Agriculture

Senior school > Curriculum > Agriculture

The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Agriculture was first delivered at Gresham’s from September 2020 with the first cohort certificating in August 2022. The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Agriculture is now being delivered alongside the Diploma providing pupils with a one or two A level equivalent option to complement their A level choices. Both are two-year programmes when studied alongside further Level 3 qualifications.

Strictly speaking there are no entry requirements for this course, however, having achieved grade 4 Science at GCSE will be a good starting point.

Pupils completing their BTEC Nationals in Agriculture will be aiming to go on to employment in the industry or related industries, often via the stepping-stone of higher education.

NATIONAL DIPLOMA (EQUIVALENT TO 2 A LEVELS)

Exam board: Pearson

The following 7 units are mandatory:

  • Professional Working Responsibilities
  • Plant and Soil Science
  • Work Experience in the Land-based Sectors
  • Estate Skills
  • Land-based Machinery Operations
  • Managing Environmental Activities in Agriculture
  • Managing Activities for Agricultural
  • Enterprises

The following 2 units are selected by us:

  • Livestock Husbandry
  • Grass and Forage Crop Production

Pupils have a ‘free choice’ of 1 of the following units to suit their personalised learning needs:

  • Crop Production
  • Livestock Health and Disease
  • Developing a Land-based Enterprise
  • Combinable Crop Production and
  • Processing
  • Livestock Nutrition
  • Organic Agricultural Production
  • Land-based Workshop Practices

EXTENDED CERTIFICATE (EQUIVALENT TO 1 A LEVEL)

Exam board: Pearson

The following 3 units are mandatory:

  • Professional Working Responsibilities
  • Work Experience in the Land-based Sectors
  • Applied Agricultural Farming Practice

The following 1 unit is selected by us:

  • Land-based Machinery Operations
ASSESSMENT

There are three main forms of assessment for the BTEC Agriculture: external, internal and synoptic:

Externally assessed units:

  • Examinations – all students take the same assessment at the same time, normally with a written outcome.
  • Set tasks – students take the assessment during a defined window and demonstrate understanding through completion of a vocational task.

Internally assessed units:

  • Write up the findings of their own research
  • Use case studies to explore complex or unfamiliar situations
  • Deliver presentations
  • Construct portfolios to demonstrate practical

ALUMNI

Tim Rymer

CEO of JSR Farms and JSR Genetics

WOODLANDS 1982

“Having grown up on a farm in Yorkshire, Gresham’s was certainly a home away from home. With its rich history in agriculture, I am delighted to now see that the BTEC in the subject is being offered at Gresham’s. The School, with its location and abundance of land and knowledge, is a perfect place for a young person to learn more about the farming business.”


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