Gardening Short Course
About this course
What is it?
The Gardening Short Course offers exciting and rewarding activities to develop skills and knowledge through gardening. This course helps learners develop practical gardening skills, as well as personal, social and work-related skills. Certification is available for 10–60 hours of work.
The flexibility of ASDAN’s Short Courses means they can be delivered in a variety of settings, over a time frame that suits the needs of the individual learner and the coordinating centre. Challenge descriptions can be interpreted and adapted according to the learning context.
This Short Course can be completed using the student book or through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform.
Find out more about the differences between Short Course student books and Equitas in this information leaflet.
Free gardening resources
Download our free Gardening Short Course resource pack, packed with useful tips, challenge links and project ideas to promote wellbeing and develop practical skills.
Join ASDAN
To teach this course you must have one of these membership types:
- Programmes Plus
- Programmes
- Qualifications
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Helpful resources for getting started
Who is it for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
Facts and figures
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Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
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Internally moderated
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Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
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Can count as up to 3 of the credits needed to achieve the Personal Development Programmes
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Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Course content
The Gardening Short Course offers activities to develop skills and knowledge through gardening. This course helps learners develop practical gardening skills, as well as personal, social and work-related skills. Certification is available for 10–60 hours of work.
The Gardening Short Course contains eight modules:
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Planting in the garden
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Growing food on the allotment
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Working under cover
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Wildlife in the garden
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Using your produce in the kitchen
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Construction in the garden
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Art in the garden
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Careers in gardening
Each learner requires their own login to access the course on Equitas. This gives them access to all challenges and provides a space to record evidence of completed activities. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can also be downloaded for use with learners.
Please note that there are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Gardening Short Course Student Book and the version now available on Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges. For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
- Download sample pages from the Gardening Short Course student book.
- Download sample activities from the Gardening Short Course on Equitas – ASDAN's digital learning platform.
Requirements
Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio or e-portfolio. This should include:
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a record of challenges completed, with supporting evidence for each
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recording documents showing how learners have planned and reviewed their activities
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summary of achievement, highlighting skills development
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personal statement
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feedback from the tutor
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training events are delivered by experts to help your centre run our courses successfully. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on delivery, assessment, and moderation processes.
Costs
All costs shown below are per learner, unless otherwise stated. Each learner will need their own copy of the student book or login and registration on Equitas. Books or registrations purchased for Short Courses are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
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Item |
Price |
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Short Course student book |
£12 |
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Gardening Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login |
£12 |
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Short Course PDF certificate |
Free |
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Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) |
£3.75 |
Products can be purchased below.
Our expert team can guide you through the process and advise on the most appropriate format for your learners. Please complete this expression of interest form, and an ASDAN expert will be in touch.
Products
Course resources
Gardening Short Course - 3B2: Greenhouse conditions log
This log provides a template for learners to record greenhouse conditions (eg humidity, temperature) and any actions they have taken to optimise conditions. This resource links to challenge 3B2 from the Gardening Short Course.
Gardening Short Course - 7A1: Plant pot designs
This template can be used by learners to plan their plant pot design ideas before creating them. This resource links to challenge 7A1 from the Gardening Short Course.
Gardening Short Course - 5B5: Allotment recipe templates
These recipe templates can be used by learners to record their recipe ideas for produce they have grown. There are two template designs - one for vegetable recipes and the other for fruit recipes. This resource links to challenge 5B5 from the Gardening Short Course.
Gardening Short Course - 2A2: Planting and harvesting fruit and vegetables
This worksheet asks learners to record the planting and harvesting months for fruit and vegetables grown on the allotment. Some example fruit and vegetables are listed, with space for learners to include their own. This resource links to challenge 2A2 from the Gardening Short Course.
Gardening Short Course - 1B1: Gardening jobs log
Learners can use this log template to record different gardening jobs. This resource links to challenge 1B1 from the Gardening Short Course.
Gardening Short Course: Seasonal gardening calendar
This seasonal calendar includes tips, tasks and project ideas to keep your gardening activities flourishing all-year round! This resource contains links to challenges from the Gardening Short Course.
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Self-evaluation template
This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)