James Ruse Agricultural High School is one of 4 agricultural high school schools in NSW with Agriculture being a compulsory subject from Years 7-10. The course here is accelerated in Year 10 so that students have the option to complete the HSC course in Year 11.
Since the early days of Carlingford Agricultural High School, the school has been at the forefront of Agricultural education in New South Wales. It was established to provide metropolitan students the opportunity to study Agriculture.
Agriculture is the raising of crops and animals to provide food, fibre and other raw materials needed by society. It is a critically important industry in Australia, providing food and materials for domestic consumption and also export revenue.
The Agricultural Syllabus has been designed to allow students to develop knowledge and understanding of the interaction between the components of agriculture and the scientific principles that explain the processes that take place. Agriculture challenges students academically as well as providing them with a wide range of practical skills and an awareness of technologies associated with agriculture through our School Farm.
The continuing teaching of Agriculture is vital to the future of Australia and at James Ruse, students are challenged to learn about it in the living dynamic context of a farm where they have the opportunity to enhance their learning through a variety of learning styles.
The School farm is about ten hectares on the northern side of the school. It includes a vegetable growing area, a glasshouse, a hydroponics system and nursery, an orchard, an area for field crops and a livestock section. Study and practical work at the school are supplemented by frequent excursions to places of special agricultural interest. In addition to its academic aspects, Agriculture provides urban students contact with farm animals and the opportunity to grow their own crops.
With the challenge to feed an ever-increasing world population and maintain and improve the environment in which we live, numerous exciting career opportunities are available in Agriculture.
