Department | Agriculture

FOR THE INCREASE OF LEARNING AND GOOD MANNERS

MEMBERS OF STAFF

Mrs. L. Quinn

Lead Teacher

Miss. C. Heatrick

Subject Information

Agriculture is the study of the science and practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food and other products. The aim of this introductory GCSE course is to develop pupils’ scientific knowledge in the land-bases and environmental sector. This course deals with soils, crops, habitats, animal nutrition, health and safety and pollution. It is a broad ranging course that covers many aspects of agriculture dealing with topics that are current and relevant.

Agriculture develops transferrable skills such as critical analysis, independent thinking, communication and research skills. Due to the coursework aspect of Agriculture it will also develop pupils to build their self-confidence, ICT skills and their ability to work independently. In summary, pupils engaging in the course should be inquisitive, good communicators and wish to deepen their understanding of the environment and animals. Furthermore, due to the course content there are strong links to biology.

What will I learn about in this subject?

In Year 11 there are 2 modules to study worth 50% of their GCSE. The first (Unit 1) covers soils, plant biology, crop production, management of the countryside, renewable energy and careers. The second (Unit 2) covers animal nutrition, breeding, health and safety, farm economics and pollution. Pupils will sit their GCSE exams in June of Year 11.

In year 12 pupils cover the coursework module worth the other 50% of their GCSE. They will complete 2 pieces of coursework from a selection of topics provided by CCEA. The first is based on the work completed in Unit 1 and is a scientific report based on a practical experiment that the pupils undertake. The second is a research task based on the work completed in Unit 2. It involves students carrying out primary and secondary research and collating the data into a scientific report.

The examination board is CCEA. The GCSE is a two-year course with two examinations at the end of Year 11 and coursework for the duration of Year 12.

Website:

https://ccea.org.uk/key-stage-4/gcse/subjects/gcse-agriculture-and-land-use-2019

There are numerous careers that are available once a person has a degree in agriculture. They are too numerous to list here; therefore, follow the hyperlink to a useful page highlighting the options and explanations on each.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/agriculture

The most prominent careers would be working as a farm manager, a horticulturist, a plant breeder, soil scientist or woodland manager. That said, the qualification is a useful passport to a wide range of jobs and professions.

Famous people who studied this subject...

Fritz Haber (worked on the Haber Bosch Programme that combined nitrogen and hydrogen to form ammonia in industrial quantities for production of fertiliser)
Norman Borlaug (he averted a mass starvation on the Indian subcontinent through the development of dwarf wheat)
Orville Redenbacher (most famous for his branded popcorn)
George Washington Carver (developed techniques such as adding nitrogen to depleted soil, and popularised peanuts as a cash crop.)
John Deere (John Deere was a blacksmith who developed the first commercially successful, self-scouring steel plough in 1837)

Department Blog Posts

2009, 2024

Speech Night 2024

By Mr. Forrest|2024-09-20T14:37:24+00:00September 20th, 2024|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Academic Success and Character Celebrated at Royal School Speech Night St Mark’s Parish Church, Armagh was the venue on Thursday 19th September for our annual Speech Night. Following the [...]

1109, 2024

Unveiling the New Sixth Form Common Room: A Modern Space for Pupils to Thrive
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Unveiling the New Sixth Form Common Room: A Modern Space for Pupils to Thrive

Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized

Unveiling the New Sixth Form Common Room: A Modern Space for Pupils to Thrive

By Mr. Forrest|2024-09-11T10:35:53+00:00September 11th, 2024|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Unveiling the New Sixth Form Common Room There was great expectation at school this morning when the new Sixth Form Common Room was opened for use. Over the summer major [...]

2208, 2024

Fantastic GCSE Results for RSA: Pupils Surpass Pre-Pandemic Standards
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Fantastic GCSE Results for RSA: Pupils Surpass Pre-Pandemic Standards

Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized

Fantastic GCSE Results for RSA: Pupils Surpass Pre-Pandemic Standards

By Mr. Forrest|2024-08-22T10:04:38+00:00August 22nd, 2024|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Fantastic GCSE achievement at RSA The wait finally ended for Year 12 pupils of The Royal School, Armagh as they collected their GCSE results from staff in the [...]

