They're part of the year 10 working class for students who don't want to do years 11 and 12.

The class has been in operation at Plumpton since 2002 under the supervision of teacher Glenn Phillips and learning support co-ordinator Lorraine Piggot.

Traditional lessons of maths, English and science have been scrapped in favour of practical subjects.

Students spend two days a week doing work experience to boost their chances of getting an apprenticeship.

The remaining three days focus on hands-on classes such as metal and wood work, electronics construction and agriculture.

Students spent two days last week building a shed at nearby Plumpton Public School.

The boys laid the concrete slab before erecting the shed, which was badly needed at the school to store gardening equipment.

Mrs Piggot gave a special mention to Scott Santucci, who was outstanding in leading the project.

``They did a brilliant job on the shed,'' Mrs Piggot said.

Many success stories have come from the class. One is of Matthew Spinks, who won the NSW Civil Construction Traineeship award of excellence last year.

``I don't know what would happen to the students if the class didn't exist,'' Mrs Piggot said.

``These are students who find school work hard and would not want to be here otherwise.''