Press releases

Green-fingered students to benefit from changes to RHS qualifications

The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) four qualifications have undergone a major review to ensure they continue to meet the needs and expectations of people wanting to achieve recognition in horticulture.  Key changes are:

• Renaming of qualifications to clarify levels
• New modularised, standalone, certificated format
• Syllabus revisions to make progression through levels easier
• Dedicated post-results service for students
• Clarification on adjustments required for candidates with special needs

“Students needs and expectations are changing. They want to have the option to study flexibly - perhaps part-time or in the evening, and they don’t necessarily want to take a course in one go, preferring to have bite-sized chunks which over time will lead to a professionally recognised certificate,” said Peter Rezin, Principal Examinations Officer at the RHS. “We’ve responded to these and other requirements to create RHS courses which are more accessible, flexible and still recognised as the premier qualification for a horticultural student to have on their CV, whatever their age or level of experience.”

The RHS General, RHS Advanced Certificate, RHS Diploma and RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award have been renamed respectively the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture, the RHS Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture, the RHS Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture and the Master of Horticulture (RHS) Award. This ensures students understand the level of difficulty of each examination and can compare RHS courses to others qualifications.

This is the first time that the RHS General has been renamed since it was instituted in 1893. This is a year of transition for the award; the last RHS General exams were taken on the 8 March and the first new level 2 certificates were taken 22 February 2006 with further ones being sat in July.

All of the awards have been modularised for greater flexibility. Students no longer have to take the whole examination in one go, but can take different elements at different times to reduce the burden, but still receive the Certificate once they’ve passed all the modules. For example, students taking the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture can take Horticulture I in February and Horticulture II in late June, or vice versa or both on the same examination session.

Improvements have been made to the level 3 awards to make it easier for students who’ve taken the Advanced Certificate in Horticulture to further their studies and knowledge by undertaking the Diploma in Horticulture. Some were hampered by having to take a module in Production Horticulture, which could not always be taught locally so unless candidates were prepared to travel great distances they were unable to complete the Diploma award. A new module on amenity horticulture has now been developed which can be taught locally, widening the flexibility to include:

• restoring established ornamental gardens together with planning layout and construction of ornamental gardens
• establishment and maintenance of decorative ornamental turf, with plant selection, establishment and maintenance together with hardy ornamental nursery stock.

A dedicated post-results service will be available from June 2006 for students to request a series of options from an administrative re-check of marks to a total re-mark of scripts. Candidates will be charged for this facility and the fee rate will depend on the services requested.

The RHS makes adjustments for candidates with special needs undertaking RHS examinations and has now prepared a policy document ‘Guidance and Regulations for RHS Examinations’ to outline the entitlements that should be provided for special needs candidates and what reasonable adjustments are permitted during either theory, or practical, examinations and what procedures need to be adhered to when applying for special consideration.

The RHS is a QCA accredited Awarding Body, and courses leading to its examinations are offered at nearly two hundred centres in the UK, and internationally. Around 3,000 amateur and professional gardeners take the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture each year, about 500 take the RHS Advanced Certificate and RHS Diploma. Since the RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award has become modularised great interest has been shown in the first examination due in 2007.

Potential applicants should go to www.rhs.org.uk/education for further information about horticultural education and training with the RHS or contact Peter Rezin, Principal Examinations Officer on 0845 260 9000.

Further details of each of the RHS qualifications including entry requirements, application forms, fees, etc. can also be obtained by emailing qualifications@rhs.org.uk or writing to:

The Qualifications Office
RHS Garden Wisley
Woking
Surrey
GU23 6QB
UK

Notes to Editors

For further information contact Eli Smallwood, Press & PR Manager, on 020 7821 3692 or email elismallwood@rhs.org.uk.

Education provision at the RHS

The RHS aims to share practical knowledge and information with people - whatever their age, level of knowledge, size of garden or available time. The Society provides a ‘learning path’ so that from school children through to amateurs and gardening professionals, people of all ages and experience can develop their appreciation and knowledge of the cultivation and creative use of plants.

School children can begin their journey on the learning path via the free RHS schools membership programme. People of all ages and abilities can take part in the Society’s educational events and activities throughout the UK, including the Britain in Bloom campaign, or access RHS libraries, books, journals, videos and website. Aspiring amateurs, who may go on to become professional horticulturists, can also undertake more formal learning through accredited qualifications and training at the four RHS gardens and affiliated colleges.

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office