Dick White Academy

09/06/2026

🎉 Ten years of DWA 🎉

What a wonderful day!

On Saturday, we celebrated DWA's 10th birthday surrounded by alumni, students, employers, family members, colleagues and friends.

There were speeches, laughter, cupcakes, prosecco, memories shared and new friendships made. Most importantly, there was an overwhelming sense of pride in what our learners have achieved over the last decade.

One of the highlights of the day was the RCVS Declaration Ceremony, where newly qualified veterinary nurses made their professional declaration in front of family, friends and colleagues. It was a truly special moment and there were more than a few happy tears in the room.

Throughout the day, guests added hearts to our Gratitude Tree, sharing what DWA has meant to them. Reading those messages was incredibly moving.

One simply said:
"Thank you for changing my daughter's life forever."

After ten years, there is no greater compliment.

To everyone who has been part of the DWA journey- learners, employers, clinical supervisors, alumni, staff, trustees and supporters - thank you.

Here's to the next ten years.😊

04/06/2026

How can you help student veterinary nurses revise effectively while balancing the demands of practice life?

Join us on Thursday 2 July at 1pm for Helping Students Revise: A CS's Toolkit - a practical CPD session packed with simple, evidence-based strategies to support learners' confidence, organisation, recall, and exam preparation.

We'll explore:
Common revision challenges
Techniques to improve retention and confidence
Ways to build learning into everyday clinical work
Practical support strategies that won't add to your workload

This session is ideal for clinical supervisors, mentors, and anyone involved in supporting student veterinary nurses.

With thanks to the Dick White Charitable Foundation, whose sponsorship enables us to offer this CPD free of charge.

To request a joining link, please email [email protected].

02/06/2026

We’re recruiting 😊

Dick White Academy is looking for a Veterinary Nursing Lecturer to join our team for 3 days per week.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about supporting student veterinary nurses and who believes education should feel supportive, encouraging and genuinely human.

At DWA, kindness, support and resilience sit at the heart of everything we do, for learners and for one another as colleagues.

3 days per week (0.6 FTE)
Salary: £33,635 - £38,177 pro rata
Applications close: 11 June 2026
Interviews: 24 or 26 June 2026

As part of our commitment to safeguarding and safer recruitment, all appointments are subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including references and an enhanced DBS check.

If you would like to find out more or request an application pack, please get in touch with Ali- [email protected]

27/05/2026

Help shape the future of veterinary nursing.

Dick White Academy (DWA) is currently exploring the development of a Level 5 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Practice Nurse), with a planned launch in January 2027.

Before we develop the programme, we want to hear from the profession.

We are inviting veterinary nurses, clinical supervisors, employers and practice teams to complete a short survey to help us understand what would make this qualification genuinely useful, relevant and achievable alongside practice life.

Takes around 10 minutes
Chance to win a £75 Amazon voucher
Survey closes: 11 June 2026

You can complete the survey using the link below or by scanning the QR code in the image.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/8bkAF0trh4

We would really appreciate you sharing this with colleagues and practice teams.

Thank you for supporting the future of veterinary nursing education ❤️

18/05/2026

The countdown is on… 😊
In just a few short weeks, we’ll be celebrating 10 years of Dick White Academy.

Over the last decade, DWA has grown from a small team with a big vision into a wonderful community of students, RVNs, lecturers, clinical supervisors, employers, alumni and friends, all connected by a shared passion for veterinary nursing.

As part of the celebrations, we’ll also be holding an RCVS Declaration Ceremony for RVNs who trained with us, recognising their hard work and welcoming them formally into the profession.

We’re so looking forward to bringing everyone together to celebrate this special milestone.

If you’ve been meaning to RSVP but haven’t got round to it yet, we would absolutely love to hear from you.

Kindness. Support. Resilience.

13/05/2026

From August 2026, eligible small and medium employers with learners aged under 25 will no longer pay apprenticeship co-investment fees for veterinary nurse apprenticeship training.

Alongside this, the Dick White Charitable Foundation has agreed to sponsor the RCVS and VetSkill registration fees for 15 practices entering training this year.

We know practices are under pressure, but we also know how important it is that future veterinary nurses continue to have opportunities to train and grow within the profession.

We do still have some places available within our September 2026 cohort.

For an informal chat, please contact [email protected]

08/05/2026

Next CPD event on 4th June 2026- "Managing Difficult Conversations"

16/04/2026

OSCE Revision Day for Student Vet Nurses 🐾

Feeling a bit unsure about OSCEs? You’re not alone.

Join us for a focused, supportive revision day designed to help you feel clearer, calmer, and more confident going into your practical exams.

- Work through individual OSCE tasks
- Learn from current VetSkill OSCE examiners
- Break down common OSCE myths
- Build real confidence, not just knowledge

Wednesday 10th June 2026
10:00am - 4:00pm
£100 per student
10% discount for DWA students & practices

This isn’t about catching you out.
It’s about helping you walk into your OSCE knowing what you’re doing and why.

📩 To book a place or find out more:
Ali Heywood
[email protected]

07/04/2026

17/03/2026

Join the Dick White Academy team

We are looking for a Registered Veterinary Nurse to join us as a Visiting Officer (IQA) at Dick White Academy.

This is a part-time, primarily home-based role, with travel to training practices across East Anglia (and occasional visits to the Academy.

As a Visiting Officer, you will work closely with apprentices, their employers and clinical coaches, supporting learner progress and helping ensure high-quality training environments for the next generation of veterinary nurses.

💼 Salary: £27,400 - £30,890 (pro rata, depending on experience)

This role is ideal for an RVN who enjoys supporting others, mentoring student nurses, and being part of veterinary education.

Dick White Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners. All staff share responsibility for safeguarding and are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.

If you would like more information or an informal conversation, please message us or email:
[email protected]

Closing date for applications: Friday 3rd April

If you know someone who might be interested, please feel free to share this post.