Delay to new syllabus: implications for our current students

Delay to new syllabus: implications for our current students

by Janet Prescott -
Number of replies: 0

I'd like to apologise to any of our students who have felt unduly pressured to take examinations this June because of the vague information we had from the RHS document on the transition to the new qualifications: ever since it was published in the autumn we have been asking for clarification to know what it would mean for distance learners, but once the RHS decided to consult on a delay after Christmas they also stopped answering  questions.

Essentially this decision pushes everything on  a year.  It still doesn't tell us the point at which you will have to be registered for an exam - or completed a whole certificate - to be eligible to take all the exams to achieve a level 2 or 3 Diploma, but we have more time to chase the RHS for answers once they have finished asking centres for feedback.

The new qualifications will be taught in centres from September 2022. We will have them online from 2022 in separate classrooms alongside the ones in which you finish your studies.

The RHS Level 2 Certificate in Plant Growth will continue to be available  for teaching in 2021-22, with exams in 2023 and possibly spring 2024.  It will be superseded in September 2022 by the new Level 2 Principles of Horticulture. 

The RHS Level 2 Certificate in Garden Planning was intended to run for an extra year to allow students to complete the level 2 Diploma, so it will continue in 2021-22 and in 2022-23, with exams presumably in 2024 and spring 2025 to complete this.

At level 3, the RHS Certificate in Plant Growth will continue to be available  for teaching in 2021-22, with exams in 2023 and possibly spring 2024.  It will be superseded in September 2022 by the new Level 3 theory qualification.

The RHS Level 3 Certificate in Garden Planning was intended to run for an extra year to allow students to complete the current level 3 Diploma, so it will continue in 2021-22 and in 2022-23, with exams presumably in 2024 and spring 2025.

For Blended Learning students on the practical courses,  we will have another year definitely, and so we assume the assessments can run during 2022-23.

If you were expecting to take exams in February, please keep going and keep motivated for June;  we don't know if the second exam round will definitely be in October, but it's a reasonable date to aim for if you thought June was too soon to begin.

As soon as we can get answers to all our questions from the RHS, we will give you the information.

Please don't lose your impetus - you have longer to finish, but don't just put things off because you've got more time!

Janet