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Animal Care and Management – T-Level

T Level

student holding a chicken

Availability & Details

Animal Care and Management - T Level SF1-ANCATL/P01

Venue
South Downs Campus

Type of study
T Levels

Dates
Academic Year 2026-27 (2 years)

Examination board
Generic award - no awarding body

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Overview

If you have a particular interest in animals and would like to learn more about their fascinating lives, either directly hands-on or within the wider industry then this is the course for you.

It is designed to provide you with avery wide range of specialist technical practical skills and detailed knowledge and understanding, which will equip you to seek a diverse range of employment opportunities, such as working in the pet industry, zoo-keeping, wildlife or working with dogs.

You will gain extensive hands-on experience with a range of animals over the two years of the qualification, such as large animals, companions, rodents, and exotic animals. You will work with animals on and offsite and undertake 150 hours of work experience over the two years of the course.

You will spend time in both the classroom, learning basic principles and theory, and in the animal unit, where you will learn a range of practical processes and skills. You will also spend a minimum of 45 days on an industrial placement where you will work closely with a leading employer either every week or on a block placement to help you develop the right knowledge, technical skills and behaviours for working in this exciting sector.

This course ensures you can rival all students with a unique blend of both academic and industry experience with a work placement giving you the real-world skills you require for future employment or higher level study.

You must achieve a Distinction grade on the Pre-T Level Level 2 Technical Certificate in Animal Care. Alternatively, five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Double Science, Mathematics and English. Evidence of a recent tetanus vaccination.

In Year 1 students will develop an understanding of a broad range of issues relevant to the sector, including:

  • Sustainability, including environmental legislation, sustainable development and the health and welfare of animals
  • Employment rights and responsibilities and progression opportunities within the sector
  • Ethical principles and the principles of animal welfare
  • Health and Safety to support optimising animal environments
  • Business management in the animal care industry, enterprise skills and project management
  • Communication skills

In Year 2, you will study towards your occupational specialism of either animal care and management.

You will be assessed through an exam, industrial placement, work-based project and synoptic assessment.

On completion of this T Level, you could secure jobs such as zookeeper, dog handler or animal care worker/manager via full time employment or Apprenticeship or you can progress onto Higher Education.


“HSDC provided me with the opportunity for autonomous study and the choice of subjects that I wanted to study, which helped me develop relevant knowledge as well as relevant skills for the workplace.”

Lucas Ratcliffe, A Level and CTEC student

I’m really happy and pleased with my grades. I really loved my time at the college, I have also made lots of friends, it’s a really nice place to be, I don’t want to leave.

Lauren Piper, A Level student

The teaching has been really good, I’ve loved all of my teachers, they’ve all been really nice and supportive.

Jodie Hook