Vetpol is celebrating the successful qualification of Reece Goldsmith, the first SQP candidate to graduate as a result of studying and sitting its examination totally online.

Vetpol was appointed as an independent regulator of SQPs earlier this year, and is the first company in the UK to provide SQP training and exams in an entirely digital format. 

Its Level 4 SQP qualification was developed in conjunction with LANTRA and is regulated by Ofqual. There are four modules of the course – companion animal, equine, farm and avian – and Reece passed the exams in all four.

Reece, who is based at Shire Stables in Oxfordshire, said: “It’s a great course in a very easy to understand and read format. I enjoyed the easy access to the course materials and being able to log in and see my progress.”

Caroline Johnson, Vetpol’s director, said: “COVID-19 has changed our lives in so many ways, including disrupting a lot of face-to-face teaching. Our fully online course will allow people to still gain the qualifications they need during these difficult times.

“Our awarding body LANTRA offer online proctored exams, which mean they’re invigilated remotely. This means that people don’t even need to travel for exams, which can be stressful enough, even without the added disturbance of a pandemic.”