Animal Care

Animal Care is for learners who want to acquire sector-specific applied knowledge and practical skills through vocational contexts by studying animal health and welfare, including signs of good and ill health, causes, transmission and treatment of common diseases in animals, the different health and monitoring checks, factors that affect animal behaviour, and how this impacts of handling and restraint; and what needs to be carried out to prepare, check and clean out animal accommodation.

The qualification enables learners to develop their practical skills, such as using appropriate equipment and techniques to handle and restrain different animals, and to prepare and clean out animal accommodation ready for use using realistic vocational contexts. It will also develop personal skills, such as self-management and communication, through a practical and skills-based approach to learning and assessment. 

Animal Care is structured in three components: 

Component 1: Animal Handling 

This component is internally assessed and externally moderated

Component 2: Animal Housing and Accommodation 

This component is internally assessed and externally moderated

Component 3: Animal Health and Welfare 

This component is externally assessed so it would be wise to use the sample assessment materials available on the PEARSON WEBSITE: Animal Care (2022) | BTEC Tech Award | Pearson qualifications 

The course will be delivered over 2 years. Student will be timetabled 3 X 50-minute lessons per week to cover all the required content. They will also have access to a local farm where they will be able to work with a range of animals and participate in work experience. 

Students can progress from this qualification to: 

• An apprenticeship in the animal sector. 
• Level 3 Animal Care qualification 
• Higher education courses such as agriculture, animal and zoo management, conservation, countryside and the environment.  
• A wide range of careers ranging from animal management to working in zoos. 

Students are taught a wide range of skills and topics over the two years including: 

● Critical thinking – definitions of critical thinking are broad and usually involve general cognitive skills such as analysing, synthesising, and reasoning skills. 

● Communication – active listening, oral communication, written communication, assertive communication, and non-verbal communication.  

● Relationship-building skills – teamwork, trust, intercultural sensitivity, service orientation, self-presentation, social influence, conflict resolution and negotiation.