Animal Care - Level 2 Diploma (BTEC)

This course can open doors to further study or to a relevant apprenticeship in working within the animal care sector. Animal carers that this course may lead to include inspection of animal welfare and their environmental conditions, or to ensure that pets are passed on or sold to loving and caring owners, also working towards helping owners keep theiir animals healthy and happy. This qualification can also support students becoming self employed or working as dog walkers and dog trainers or starting their journey as a dog groomer.

On the course students will learn about the animal care industry. This will be delivered through a mixture of practical and theory lessons, whilst working with a range of animals housed on our campus. The course is structured with 3 practically assessed units and 2 external examined units. One of the 3 practical units involves 75 hours of mandatory work experience in a relevant business. 

Our animal department has recently undergone a redevelopment in excess of £200,000 and which houses over 50 different animal species across all the taxonomic groups. Animals that we care for range from Degu's, Ground Squirrels and Rabbits to Tree frogs, Chameleons and an Iguana. Plus many more.

We will visit farms, zoos and other animal collections during the course of the programme, to further explore and learn from industry standards across the sector. This information will form part of the assessments for both Animal Behaviour and Animal Health. 

Topics covered include: 

• Practical Animal Health
• Animal Biology (examined)
• Animal Welfare (examined)
• Animal Behaviuor
• Work placement

Feeding, Accommodation and Moving Animals

You will need:

• Three GCSEs at grade 3 or above, including English Language, Maths and Science.

All applicants must have an interview and assessment to confirm that the course is suitable for them.

Assessment is continuous throughout the year through completing written assignments and projects as well as and performing practical work that is assessed internally within the college. There will also be 2 written examinations, assessed externally via Pearson, the BTEC awarding body.

School Leavers

If you will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on 31 August in the year you begin your course, and have been resident in the UK/EU/EEA for the past 3 years, it will be free. Some courses will have other costs associated, such as for materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support when studying at college – please click here for more information.

This course will help you to move on to higher level courses, such as our Animal Management - Level 3 Extended Diploma, or a veterinary nursing apprenticeship or other related employment.

• Dog walker
• Dog trainer
• Kennel or Cattery maid
• Aquatic team front of house
• Animal carer and pet sitter
• Trainee Veterinary Nurse Assistant