Reckless Gardener - Online Gardening Magazine. News - 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:

"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 8th March and the first new level 2 certificates were taken 22nd 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.

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 3000 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 01483 224 234.

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: