CAW Chooses City & Guilds

We are pleased to announce that, from this September, we will be using City & Guilds to award our veterinary nurse provision.

This decision comes following the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) announcement to close its awarding body (RCVS Awards) last year.

Commenting on the decision, Leslie Heaton-Smith, Director of The College of Animal Welfare (CAW), said ‘Choosing City & Guilds was based on a number of factors and taken after lengthy consideration and extensive discussion with both City & Guilds and Central Qualifications. Our main priority was to cause minimum disruption in transferring our students and Training Practices from the RCVS to a new awarding body, we feel that by going with City & Guilds we will achieve this’. He added ‘That is not to say we weren’t impressed by Central Qualifications’ offer but having worked with City & Guilds for a number of years we felt this would enable a smooth transition for all those involved’.

Students starting with, or transferring to, City & Guilds will see no changes to the college course itself and will continue to complete the Nursing Progress Log (NPL) and associated assignments, MCQs and OSCE examinations. There will be, however, some changes to the examination process; students will now be able to take their online theory examinations at College and discussions are underway to also enable students to take their OSCE examinations at CAW centres. There are significant benefits to the online theory examination entry and results process; students will be able to be sit the theory examinations with just 24 hours notice and will get an indicative result immediately after sitting the exam.

Last week we held a series of update evenings around the UK, the presentation can be viewed here.