1508, 2024

Top Grades and Top Universities: Royal School A Level Triumph
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Top Grades and Top Universities: Royal School A Level Triumph

Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized

Top Grades and Top Universities: Royal School A Level Triumph

By Mr. Forrest|2024-08-16T09:45:48+00:00August 15th, 2024|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

2024 A Level Exam Success at the Royal School Relief, celebration, and a few tears of joy were mingled at the Royal School on Thursday morning as another fine [...]

2709, 2023

Achievement recognised by Royal School Armagh

By Mr. Forrest|2023-09-27T13:47:04+00:00September 27th, 2023|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Achievement recognised by Royal School Armagh St Mark’s Parish Church, Armagh was the venue on Thursday 21st September for our annual Speech Night. Following the academic procession, the ceremony was [...]

2408, 2023

Fantastic GCSE achievement at RSA

By Mr. Forrest|2023-08-24T13:20:08+00:00August 24th, 2023|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Fantastic GCSE achievement at RSA The wait finally ended for Year 12 pupils as they collected their GCSE results from staff in the Assembly Hall from 08:30 on [...]

1708, 2023

2023 A Level Exam Success at the Royal School

By Mr. Forrest|2023-08-17T14:23:30+00:00August 17th, 2023|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized|0 Comments

2023 A Level Exam Success at the Royal School Relief, celebration, and a few tears of joy were mingled at school this morning as another fine set of A [...]

1110, 2022

Achievement recognised by Royal School

By Mr. Forrest|2022-10-11T14:17:10+00:00October 11th, 2022|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism|0 Comments

Achievement recognised by Royal School St Mark’s Parish Church, Armagh was the venue on Thursday 22nd September for the return of the prize-giving ceremony of The Royal School, [...]

2508, 2022

2022 GCSE Exam Success at the Royal School

By Mr. Forrest|2022-08-25T14:32:37+00:00August 25th, 2022|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism|0 Comments

More fantastic results at The Royal School Congratulations to all our pupils who have received their GCSE results. This year’s attainment is truly outstanding and we are very proud [...]

1908, 2022

2022 A Level Exam Success at the Royal School

By Mr. Forrest|2022-08-19T14:08:23+00:00August 19th, 2022|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism|0 Comments

2022 A Level Exam Success at the Royal School Congratulations to all our pupils who received results yesterday. We are so proud of you and delighted at your success. [...]

703, 2022

Visit from Conor Burns MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland
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Visit from Conor Burns MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland

Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism

Visit from Conor Burns MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland

By Mr. Forrest|2022-03-07T17:12:40+00:00March 7th, 2022|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Boarding, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism|0 Comments

Visit from Conor Burns MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland We were very pleased to host a visit on Friday by Rt. Hon. Conor Burns MP, Minister [...]

2408, 2021

Excellent Results at RSA

By Mr. Forrest|2021-08-24T11:26:08+00:00August 24th, 2021|Categories: Agriculture, Announcements, Art & Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Engineering, English, Geography, Government & Politics, Health & Social Care, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Moving Image Art, Music, News, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Science, Sociology, Spanish, Technology & Design, Theatre Studies, Travel & Tourism|0 Comments

Excellent Results at RSA The wait finally ended for pupils of The Royal School, Armagh as they collected their A Level and their GCSE results on Tuesday 10 and [...]

1303, 2020

ABP Angus Youth Challenge Exhibition in Loughry Campus
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ABP Angus Youth Challenge Exhibition in Loughry Campus

Agriculture

ABP Angus Youth Challenge Exhibition in Loughry Campus

By Mr. Forrest|2021-01-09T22:53:27+00:00March 13th, 2020|Categories: Agriculture|0 Comments

Congratulations to Kathryn, Sarah and Sophie who have been selected to be one of the groups to go forward to the semi-finals of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge Exhibition in [...]