Level 3 RHS Certificate in Practical Horticulture

About the course

Introduction:

The RHS Level 3 Certificate Practical Horticulture is aimed at those wanting a route into employment in professional horticulture or employed gardeners who seek further development with their skills and knowledge. It is also suitable for amateur gardeners who wish to learn more.

The course combines both practical and theoretical elements of Horticulture, building on core skills and knowledge gained at Level 2. The course allows you to develop the ability to plan and manage horticultural activities and in addition to developing your practical skills.

Please be aware that the Level Three Practical course contains significantly more theory than the L2 and has a much higher scientific content.

Entry requirements

• 18 years old or older (please note funding differs between 18 year olds and 19+)

• RHS Level Two Practical Horticulture (or equivalent) is an essential pre-requisite. We strongly recommend that students also hold the Level 2 RHS Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development.

NB: Myerscough hopes to be able to offer the Level 3 RHS Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development in future years. This will require students to hold the Level 2 Principals qualification. Learners who already hold the L3 Practical course will be unable to step back to study the L2 Principals course and so it is important to take the qualifications in order.

• The capacity for self-study.

• Basic IT skills and access to an internet enabled computer or tablet.

• Students are expected to have demontrated high levels of commitment on past courses and maintained constantly high attendance to be considered for this programme.

Studying at Myerscough

Teaching takes place at our campus at Croxteth Hall through a mixture of classroom and outdoor activities.

You will complete a range of practical projects such as creating garden health plans, conducting horticultural trials, designing and maintaining a variety of different plantings. The course will also develop your skills in ecological and sustainable planting, propagation, plant identification and protected growing.

You will have access to a range of learning materials to support your studies on the college’s online learning platform.

Please be prepared to study on average 1-3 hours per week outside the classroom, reading and completing homework tasks. Please note this will increase closer to examination periods through revision.

You will need:

• your preferred method of taking notes.

• appropriate outdoor work clothes, including steel toe-capped work boots, waterproofs, sun hats and gardening gloves.

• a pair of bypass secateurs.

• access to a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet and a reliable internet connection.

There will also be the opportunity to complete industry relevant short courses such as tractor driving, bush cutting training and pesticide application.

How you will be assessed

Throughout the course there will be regular assessments to allow you and your tutor to understand the progress you are making. These will range from informal classroom-based or practical activities, short homework assignments through to college checkpoint assessments.

To gain the RHS Level 3 Certificate in Practical Horticulture, you must successfully complete two assessments set and marked externally by the RHS. These are normally completed in June and/or July each year.

Careers and Progression

Employment and volunteering in a range of horticultural settings including gardens, parks, private estates, community gardens and commercial settings.

You can choose to continue your studies to gain the RHS Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture. Completion of the full diploma will give you the required knowledge and skills to succeed in higher-level roles within the industry, such as garden supervisor, team leader, and retail manager.

Paid student placements and traineeships e.g. The Historic and Botanic Garden Training Programme and the Professional Gardeners’ Guild Traineeship

Fees and funding

The full course cost for anyone living outside of Liverpool City Region or Greater Manchester is £1250* which includes all teaching materials and assessments.

If you are unsure of your postcode area please refer to https://skillspostcodecheck.com/. Liverpool postcodes will be coded 111 and Greater Manchester postcodes 110. If you return any other code, then unfortunately there is no additional funding available for the course and you will be billed £1250*

* Fees are based on the government adult skills funding allocation for 24/25 and may be reviewed for 25/26. The Level Three Qualification is only funded via Liverpool City Region Devolved Authority. Please note this is different to the Level Two qualification which is funded in most local areas.

Residents of the Liverpool City Region/ Greater Manchester

Please see our adult fees page on the website for more details. Funding is dependent on individual circumstances however this guidance can help you understand what your fees may be. The funding relies on your situation on the first day of the course.

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• You must be 19+ on or before 31st Aug of your start year.

• You must not be completing a government funded course such as an apprenticeship.

• You must not be a prisoner or on remand.

• You must earn under £30 600 per year

OR

• Be unemployed and completing this course to support finding paid or voluntary work

If you are a working gardener, this course is eligible for funding by the Professional Gardeners Trust - to find out more please visit their website https://pgtrust.org. For information regarding other possible charitable support please visit the finance pages of our website FE Fees and Finance | Myerscough College.