All RHS theory courses

If you are already studying an RHS course (most of you are, to be enrolled here – though some of you may have already completed your studies with us):

Whichever theory Certificate at Level 2 or 3 you are studying, an RHS Certificate (old or new syllabus) remains a valid and well-respected qualification when you complete it and there will
be exams in June 2022, February and June 2023 and February 2024 for you to achieve this.

You cannot carry over completed units to the new Certificate – the structure is completely different – so you must complete your Certificate to get acknowledgement of your work.

Level 2

If you hope to go beyond your current Certificate to achieve an RHS Diploma, there is a lot of time pressure: the new Practical and Principles Certificates make up a Combined Certificate
instead of a Diploma, so there will no longer be a level 2 Diploma to achieve after July 2024, when all the transition arrangements end.

If you are studying Plant Growth now and want to achieve a Level 2 Diploma:

You need to finish Plant Growth AND complete your Level 2 Garden Planning Certificate by February 2024.

Please do not count on the February 2024 exams as anything other than a fallback for emergencies or retakes – think realistically that although you can enrol on Garden Planning up
to March 2023 you will have this summer’s exams plus two sessions in 2023 to work with.
Then you will need to take the New Practical at a centre in either 2022-23, or 2023-24,completing everything successfully by July 2024.

If you are studying Garden Planning now and want to achieve a Level 2 Diploma:

You need to finish Garden Planning.

• You can either enrol on Plant Growth before 31 March 2022 and pass all four exams for this by February 2024 (as above – keep February 2024 for emergencies) and take the New Practical at a centre in either 2022-23, or 2023-24, completing everything successfully by July 2024.
• OR you can take the New Principles of Horticulture theory certificate after September 2022 AND take the New Practical at a centre in either 2022-23, or 2023-24, completing everything successfully by July 2024.

The new Principles of Horticulture theory certificate

This will consist of two Units, each of four Topics; there will be two 100-minute written exams, one covering each unit and offered online (and on paper at centres). Both exams must be
passed and they are graded pass (50%) merit and distinction.

The RHS has changed its approach to distance learning and in future you will not be able to begin to study any RHS qualification without paying a registration fee and assessment and certification fees:

Registration will be £20, fees for both exams £150, plus there will be a supplementary charge of approximately £30 for their administration of online exams.

This means that there will be an RHS charge of £200 upfront before paying for course materials, and when you start the course you will be entered for the examinations.

Their view is that because these are regulated qualifications you can only take them if you make a commitment as you would with a GCSE or other regulated award.

The RHS also expects distance courses to be flexible in how and when you study but with less leeway in the length of course.

So for the new course, when you are enrolled BEST will enter you for one unit in each of the two next exam sessions (February/June each year) with the option of taking both exams at the
second session if you notify us.

Your tutor support will take you through two exam rounds, with access to all online materials for 18 months, but the RHS expectation will be that you take your examinations within the
year.

Deferrals and retakes will require us to go back to the RHS and will incur more assessment costs from the RHS.

Because we use Paypal to provide you with a secure method of online payment, we will have to add an administration cost to the RHS fees to be able to pass on the complete fees without
Paypal deductions.

We are still costing the new course materials and as soon as we can, we will advise you of the tuition/materials costs, and how we can make the course materials available in sections to
allow you to spread these payments.

The new RHS charges cannot unfortunately be paid in instalments: we have to pay them to the RHS before we can enrol you.

The Principles of Horticulture will be available to study from September 2022. We hope to provide sample classroom materials before then.

Level 3

The RHS have decided after consultation that there is no way to have the New Level 3 theory and Practical ready for delivery from September 2022.

So for 2022 the existing level 3 syllabus can be taught.

We will be able to run the Level 3 Practical at our centres, but we have no space to offer Blended Learning in 2022-3 as the new Level 2 Practical will take more weeks to deliver.

Level 3 theory can continue with a final date to begin either Certificate of 31 March 2023, but the RHS has stated that

‘although the new Level 3 will not come into effect until September 2023, the transitional arrangements will not change. Therefore, we will continue to offer Level 3 examinations until February 2024 and access to our current Level 3 Diploma until 31 July 2024, as previously specified.’

This means that:

• If you are studying Garden Planning and wish to begin Plant Growth to achieve the current Diploma, you can do so up to March 31 2023, but you only have two exam
  rounds, June 2023 and February 2024.
• If you are studying Plant Growth and wish to begin Garden Planning to achieve the current Diploma, you can do so up to March 31 2023, but with the same exam rounds.

However February 2024 should really be treated as a fallback for emergencies and retakes.

Because of this we cannot recommend starting a fresh Certificate (Plant Growth or Garden Planning) later than the beginning of November 2022 with a view to entering exams in February and June 2023.

Transition route to the new Level 3 Diploma

• If you are currently studying L3 Plant Growth you can combine this with the existing L3 Garden Planning and the New Practical (from 2023) to achieve the current Diploma. Both would have to be completed by 31 July 2024, so you should aim to take theory exams in June 2022, February and June 2023 with February 2024 as fallback, and you should complete the New Practical by July 2024.
• If you are currently studying L3 Garden Planning you can combine this with L3 Plant Growth and the New Practical (from 2023) to achieve the current Diploma. Both would have to be completed by 31 July 2024, so you should aim to take theory exams in June 2022, February and June 2023 with February 2024 as fallback, and you should complete the New Practical by July 2024.
• If the New L3 Garden and Designed Landscape Management will only be available for study from September 2023, it does not currently seem possible to combine this with the current L3 Garden Planning and the Practical to complete the Diploma.

The syllabus for the New L3 Garden and Designed Landscape Management is still being revised, and at present we still do not have any details of what will be involved in the New Award in Horticultural Investigation.