Food Preparation & Nutrition

Food and Nutrition is studied by all students in year 7 to 9. Students can choose to study the subject further in years 10 and 11 as one of their GCSE option choices. Food and Nutrition will equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principle of healthy eating, nutrition and food hygiene. Our curriculum will encourage students to cook and enable them to develop vital life skills that will enable them to feed themselves and others nutritiously within a budget, now and later in life.

Our food department consists of one dedicated room that is an attractive, well-designed and recently-refurbished environment. This provides a contemporary and spacious kitchen for students to learn and develop their skills. For all years, the focus is on practical cooking skills and developing a thorough understanding of nutrition and the safe preparation of food.

The Food and Nutrition Learning Journey provides a general overview of what students will cover in this subject.

View the Food and Nutrition Learning Journey.

Key Stage 3

Table of Topics

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Food safety and preparing food hygienically. Health and safety in the kitchen. Knife skills. Weighing and measuring accurately/ Methods of heat transfer Introduction to nutrition - key nutrients Seasonality Students will cook a variety of dishes throughout the year in order to learn to safely use all parts of the cooker.	Source and functions of both macro and micro nutrients Eatwell guide and the importance of a healthy diet Dietary requirements through life Issues of malnutrition Food sustainability Students will continue to produce a range of increasingly complex dishes in order to extend and develop their cooking skills	Food provenance Special dietary requirements Food commodities Foods from around the world Functional properties of ingredients Raising agents During year 9 students continue to develop their practical skills so that they are able to plan and adapt recipes and plan their own practical lessons.

Key Stage 4

At GCSE students study Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.

This course equips students with an array of culinary techniques as well as knowledge of nutrition, food traditions and kitchen safety.

Key areas of study are:

Food, nutrition and health
Food science
Food safety
Food choice
Food provenance

This course is suited to those who aspire to work in the wider food industry and associated careers.

Table of Topics

Year 10	Year 11
Food Spoilage Principles of Nutrition Diet and Good Health Factors Affecting Food Choice Cultures and Cuisines	NEA1 - Food Science Investigation NEA2 – Food Preparation Assessment Food Provenance and Food Waste Technological Developments Commodities Revision

Exam board: Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (601/8093/6)

Unit 1 is a 1 hour 45 minute written exam worth 50% of the overall grade. This covers theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition.

Unit 2 consists of two Non Examination Assessments.

Task 1: Food Investigation Students’ understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients. Practical investigations are a compulsory element of this NEA task. (15% of the final grade)
Task 2: Food Preparation Assessment Students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking, presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task. Students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of three hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved.(35% of the final grade)

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is a great qualification if you want to follow a career as any of the following:

Chef (e.g. Commis Chef, Chef de Partie, Sous Chef or Head Chef)
Food Technologist
Food Designer
Nutritionist
Dietician
Food Photography

Find out more about this qualification.

View the GCSE course specification

GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition Video