Alex,
Having read your most recent posts in this thread I am now even more confused about your views on the subject of Course Completion Certificates.
The following comments were made by you in your own website in response to posts from some of your customers who are keen to receive Course Completion Certificates.
"It's an interesting idea. What would be more valuable, a diploma/certificate for passing the exams or one that reflected your performance on the course?"
"Yes, I think we will do this. It will take a month or so to design and print the certificates. We should be able to grade the course results as 'pass', 'merit' and 'distinction' as well as providing the exam results but I need to give a little bit more thought to how we work the criteria."
"Yes, we have the first batch printed. I just need to get a caligraphy pen and we're off."
"You'll have to Ask Noush or Kate for one."
But your most recent posts in this thread appear to suggest that you see these certificates as being rather ridiculous.
Were you perhaps just humouring your customers or have your views changed since you agreed to issue the certificates.
More importantly, some of the advice that has been given in this thread is likley to prove costly for those who follow it.
Some Flight Schools and Flight Examiners insist on seeing proof of the exam passes. They will not be prepared to go to the CAA to check. I have received many urgent requests for copies of results sheets from ex-students who have come up against this problem.
Readers who choose not to beleive me, may read the following text, which was also copied directly from the same thread in the BGS website.
"On the note of exam result transcripts - don't throw them away once you get your licence! I know this may sound ridiculous to many of you but the last 3 pilots I have booked onto type rating courses have not had their CAA groundschool results as they discarded/misplaced them once they got their frozen ATPL. Both Flight Safety (Atlanta) and CAE Simuflite (Dallas) require the original documents at the start of the course if it is an intial TR. I can't speak for other TRTOs but imagine they would have similar requirements.
Luckily we managed to find a very friendly guy at the CAA (yes they do actually exist) who rushed the paperwork out to us within a few days but usually it takes weeks and cost £25. So keep everything!"
Whatever any reader may think of certificates, they would be wise to ensure that they retain either the CAA results letters, or the Course Completion Certificate if they receive one. Hopefully they will never be required, but they constitue a useful insurance against the day when they do.
Unfortunately a significant number fo students do not retain their CAA results letters. If a Course Completion Certificate is issued automatically when the final exams have been passed, this gives such students a second chance.
If all FTOs were to follow the "CAA Advice" on this matter as stated in the Standards Documents, Course Completion Certificates would eventually become universally accepted as proof of passing.
The addition of Tinsel would of course remain optional.