session

Before the course starts send a message to ideastoreadmin@towerhamlets.gov.uk. After the course has started, please contact your tutor through the email attached to the lesson.

I would like to transfer to another course

Please email ideastoreadmin@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

I would like to cancel or withdraw from the course as I can no longer attend

Please see our refunds and cancellations policy at Idea Store. After the course has started, please tell your tutor in class or via email.

How do I get a refund?

Please go to the request for reimbursement of tuition fees page and complete the refund form. If you can no longer take part on the course, please tell Idea Store Learning in writing at least two weeks before the course starts. We will only issue a refund if this is done. We will charge an administration fee of £11 for processing your refund.