Work-Based Animal Care - Level 1
Start Date: 1st September 2026
- Length 1 Year
- Study Full-Time
- Location Kidderminster College
More about the course
This practical and theory work-based course reflects the knowledge and skills based on the basics of animal care.
Entry requirements:
There are no formal entry requirements.
You will have a passion for animals and a willingness to learn.
You will successfully complete an interview.
Please note that entry requirements and course offer can be subject to change at any time.
What will I achieve?
Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Level 1 Work-Based Diploma in Animal Care.
What will I learn?
- Maintain the safety of self and others in the workplace
- Principles of animal care
- Moving and handling of small animals
- Dealing with feedstuffs for small animals
How is the course taught?
You will be taught the theoretical elements of this course at Kidderminster College, while the practical’s will be delivered at Brockswood Animal Centre.
How am I assessed?
- Assignment books
- Practical assessments
Work experience opportunities:
As part of your course, you will be required to complete a period of work experience. This forms an essential component of your overall study hours and is designed to support your learning and progression. The number of hours you need to complete will vary depending on the level and type of qualification you are undertaking. There is an expectation that your placement will be relevant to your chosen course, helping you gain valuable insight and practical skills in your subject area. While learners are expected to secure their own placement, our dedicated Work Experience Coordinator will support you throughout the process and ensure that all placements meet the necessary compliance and safeguarding requirements.
English and Maths:
If you're aged 16-18 and haven't achieved a GCSE grade 4/C in English and maths, you'll need to take English and maths classes alongside your programme of study. English will be embedded within theory and practical understanding a variety of animal terminologies that will be used within assessment tasks. Maths skills are promoting through weighing feed for animals as part of their feeding plans.
Tutorial
Tutorial is a program of essential topics affecting you as a potential employee and member of a community. You will cover topics to improve employability skills, mental fitness (both for you and those around you) and much more. It is an essential part of your personal development.
As part of you weekly timetable, you will be expected to take part in Tutorial. This consists of a 1-1 meeting (at least 3 a year) and Personal Development activities that develop you both personally and professionally. Part of the focus is to raise digital Standards and take part in Employer Engagement Activities such as guest speakers, logging Work Experience and in person and online networking.
We work with Student Experience, Careers and your Curriculum team to ensure your Tutorial elements link to your industry area and to create opportunities to develop key skills for profile raising as well as enabling you to create competitive applications and CVs.
Tutorial is also an opportunity to check in with you as part of a group and individually. You can discuss any issues you might be having that affect your learning and essentially identify strategies and support available to you.
Where can I progress?
Upon successful completion of this course you could progress to our Level 2 Work-Based Animal Care course.
Get in Touch
Meet our tutors and students
Claire Macartney
Tutor - Work-Based Animal CareI'm the course coordinator for Level 2 Work-Based Animal Care and Personal Development Tutor for all KC Animal Care and Equine courses. I love to see my students' confidence and skills develop from the start to the end of each year, with the care and welfare of the animals we have the fantastic opportunity to work with at our many offsite provisions. It is extremely rewarding to support and see them progress onto their following destinations, whether that be another course at Kidderminster, employment or Higher Education at University. I am lucky to be part of a very supportive and hardworking team with our Kidderminster and Safari Academy courses, and we offer our students valuable knowledge and care from our own industry experience to ensure they have a positive learning journey with us.
Animal Care
Gallery
What can I do with a qualification in Work-Based Animal Care?
Daily tasks:
- Maintains records, raises and forwards reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation.
- Carries out expert witness work and undertakes teaching of veterinary students.
- Performs ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food chain, and animal post-mortem examinations.
- Performs tasks relating to food safety policy, regulation of veterinary drugs, quality control of veterinary products.
- Euthanases old, sick, terminally ill and unwanted animals.
- Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases and advises owners on feeding, breeding and general care.
- Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgery.
- Inoculates animals against communicable diseases.
- Examines animals, diagnoses condition and prescribes and administers appropriate drugs, dressings, etc., and arranges or undertakes any necessary x-ray or other tests.
