Great Southern Grammar at Albany has put the region’s agricultural industries firmly on its curriculum.

The independent school, which educates children from kindergarten to Year 12, has spent the past few years establishing a school farm and is now offering the first of its courses to senior school students.

There are also plans to expand the offering progressively over the next five years, encompassing a range of industries including cattle, sheep, viticulture, poultry and aquaculture.

Established 17 years ago, the school offers a wide range of subjects, including compulsory disciplines and options in about 30 senior secondary courses for the WA Certificate of Education, music, hospitality, business, sport and recreation, and sport coaching.

After the building of the school farm, students can also elect to study agriculture as a subject choice alongside the wide range of core curriculum subjects.

The main agricultural course currently being offered is Animal Production Systems to senior school students, but GSG plans to introduce elective courses for middle school from next year, as well as offering junior school students exposure to the farm via farm field days.

Principal Stuart Marquardt said GSG was the only independent school in WA to offer agriculture to junior, middle and senior school students.

“The whole of the junior school (kindergarten to year six) will be involved in farm days, providing them with the experience of, and an understanding of where their food and fibre comes from, plus an introduction to agriculture so as to improve their exposure,” he said.

“In middle school, students have the opportunity to undertake an elective in agriculture from Year 7. The advantage of this is increased exposure to rural science at a much earlier age than an agricultural college enables, and additional exposure and additional knowledge in the area.”

He said meanwhile, senior school courses, which would soon include Plant Production Systems, are offered alongside the school’s full suite of ATAR and VET certificate courses, promoting a synergy of learning opportunities.”

Mr Marquardt said already 40 students had enrolled in agricultural courses, a number he expected to grow as the farm further developed and course offerings increased.

“Our school has 850 students and I would envisage in time, every student will have some contact with the farm. We want all of our students to have some sort of appreciation of the local agricultural industries, the farm and the role it plays,” he said.

To lead the agricultural offerings, the school has appointed Julian Gugenheim as the head of the school farm. Mr Gugenheim ran a dairy farm in the UK and later formally studied agriculture and became a science teacher. Another specialist agriculture teacher will be appointed at GSG for 2017.

Industries being established on the farm reflect the produce of the Great Southern region.

“One of the aims of this program was to put the region into the school. The Great Southern is a fantastic region for all types of agriculture, so we are trying to reflect that through our offering of courses,” Mr Marquardt said.

Among operations on the GSG farm, the school has established a Dexter cattle stud and plans to build a Dorset sheep stud.

The sheep operation is still in its infancy but the Dexter stud is up and running and later this year pedigree Dexter embryos will be transplanted into 20 Dexter cross recipient cows purchased in 2015.

Mr Marquardt said an eventual aim was to exhibit animals from registered herds and flocks at events such as the Perth Royal Show, Wagin Woolorama and Albany Show.

In 2014, the school started the GSG Poultry Club, managed by boarding students. Year 11 Animal Production Systems students have been charged with a design project for a future systems and breed crossover study.

The school last year planted a one-acre vineyard with 1000 Sauvignon Blanc rootlings in consultation with two local wineries. It is expected the first full harvest of GSG branded wine production will take place in 2017.

A decked area providing an outdoor classroom and space for three 1500-litre aquaculture tanks and three 1000-litre aquaponics tanks will soon be ready. This year, GSG will harvest rainbow trout and marron along with the herbs grown in conjunction with the aquaponics system.

Also on the agenda is plans for a small olive grove and avocado plantation.

Mr Marquardt said any profits from agricultural produce would be reinvested in the agricultural programs.

“These programs require a significant financial investment and we haven’t to date received any additional funding. We have applied to Royalties for Regions but are yet to hear if we are successful. In the meantime, we have had to self fund the program,” he said.

Mr Marquardt added the school was receiving good support from the community. For instance, a local vet is volunteering his time to run the cattle embryo transplant program with the students.

He said GSG was not trying to replicate offerings by specialist agricultural colleges.

“We are aiming to have appropriate agricultural-based courses so students, in addition to other course of study, can take this pathway. It gives balance to their programs.”