Peel High School

Partially selective and feature school for agriculture

Telephone02 6765 7088

Emailpeel-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Technical and Applied Studies

Overview

The TAS KLA is made up by a diverse range of subjects collected under the common banner of Technology. Specially trained staff, teach classes that are restricted in size due to the inherent safety considerations associated with the experiences in which the students are involved. Specialized facilities are provided to enhance the students' learning experiences. All high school students in NSW study at least 200 hours of TAS subjects in Years 7 & 8. The TAS curriculum in Years 9-12 may be studied as elective subjects selected by the students to best suit their individual needs. Similarly, technology subjects in Preliminary and HSC years are elective and these subjects should be selected according to student's strengths and needs.

Curriculum

Technology Mandatorytextiles

The Years 7-8 Technology Mandatory course (over 200 hours) gives students an appreciation of design/design processes and an understanding of how humankind uses technologies to develop creative and innovative solutions to real problems. Students learn about technology by undertaking design projects in the areas of built environments, products and information/communications. Technology Mandatory is comprised of four 20 week units over the two year period;

  • Ditigal Technology
  • E-Textiles
  • Food & Agriculture
  • Wood & Metals

Elective courses Years 9-10

A range of elective courses may be studied in Years 9 and 10 and include:

It should be noted that elective fees are levied to cover the costs of consumable materials utilized in these subjects.

Elective courses Years 11-12

A range of elective courses may be studied in Years 11 and 12 and include:

As well as a number of VET Courses, including;

It should be noted that elective fees are levied to cover the costs of consumable materials utilized in these subjects.food

Facilities

Peel High School arguably boasts the best TAS facilities of any school in the North West of NSW and would compare favourably with the best in the state. This has been achieved through relatively modern building design, regular maintenance and special program enhancements like the Trade Training Centre upgrade in 2012.

Our Technology Mandatory, Food & Agriculture curriculum is well resourced with on-site farm facilities for small cropping trials, livestock husbandry and equipment storage. These are enhanced with P&C owned farm land within close proximity of the school and DEC leased land next door to the school that are both used to provide real life livestock production experiences for agriculture students.

Our kitchen facilities include one TAFE Certificate III standard commercial kitchen and a second dedicated kitchen servicing the needs of students from 7-12. An indoor/outdoor dining room adjacent to the kitchen enables students to enjoy the fruits of their labour in the kitchen. The recent acquisition of a wood fire pizza oven will finish this space. Textiles technology is catered for in a fully resourced room that is equipped with assembly and finishing equipment. The adjacent computer laboratory provides access to research and planning tools.

The Industrial Arts building benefits from four practical workshops linked by a large common work area. Two graphics/design rooms allow for student design work to be undertaken in a suitable environment in close proximity to their practical workshops. A small computer laboratory located as an annexe to one of the design rooms allows for research, design and the production of electronic folios. A Manufacturing & Engineering Trade Training facility within the building enhances the level of equipment and facilities available for use by all students. Automotive studies is catered for with a dedicated workshop adjacent to the Industrial Arts building, also forming part of the Trade Training Centre at Peel High School.

Staff

In order to teach in the TAS KLA, the teaching staff need to undergo specialized training and develop areas of expertise. Staff are allocated to classes according to their expertise to ensure the best learning experience for the students in their care.

Food Technology                    Mrs Jan Dirks, Ms Jill Soderlund, Mrs Beth Townsend

Textiles Technology                Mrs Jessie Clark, Mrs Heidi Newmarch, Mrs Chareunsouk-Hartley (HT TAS)

Industrial Technology              Mr Rod New, Mr Tim Caterer

ICT/IST                                       Mr Tony Kelly , Mr Michael Wenman    

Assessment

Each course has an individualized assessment program designed to enable students to gauge their course performance. Assessment tools are selected from a wide range of instruments to maximize the potential for success for as wide a range of students as possible. The assessment program is always constructed to reflect the scheduled outcomes of the relevant Board of Studies syllabus.

