Applications for next year’s exams and assessments will open in October as usual.
Refund Policy
The Examination Board has revised the refund policy for exams as publicised in BBKA news. Candidates email receipts, the application form and documents on the BBKA website have all been updated accordingly. The new policy is:
- Refunds will only be considered in the event of illness, injury of the candidate or sudden death of an immediate family member occurring within two (2) weeks prior to the Examination or Assessment
- The Examination Board Secretary must be informed before the commencement of the examination or assessment and full details will be submitted to the Board Secretary within two weeks of being requested
- The Board will then decide whether the Examination or Assessment fee is forfeit. This will be applied sympathetically.
Module Syllabi
The module syllabi have recently been updated in response to feedback. The syllabi that apply from March 2023 are available on the BBKA website. The changes are mostly minor but please make sure that, if you are part of a study group you are aware and are using the correct syllabi.
There are some changes to the way in which BBKA run written module exams. Please see the following statement from the Chair of the Examinations Board.
“BBKA Modules update
In April 2021 the BBKA Examinations Board ran the Module exams for first time on-line with remote invigilation, using a platform called Inspera. At the time, we had 386 candidates who took altogether 500 Modules. While technology gave us an opportunity to conduct the exams in times when handwritten sessions would not have been possible, it was not without some challenges. There was a lot to learn for all of us, Inspera, the Examinations Board and of course the candidates. Since then, there have been several updates to the system, and we have also learned how best to support our candidates online and how to optimise our use of Inspera.
Over the last two Module sessions, most of the candidates chose the online option. This led to a reduction in venues for the handwritten modules across the country almost by half, with many of the venues having only one candidate. While taking the pressure from some associations in terms of costs and volunteers for invigilation, this also gave us the assurance that online Modules are well received by Module candidates.
Considering the diminishing demand for the handwritten Modules, in 2023 handwritten option will be available only in three venues across the country. One venue in south England, one in the Midlands and one in north England. We expect to have the exact locations agreed and published by the end of this year. Furthermore, in 2024 these three venues will be reduced to only one (Stoneleigh), and as of 2025, only on-line Modules will be available. The gradual transition is to give an opportunity to those candidates still wishing to take Modules as handwritten to do so by the end of 2024.”
Closing dates and applications
If you are planning to take a modular exam or the Bee Health practical assessment in 2024, please contact Jean Frost ( jeanterry@uwclub.net) and ask for an online application form to be sent to you.
- The closing date for application to take modules on 23 March 2024 is 9th February 2024
- The closing date for application to take modules on 16th November 2024 is 30th September 2024
- The closing date for the Advanced Husbandry, General Husbandry and Honey Bee Breeding Certificate assessment is 28 February 2024
- The closing date for the Honey Bee Health Certificate assessment is 30 April 2024. Honey Bee Health assessment dates will be scheduled later in the spring
- In Hampshire, entries for the Basic Assessment should be submitted before the end of April so that assessors can be appointed. Information about the Basic assessment will be sent to all association education officers in the New Year.
Within Hampshire Beekeepers’ Association we facilitate local training towards the Basic, General Husbandry and other Assessments for our members, often in conjunction with other local associations, and these may be listed on this website as ‘Upcoming events’ or on our page for Further Training.