I was on one of the first '10k' courses, also with a large intake of over 50.
Like yourself, before i joined, i was scared about the high failure rate rumoured. To be honest, i think this fear helped me pass the college, and pass it without failing a single exam/assessment. In first month, we had four people resign-dont think it was because it was too hard for them, just that they felt it just wasnt for them. The largest chunk off our course not to pass (trying to avoid word 'fail') was on our basic course. It wasnt the theory side, we all did well at that, it was the practical. out of 52 of us, only 23 passed basic. of those that did not pass, 1/2 got recourses (and for the record all then went on to pass basic and seem to be doing fine on their rating courses). When i was on my rating course (discipline) the course was split 50/50 with people on my course and people from previous courses having been recoursed. After a month, there were only two of us from my original course (out of five) still on my rating course, all those bar one that didnt pass were recoursed and have now passed. On my rating course all those that were recoursed onto my course (well done if you can get your head round this) passed, and, quite frankly without TOO much hassle.
The point i am making is that, quite frankly it is unusual for a student (it seems) to pass the college courses first time. Many get recoursed at some point, and those that do tend to do well-perhaps it shook them up and gave them a kick in the back side, perhaps it just gave them that little more time to get good at the job-more practise at r/t and better understanding of rules.
The failure rate tends not to include those who get recoursed, so although the pass rate for people passing first time is awful, i would say the majority of the course do pass eventually, whatever their discipline.
As to the reason why...i would love to bemoan the 10k, but, quite frankly for someone with no debt, no wife and no real commitments, i was fine with it-wasnt easy and certainly added extra pressure but is, at the end of the day livable.
The courses are just too short (intensive) and the high intake is too much for the instructors to make sure they spend enough time with students, especially on the basic course.
When i was on my rating course, there were only 8 of us, the instructors were able to see trends in our controlling that were good and bad, and spent enough time with us to be able too see it early and encourage what was good, and quash what was bad.
For the college, just keep head down, get head in books for theory and make sure that you are 100% for sim runs (not hungover etc). Listen to what instructors tell you, and make positive effort to heed advice-if get criticised, dont just think the instructors are plain wrong, just do it.
Find a group of you (dsay 4-5) to every week get together and practise oral board questions (literally just open MATS and ask a random question to each other, particularly scenario based). We did this and all my rating course passed their oral boards, we were so used to asking each other random questions that we werent phased by questions such as 'what are the rules regarding light shows, pyrothecnics and fire works in the vicinity of an aerodrome'
Hope helps.