I wonder if any of you have ever heard of a sixth form college where students board Monday to Friday, and is specifically for people who want to work with animals? My eldest keeps going on about it, but hasn't a clue where it is. (She's only 13 yet, and already she wants to leave her mother!!!)
Thanks in advance

depends on where you are i know of one in chelmsford in essex, there is also the animal care college but these are all home study courses, but they may also do on site classes they do have a website though so you could have a look.
hth
tanya

There are several agricultural colleges throughout the country which do residential courses.  :)

Whereabouts in the country are you?  I know Myerscough College near Preston does a 6th form equivalent course and I am sure other colleges do the same.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

they do courses at Bicton ag college in devon.
i think they have a website? try a search

chel

Thanks everyone - I'm in Lancashire, by the way, - I wonder if it is Myerscoupgh, Joan? Is that resdential? We are hoping to start the agility group there soon.
Tracy

Myerscough certainly has some student accomodation.

When is the agility starting?  There is (was) an agility group that met at Shireworld on a Thursday night, do you know if that is still going?

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Dunno if this will help?
http://www.vetindex.co.uk/vetindex/vetnurse.htm

There are so many animal care courses out there, if you type in 'Lancashire animal care courses' or something similar you should find plenty....

There are a fair few agricultural colleges that do residential at 6th form level.....

Myerscough in preston, Hartpury in Glouscestershire are two........ i went for an interview at myerscough but ended up going to Hartpury, (i was doing equine stuff, and Hartpury is the best for that)......as far as i know they both do Animal care courses, and i think they combine them with one or two more academic A level subjects..... certainly there was an Equine course that covered a couple of a level subjects as well.

The costs are quite high though, and i think, although im not sure, that if you can do the same course nearer home, then the local education authority wont cover residential costs for you (presuming you are entitled to them anyway).....

I certainly found living away from home an education at 16....., i wouldnt want to worry you, but certainly hartpury although providing residential courses for 16 year olds, and they supposedly provide a lot of support for them, in reality, its like being at university, with all the fun that that entails.

I enjoyed it anyway!

Em

I studied Animal Care/Science at Sparsholt college in hampshire for 3 years, it was like a dream come true for me learning about the only thing i was actually interested in !!!!  I had the most fantastic time, but it is very much like uni, no one really keeps an eye on what you are up to   Do get your son to think about what he wants to do career wise though, unfortunately most work with animals is not well paid and most people do it for the love of it.  I now work in pensions and am a qualified financial advisor but I wouldnt change my college days for anything ;)

Call into your local ConneXions office in the high street where you live (or look in the phone book).  As for a ConneXions Personal Advisor (perhaps connected to the school).  They should be able to give you all the help you need.

or there is always the route that i took, it very poorly paid but if you are able to get a good enough placement then employers may well help out with the costs of any extras.
I started work at a boarding kennels when i left school at 16, in the 5 1/2 years that i worked there i done a GNVQ in animal care (very poorly paid started off on £45 a week) then i done a the Pet Care Pet Shop Management course (paid for by my employers) i also done dog training (paid for again by my employers) and dog grooming (again my employers)
I am now working in my dream job training and looking after dogs, my driving lessons and test were paid for by my employer, and im hoping to do a course for detection dog training, as well as taking an exam for a patrol dog handler (for the life of me cant think what it is mind gone completley blank) only prob with this is that the examiners and the exam are very sexist, i work with a male GSD, and a rotti who is at the mo overweight, one of the tests in the exam is to pick your dog up off the floor walk 10 paces place dog on table pick dog up and take dog back to where you started, all other aspects inthe exam no problem, the carrying is the hard part, i can lift the dogs no problem but standing up once ive got the dogs is another thing, (but im glad to say im not the only one some of the blokes have the same problem it aint easy), these as well are paid for by my employer, and id just love to know why im always broke,
tanya