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Daily tasks:
- Advises clients on preventative medicine to maintain appropriate animal health and welfare.
- Maintains the biosecurity of the veterinary premises.
- Cares for animals in hospital accommodation and keeps accurate records.
- Collects and analyses blood, urine and other samples.
- Handles animals during treatment.
- Dispenses and administers medication and applies dressings to animals under direction from the veterinarian.
- Prepares operating theatre, sterilises equipment and assists in theatre as required.
- Assists the veterinary surgeon during surgical and medical treatments of animals.
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Daily tasks:
- Patrols public areas to search for and capture stray or nuisance dogs, and transports captured animals to kennels.
- Meets prospective owners and advises on animal selection and animal care.
- Checks animals for illness, treats minor ailments or calls for vet if further treatment is required.
- Houses, feeds, exercises, trains, grooms horses, dogs and other animals in preparation for entry to shows, races and other events.
- Cleans animals.
- Feeds, washes, grooms, trims and exercises animals.
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Daily tasks:
- Carries out maintenance on farm buildings, hedges, ditches and erects and repairs fences.
- Moves and handles livestock and tends them during birth and rearing of young.
- Treats minor ailments and assists veterinary surgeon as required.
- Cleans barns, sheds, pens, yards, incubators and breeding units and sterilises milking and other equipment as necessary.
- Weighs and measures foodstuffs, feeds animals and checks them for any signs of disease.
- Cultivates growing crops by hoeing, spraying and thinning as necessary.
- Operates farm machinery to prepare soil, fertilise and treat crops.
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What can I do with a qualification in Work-Based Animal Care?
Veterinarians
Daily tasks:
- Maintains records, raises and forwards reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation.
- Carries out expert witness work and undertakes teaching of veterinary students.
- Performs ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food chain, and animal post-mortem examinations.
- Performs tasks relating to food safety policy, regulation of veterinary drugs, quality control of veterinary products.
- Euthanases old, sick, terminally ill and unwanted animals.
- Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases and advises owners on feeding, breeding and general care.
- Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgery.
- Inoculates animals against communicable diseases.
- Examines animals, diagnoses condition and prescribes and administers appropriate drugs, dressings, etc., and arranges or undertakes any necessary x-ray or other tests.
Powered by EMSI
Veterinary Nurses
Daily tasks:
- Advises clients on preventative medicine to maintain appropriate animal health and welfare.
- Maintains the biosecurity of the veterinary premises.
- Cares for animals in hospital accommodation and keeps accurate records.
- Collects and analyses blood, urine and other samples.
- Handles animals during treatment.
- Dispenses and administers medication and applies dressings to animals under direction from the veterinarian.
- Prepares operating theatre, sterilises equipment and assists in theatre as required.
- Assists the veterinary surgeon during surgical and medical treatments of animals.
Powered by EMSI
Animal Care Services Occupations
Daily tasks:
- Patrols public areas to search for and capture stray or nuisance dogs, and transports captured animals to kennels.
- Meets prospective owners and advises on animal selection and animal care.
- Checks animals for illness, treats minor ailments or calls for vet if further treatment is required.
- Houses, feeds, exercises, trains, grooms horses, dogs and other animals in preparation for entry to shows, races and other events.
- Cleans animals.
- Feeds, washes, grooms, trims and exercises animals.
Powered by EMSI
Farm Workers
Daily tasks:
- Carries out maintenance on farm buildings, hedges, ditches and erects and repairs fences.
- Moves and handles livestock and tends them during birth and rearing of young.
- Treats minor ailments and assists veterinary surgeon as required.
- Cleans barns, sheds, pens, yards, incubators and breeding units and sterilises milking and other equipment as necessary.
- Weighs and measures foodstuffs, feeds animals and checks them for any signs of disease.
- Cultivates growing crops by hoeing, spraying and thinning as necessary.
- Operates farm machinery to prepare soil, fertilise and treat crops.
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Wednesday 13th May 2026
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