YEARS 11 & 12 CURRICULUM

The agricultural education program offered at Years 11 and 12 at Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon provides a sound basis for those students looking for a career in agriculture and related industries. Successful students gain the WA Certificate of Education and may concurrently enrol in either the TAFE Certificate Level 1 in Farm & Pastoral Studies or the Certificate Level 3 in Rural Office Practice. Students who gain specific grades in core subjects are eligible for entry to Curtin University's agribusiness, viticulture, horticulture, aquaculture and farm management.

The Years 11 & 12 courses are graded when students complete tasks and a final grade is given at the end of the year. A progress indicator is provided each term and an algorithm converts the demonstration of outcomes to a letter grade at the end of the year. Students who complete ten full courses over two years, with an average of a C grade or better over eight courses (four of which must be Year 12 subjects) and receive a C grade or better in Senior English in Year 12, will receive the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

Students enrolling in either TAFE Certificate are required to obtain a C grade or better in all courses and some additional modules (eg First Aid Certificate) are required. For students enrolling in either TAFE Certificate or intending to go onto further studies, a commitment beyond usual school hours is required. For this reason, it is advantageous for Years 11 & 12 students to reside on campus.

Years 11 and 12 Curriculum Council of WA accredited courses offered:

Elective courses available at CAC Bindoon in 2000:

YEARS 11 & 12 COURSE OUTLINES

Religious Education: A course approved by the Catholic Education Commission dealing with personal faith development, relationship with God, the Gospel of Jesus, Catholic Church and other belief systems, and Catholic Ritual. This is not a WACE accredited course; however, students are required to engage in this area of learning as an integral part of the education offered at the CAC Bindoon.

Senior English develops students' literacy skills using tasks. Students must demonstrate an outcome at least twice to be graded in the course. The tasks require students to present reports, speeches, analyse a variety of texts and sit an exam.

Animal Production & Marketing/Plant Production & Marketing involves the students performing tasks to demonstrate competent skills in production and marketing. The main animal enterprises are beef, wool, prime lamb, pigs, poultry and horses; the main plant enterprises are wheat, oats, barley, olives, citrus and legumes.

Small Business Management & Enterprise requires students to run a small business and develop competencies associated with marketing and running small business: legal requirements, basic book-keeping, communication skills, report writing and budgeting.

Farm Practice involves practical work on the farm, learning to handle livestock, machinery and equipment under instruction of the Agricultural Training Officers (ATOs). Animal and Plant Production feature predominantly in this course, as does seasonal work such as shearing, pruning and picking, seeding and harvesting. Students attend field days, excursions and participate in work experience away from the CAC Bindoon farm.

Facilities Development & Maintenance includes pre-building procedures, maintenance of farm buildings, workshop practices, oxy-acetylene and arc welding, wood and metalwork. This course is an ideal preparation for students who wish to enter a trade in the building or metal fabrication industries as well as those wishing to work on a farm.

Automotive Workshop is a practical subject integrated with sufficient theory and safety practices so that students experience aspects of working within different automotive contexts. Automotive Workshop introduces the student to the care, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of engines, motors, vehicles and machines and the course prepares students for work on a farm or for a career as a mechanic or a machinery dealer.

Vocational Mathematics (half course) is offered in Years 11 and 12 to maintain numeracy skills and offer a numeracy component to the WACE.

Structured Workplace Learning (elective course) is offered to students in Years 11 and 12. Students enrol in a general course for Year 11 and an industry specific course in Year 12. Students must show competence in a checklist of skills to be awarded accreditation.

Applied Equine Vocation (elective course) enables students to work individually and in groups to develop knowledge and skills to maintain and manage horses.

Animal Husbandry & Enterprise - Equine (elective course) is designed to run in conjunction with Animal Production and Marketing. It provides theoretical and practical equine knowledge and skills.