Context for the study – Landbased education and landbased colleges

To further foreground this study, I continue with an outline of LBCs and students. As part of this I briefly describe Shireland College in order to situate it within the wider landbased context. Given that the majority of LBCs are ostensibly FECs (albeit with a particular portfolio of courses), some of which offer HE in FE, this overview will not repeat the broad contextual framing of FE and of HE in FE which has been described in sections 1.3 and 1.4).

Classified by the UK Standard Industrial Classification (UK SIC) in the Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry category (Appendix 2) the term ‘landbased’ can be taken to account for employment opportunities, which are concerned with land, crop and animal management, production and care (Lantra, n.d.) (Appendix 3). Employment opportunities within the landbased sector, particularly with regard to equine/animal/veterinary nursing jobs, are often “unglamorous and low-paid”, with equine/animal/veterinary nursing “dominated by relatively unskilled workers” (Webster and Jones, 2007, A5: 8–9). Jobs are typically practical husbandry and animal caring roles, which include working as operatives in kennels, riding stables, veterinary practices, dog grooming parlours, animal sanctuaries and pet shops. The landbased sector skills council, Lantra, reports that there is low attainment of formal qualifications in the equine/animal/veterinary nursing sector (Lantra, 2014). Emanating from craft and apprenticeship models of knowledge, rather than scientific disciplines of zoology or veterinary science, Salisbury and Jephcote (2010) suggest the theory underpinning equine/animal/veterinary nursing is generic and relies upon

handed-down animal husbandry and practical handling knowledge to provide sufficient underpinning for workers who frequently undertake “menial roles” (p.79) such as mucking out, feeding and grooming.

For veterinary nursing, gaining Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) recognition to be styled as a veterinary nurse (VN) is viewed by the sector as being of greater importance than college qualifications per se. The RCVS recognition is a Level 3 professional qualification, which has “a very strong emphasis on vocational training, encouraging the development of practical skills and Day One Competences” (Kidd, 2015, n.p.). For the equine sector, it’s very traditional notions of horse riding and horse management being more of an art rather than a science can be traced back to its military roots. Emphasising practical skills and horse handling abilities, riding instructor training typically relies upon ‘instructional’ pedagogies focused upon practical skills acquisition and working competence (McGreevy, 2007). The British Horse Society (BHS) dominate professional qualifications. Internationally renowned, there is great kudos for having BHS instructor qualifications. In contrast, there is resistance to the concept of equine degree programmes from some within the UK horse industry, with leading voices questioning their value by asking ‘Are equine degrees worth the paper they are written on?’ (Pimbley, 2012).

The significance of being practically able and competent within the broad equine/animal/veterinary nursing sector was confirmed by Salisbury and Jephcote (2010). In their study of FE animal care students they found teachers privileged and emphasised practical skills acquisition over the more theoretical aspects of the curriculum. This privileging was said to have been compounded by teacher vocational experience and awareness of the realities of the sector, and what was demanded by employers, i.e. fast and efficient workers to undertake mundane and repetitive practical work. Despite some advances, equine/animal/veterinary nursing

still rely heavily upon “ritualistic and routine” (McKenna et al., 2006, p.135) practices steeped in tradition, which are passed down often “without question” (ibid.) to the next generation.

Landbased education is largely served by small, specialist institutions known as landbased colleges (formally agricultural colleges). Given the distinct resource needs to support landbased curricula, e.g. animals, crops, machinery etc., LBCs are almost exclusively situated in rural locations, many with farms/land/specialised animal and plant housing units and equestrian facilities. According to Landex (the national organisation which represents the interests of UK LBCs), they have 36 LBC members (Landex, n.d.). Whilst there are a small number of specialist higher education institutions (HEIs) that focus on undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) landbased education, i.e. Harper Adams University, The Royal Agricultural University, LBCs typically have a mixed FE and HE portfolio from subjects across the landbased occupational areas (Appendices 2 and 3) (Rapley, 2014).

LBCs are primarily involved in FE (RQF Levels 1–3 provision), with HE (RQF Levels 4–6) often being a minor element of their portfolio. FE programmes tend to be focused on Level 2 and 3 BTEC/Edexcel Diplomas, with most LBCs also providing entry/foundation level qualifications for students with learning differences, and those requiring personal and social skills development. HE provision is usually concerned with foundation degree programmes with extensive inclusion of work experience placements and mandatory evening/weekend duties on college farms/stable yards/animal units etc. Student numbers are usually relatively small, with a foundation degree at a small/medium sized LBC is likely to have 5–15 student per year group.

Staff teaching HE in all but the largest LBCs tend to be involved in FE teaching and are usually required to have professional occupational qualifications to complement

academic ones, e.g. British Horse Society (BHS) instructor, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) veterinary nurse. It is generally only in the larger LBCs with greater HE provision and student numbers that separate HE and FE teaching teams with a greater range of subject expertise, exist (SQW and J.M Consulting, 2007). As in FE and in HE in FE generally, teaching loads are higher than in HEIs, with teachers with a mixed FE and HE load typically teaching 22–26 hours per week.