Bean_ian,
It would have probably been different for me as I was part of a uni course that did the training out there as part of a package. So it probably doesn't apply to you. In any case, you're better off paying as you go!
Word of warning however - next April I think the 2nd year of my course will start to descend onto OFT again! If you're there from May - July time you *may* find that there are quite a lot of people there.