Our Animal Care students work with a wide variety of mammals, reptiles and birds to gain as broad an understanding of caring for animals as possible, all within specialist indoor and outdoor units and enclosures.
All students and staff at Common Leys Farm play a big part in making sure the animals are well looked after and the farm operates smoothly, helping to create a buzzing atmosphere and a friendly, supportive community.
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Our Animal Care & Management courses offer a practical, specialised route into a career for caring for animals of all sizes. A typical day could include feeding the alpacas, checking the nightlife webcam footage and camera traps, learning about livestock feeding habits, before finishing the day by helping to maintain the enclosures. No two days are ever the same here!
You will gain experience and insights into all aspects of looking after animals – biology, behaviour, welfare, conservation, retail management and more – to find out what really motivates you to go further in this industry.
Outside of lessons, learners help to run a dog agility arena at the Blenheim International Horse Trials, organise and run farm events for the public throughout the year, and have the amazing opportunity to go on a South African safari trip to study conservation.
Nicole went to Nottingham Trent University to study Wildlife Conservation and Ecology, and was lucky enough to carry out a placement year between her second and third year helping to conserve cheetahs in South Africa.
After graduating, she landed a postgraduate job at West Midlands Safari Park as a zookeeper looking after rhinos, giraffes, zebras, hippos and African antelope. After a year in this role, she transferred into the education department at the safari park and this proved to be her gateway into teaching.
"I love seeing the Animal Care students grow in confidence and develop into young professionals, ready to take on amazing careers or progress to uni.
As well as getting to hear my brilliant jokes on a daily basis, the students also get great hands-on experience with a huge range of animals. There are also the external placements which are fantastic for spotlighting what a job in the area they are passionate about is like. Nothing can prepare them better than that!"
Emma has lived and travelled all over the world, gaining a wide range of skills that she now puts into her teaching on the Animal Care & Management courses.
She was born in Sutherland, Scotland, where nearby osprey, otters, stag, and seals inspired her passion for animals. After completing her BSc in Animal Science at the University of Worcester, she worked in stables, kennels and vets to pick up important experience; journeyed around Uganda, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam; was an Animal Behaviour Lecturer at Hartpury College; and has since taught in Russia, Spain and Italy.
She has now been teaching at Abingdon & Witney College since April 2016.
"The opportunities the students have here at Common Leys are brilliant. We have excellent facilities across the whole site, and this means we can teach to the best of our abilities and the students benefit from that immensely.
Taking students on exciting expeditions and volunteering projects is also a massive draw for me, being something that I have a lot of experience in doing. We organise the trip to the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa every year and it never fails to inspire both the students and the staff, and it shines a light on what careers are out there for our students."
Lee's journey started with a Level 3 National Diploma in Animal Management, in which he gained a distinction. This was followed with a BSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Central Lancashire, an MSc in Animal Welfare and a PGCE teaching degree.
His background includes volunteering and working part-time in vets, kennels and catteries, and becoming a manager of 35-40 staff at Pets at Home. His teaching career started at a college in Shropshire for 4 months, gaining invaluable experience, before being offered the position to lecture on the Animal Behaviour and Welfare and Animal Therapy and Rehabilitation degree courses at the College.
He is also a Level 3 qualified small animal hydrotherapist and continues to learn and develop his skills by studying for a PhD.
"Working with great, ambitious and funny people, staff and students alike, is what makes teaching these courses so enjoyable.
As a group we are always learning from one another, as everyone has their own specialist areas and anecdotes from their various careers, and you can quickly develop your skills in so many areas.
I get a lot of satisfaction helping and watching learners achieve and develop skills for the industry, as you know in will stand them in good stead for the future."
Even though it was a huge change coming here from school, everyone has been so supportive, and I’ve changed for the better.
The campus is amazing and I’ve always wanted to work with animals – being here has really helped me focus on what I want to do in the future, which is to follow the conservation career path.
Having just finished my course, I’m going stay at Common Leys and do the Animal Behaviour and Welfare foundation degree with Oxford Brookes University.
Working with a wide variety of animals like reptiles, birds and livestock has been a great experience, and working with different people on different projects – this is something that has improved my confidence and communication.
The variety of what we do on the course is excellent and has helped me to discover what I enjoyed most. In the future, I am planning to do a degree in Wildlife Conservation.
I really enjoyed working with the wide variety of animals here at Common Leys Farm.
All the teachers were supportive, friendly and they organised fantastic trips, such as going to Crufts!
College is a great way to meet new people and develop your skills in your chosen area of study. It helped me understand what's needed to go far in the animal care industry.
My future plans are to work in a zoo or safari park.
Animal Nursing Assistant
Animal Scientist
Animal Technician
Catteries/Kennels Assistant
Dog Groomer
Dog Trainer Uniformed Services
Pet Shop Manager
RSPCA Inspector
Zoo Keeper
Undergraduate EHCM102P
The BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare Top Up programme can be studied full-time for 1 year or taken part-time across two years, with classes and practical sessions taught at the College's Witney and Common Leys Farm campuses.At Common Leys, you...
14th Sep 2020 - 28th May 2021
Monday to Friday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course detailsUndergraduate EHWE103P
The FdSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare combines contemporary scientific principles and practical, hands-on training, ensuring that our graduates are successful in both vocational and academic settings.The diverse range of teaching methods and asses...
14th Sep 2020 - 28th May 2021
Thursday & Friday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course detailsSchool Leaver EFCM112P
This one year, full-time Level 1 course combines practical animal related experience on the Common Leys Animal Unit along with theory to cover the key areas of the care of animals....
School Leaver EFCM101P
This course combines both theory and practical animal related work to cover the key areas of routine management and welfare for animals. Students will either study an extended certificate or the technical certificate in animal care depending upon the...
School Leaver EFCM125P
This course combines both theory and practical work. The course covers the scientific aspects of animal care as well as the advanced aspects designed to give you a broad spectrum of knowledge and the opportunity for progression into higher education....
Part Time EPCN201P
This level 2 course is an excellent introduction to the art and skills required to become a professional dog groomer. You will work with a variety of dogs in our well equipped dog grooming parlour, learning to correctly and safely restrain and handle...
19th Feb 2020 - 15th Jul 2020
Wednesday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course detailsPart Time EPCN202P
This level 2 course is an excellent introduction to the art and skills required to become a professional dog groomer. You will work with a variety of dogs in our well equipped dog grooming parlour learning to correctly and safely restrain and handle ...
22nd Feb 2020 - 18th Jul 2020
Saturday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course detailsPart Time ESCP106P
This canine first aid course taught by a veterinary professional is perfect for owners or professional dog walkers who want to be prepared should a pet need emergency first aid or treatment for minor injuries...
14th Mar 2020 - 14th Mar 2020
Saturday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course detailsPart Time ESCQ005P
This day course is designed to give an insight into safe and efficient lambing procedures and aims to equip learners with the practical skills and confidence to successfully lamb a small flock of ewes....
21st Mar 2020 - 21st Mar 2020
Saturday
Animal Care & Management
Common Leys Farm
View course details
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