TAS assessment schedules, subdivided in Stages 4 (Years 7 & 8), Stage 5 (Years 9 &10) and Stage 6 (Years 11 & 12) can be found in the Student Handbooks

Bookwork

All students are expected to supply themselves with a book, blue, black, red pens, pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser. These need to be taken with them to each class they attend.

Books need to be clearly labeled with the student's name, scholastic year and subject on the front cover. Students need to take care with the presentation of their books. Written work should have a margin ruled on the left hand side of the page to allow for teacher comment and spelling corrections as needed. New work should be dated and have a heading to assist in the management of work missed due to absence and for revision purposes. Books should only be used for one subject to enable the submission of books for marking. Years 7 & 8 Technology Mandatory may continue the use of the same book over the two year period providing clear delineation of each unit is shown. Some technologies have dedicated workbooks printed for students to use during the semester. 

Folders may substitute for books on specific advice of individual TAS teachers based on specific suitability for the work undertaken and the student's maturity in managing a folder.

Equipment

The Department of Education & Communities (DEC) requires all students in practical subjects to be appropriately dressed to reflect the safety standards imposed on these specialized subjects. Solid soled, firm upper footwear is a basic requirement which is also a component of Peel High School's uniform code. Loose clothing and dangling accessories are to be avoided to prevent catching in equipment. Protective clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) will be supplied by the school and expected to be worn when engaged in practical tasks.

Homework

Homework issued for TAS classes will reflect the scholastic stage of each student and their productivity whilst in class at school. TAS students will not generally be expected to complete excessive amounts of homework.

The practical nature of TAS courses and the structure of assessments means that the majority of work carried out by students will be completed during the school day in a specialized work environment. However students will be expected to complete any work not completed in class at school due to absence or poor productivity.

Stage 4 – only one or two deisgn projects over the 20 week unit is required. Usually time in class is allocated to commence the task. Some completion work may be required as homework.

Stage 5 - only one or two assignment tasks per term are required. Usually time in class is allocated to commence the task. Some completion work may be required as homework. Some design related research for project work will be required outside of class time. It is expected that students will discuss their project work with their parent or carer.

Stage 6 – In addition to scheduled Assessment Tasks, some of which may require full completion outside of normal scheduled classes, there will also be more regular minor tasks allocated to assist the student to broaden their knowledge of the subject matter. Students in Stage 6 are also expected to review lesson content each day and compile their own study notes as an efficient revisionary tool. Many Stage 6 students also have access to scheduled supervised study periods in the school library that can be used to complete homework tasks. Additionally, an after hours Senior Study program is run in the library on Tuesday afternoons. Students involved in TVET courses or Traineeships/Apprenticeships are aware that a condition of their involvement is that they do not fall behind in their other coursework. Homework may be one method of ensuring that they are always up to date.

Elective Subject Project Materials

Stage 4 (Years 7 & 8)

Technology Mandatory project materials are supplied by the school for students use. There may be the opportunity to enhance project work with additional materials supplied from home. Special dietary requirements are catered for in the case of Food units.

Stages 5 & 6 (Years 9,10,11 & 12)

All elective subjects have a fee attached to provide the materials that are consumed by students in their project work. Every effort is made to ensure that materials are purchased using a combination of government supply contracts and bulk buying to ensure value for money,

Special dietary requirements are catered for in the case of Food units.

It is a requirement at Peel High School that fees be paid in order to study elective subjects. Please contact the Head Teacher should there be any questions regarding fee payment. 

furniture

Contact

In order to ensure a cooperative working relationship between the home and school parents/carers are encouraged to maintain contact with the school.

Your child's class teacher will contact you either by phone or mail to inform you of specific matters relating to your child as the need arises.

Reports on academic progress are made twice a year at the conclusion of each semester. Technology Mandatory students will receive two reports at these times to cover their 20 week units. General parent teacher evenings are held in the middle of the year to discuss student progress.

For all matters relating to the TAS KLA please phone the school office to arrange an appointment with your child's class teacher or Douangchanh Chareunsouk-Hartley HT TAS. You may request a phone contact or an on-site interview at a mutually convenient time. The school's contact number is 67657088.