Hi,
Use the law.
Talk to the school, explain your concerns. They will undersatnd, since we all know of so many that have gone bust.
Say you want to do the following:
I want to pay a £110 on my credit card as a deposit on the course and then - maybe an hour later (ie to gve you time to transfer money between bank accounts!) - pay the balance by cheque/cash/debit card. I want a receipt claring showing this: deposit of more than £100 on the CC, and the other money being the balance of a single transaction.
Preferably, use a VISA Debit card - since it also offers "chargeback" protection for three months.
Make sure it is all in your name, and do not use dad's card etc.
If you do this, you should then have the full protection of the credit laws should the unfortunate happen.
Perhaps, just to be sure, also invest about £20 in a personal legal protection policy if you do not have one elsewhere (often sold as part of house insurance etc).
This is my interpretation of the rules as explained here:
BBC NEWS | Programmes | Working Lunch | Visa debit card refunds
BBC News - Fergus Muirhead answers your consumer questions