Entry Requirements
Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including Maths, English, and Science plus a good reference from your school or college.
Or
Level 2 qualification in Agriculture at Merit level and Math and English at GCSE grade 4 and above or maths and English functional skills level 2.
What will I learn?
Core and common core units will cover:
- Health & Safety
- Sustainability & Biosecurity
- Business, finance, Ethics and supply chain
- Equality, Communications and Relationship management
- Data and information
Occupational Specialism – Livestock:
- Cattle, sheep, pig and poultry production
- Livestock Nutrition
- Biology and anatomy
- Grassland Management
- Sustainability in farming
- Plant and soil science
- Machinery operations (Tractor, ATV and Forklift + Tickets)
- Estate maintenance including plumbing and fencing.
- Lambing (Jan-Feb 2025)
- Industry placement
- Employer set project
- Access to College commercial farm
- Access to short courses including (PA1, PA2 and PA6)
- Trips, guest speakers and shows
- Group and 1:1 tutorial
How will I be assessed?
Year 1
- 2 core exams (June 2025)
- Preparation for Employer set project (Prep)
Year 2
- Employer set project (November 2024)
- Synoptic practical assessments (February – May 2025)
The T level course will not have assignment-based assessments, although work may be set as homework however learners will be expected to take formal notes during lectures at a quality to use as revision notes in preparation for the core exams.
Industry Placement:
- 315-420 hours required at an external placement to the college, this needs to be a placement within the agricultural sector e.g.… Farm Woker, Tractor driver, relief milker, Farm shop assistant, land agent, Feed, and retail.
Where will it lead me?
The specialist pathway route in Agriculture, Land Management and Production will open several opportunities within the land-based sector including careers in Agriculture such as a Farmer, Agricultural Engineer or Farm Management. Other routes into the Arboriculture and Horticulture industries could lead to opportunities such as a Forestry Worker, Countryside Ranger or Landscaper.
Enrichment
Study+ at Sparsholt College allows you to engage in a range of activities that will enrich your student experience whilst studying at the college. The activities range from Digital Wellbeing and Literacy to our Beekeeping Society, British Sign Language, Wall Climbing and even additional Maths+ and English+ sessions to help you with your entire study program. All students will also be provided with the opportunity of joining the Student Government or Student Council which meets to discuss matters close to student’s hearts and make an active change on campus to matters such as sustainability and student experience.
Facilities
Sparsholt College has a wide range of state-of-the-art facilities including new projects like a Robotic Milking Parlour and Agritech Centre being built specifically for the introduction of the T Level in Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care in September 2023. Sparsholt College also has many existing facilities that you will experience whilst studying the T Level, such as the Animal Health Welfare and Research Centre, the Fullbore rifle range, Sawmill, Horticultural facilities, Equine Centre and Sika Deer Pen.
We have recently invested in our dairy, please see below a list of exiting new areas to expect:
- Brand new DeLaval Robotic parlour (Completed due date Spring/summer 2024)
- Brand new conventional parlour (Completed due date Spring summer 2024)
- Newly constructed beef barn with fixed handling unit (Completed due date Spring/summer 2024)
- Plans approved to build a new Agri-tech centre including wet labs, VR rooms and interactive classrooms.
- Brand new RAPPA mobile sheep handling unit and livestock trailer.
- 3 full spec machinery simulators including Combine, Tractor and Forklift options.
- Fully interactive virtual reality room
- A variety of bovine, ovine and injection simulators.
- New machinery and equipment
- New HE tech centre
Careers
- Farm manager/Assistant farm manager
- Agricultural Retail
- Skilled Machinery Operator
- Stock Person
- Instructor/Lecturer
- Agronomist
- Agricultural Contractor
- Livestock Nutritionist
- AI Technician
Optional Additional Qualifications
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in forklift truck operations (Rought terrain telescopic forklift)
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in the safe use of all-terrain vehicles (ATV/RTV)
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in tractor driving and related operations.
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in safe use of pesticides (PA1)
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in pesticide application tractor mounted (PA2)
- NPTC L2 Certificate of competence in pesticide application handheld (PA6)