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Food & Nutrition
Departmental approach to the curriculum
Food Preparation and Nutrition is taught across Key Stage 3 in a carousel model; students experience both theory and practical lessons for one term within an academic year.
At Key Stage 4, GCSE Food and Nutrition is taught to Years 10 and 11.
We offer enrichment opportunities to Key Stage 5, including ASDAN FoodWise from September 2023.
Year 7
In Year 7, students follow an engaging introductory topic called An English Cream Tea, delivered through alternating practical and theory lessons. This unit establishes foundational culinary confidence, essential kitchen safety habits, and core nutritional knowledge, providing the ideal entry point for Food Preparation and Nutrition in Key Stage 3.
What students will learn and do:
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Practical Culinary Skills: Master fundamental kitchen routines and techniques, including pre-combining and shaping dough (such as scones), sauce and jam preparation, correct knife and equipment handling, cooker controls, and maintaining a clean, organized workspace.
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Food Safety & Personal Hygiene: Embed essential practical routines—including a 7-step practical setup and 5-step handwashing technique—while learning to identify kitchen hazards vs. risks, remove jewellery, and prevent cross-contamination.
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Food Storage & Temperature Control: Explore temperature management across the kitchen, identifying fridge (3–5°C) and freezer (-18°C) standards, understanding the "Danger Zone" (5°C to 63°C), and analyzing high-risk foods to prevent pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli.
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Nutrition & Energy for Health: Investigate the three main macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) via the Eatwell Guide, comparing "slow-release" vs. "quick-release" energy foods to understand how breakfast choices and hydration affect daily performance and concentration.
Year 8
In Year 8, students follow a topic called Around the World at Ricky, delivered through a mix of practical cooking and theory lessons. This unit builds foundational culinary skills, kitchen safety, and a global understanding of food choice, sustainability, and nutrition.
What students will learn and do:
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Practical Culinary Skills: Master core techniques including safe knife handling, hob and oven controls, fruit and vegetable preparation, dough making, and sauce making.
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Food Safety & Hygiene: Learn essential kitchen routines, hazard identification, hand washing, and cross-contamination prevention.
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Food Choice & Provenance: Investigate key influences on food choices (cost, lifestyle, media, allergies) and how food is grown, reared, caught, and processed.
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Sustainability & Nutrition: Explore food miles, seasonality, the 6 Rs of waste, food preservation, and how nutritional needs change across life stages.
Year 9
In Year 9, students follow an exciting topic called Street Food, delivered through one practical and one theory lesson every two weeks. This unit builds high-level culinary confidence and scientific understanding, providing the perfect stepping stone for students wanting to take GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition in Key Stage 4.
What students will learn and do:
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Practical Culinary Skills: Master 12 core cooking techniques, including safe knife use, cooker controls, dough shaping, sauce making, seasoning, and adapting recipes.
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Food Safety & Hygiene: Understand key safety routines, temperature controls, and how to prevent cross-contamination in kitchen environments.
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Nutrition & Health: Study macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), alongside dietary health risks like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
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Food Science in Action: Explore methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), ingredient functions (binding, thickening, shortening), and chemical browning reactions like caramelisation and the Maillard reaction.
Year 10 and 11
The AQA Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE is an exciting and creative course that focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance, and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students’ practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition over the course of two years AQA exam board.
It is a practical and creative course that focuses on giving students the necessary skills and subject knowledge to provide the foundation for the NEA and final examination in year 11.
Intended to be flexible and easily adapted to meet the curriculum requirements.
The approved books support the course specification with recipe suggestions for practical activities and can be used as an extension over additional sessions.
Topics and themes:
1. Food, nutrition, and health
2. Food science
3. Food safety
4. Food choice
5. Food provenance
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/food/gcse/food-preparation-and-nutrition-8585
Students will be expected to apply their knowledge and understanding of the specification from the Year 10 course and demonstrate a wide range of practical skills in the Non-Exam Assessment (NEA). The final written paper will assess their theoretical knowledge and understanding of the subject content of this specification.
Students will have been taught a wide range of food preparation skills which have been integrated throughout the Year 10 scheme of work and linked where appropriate to the subject content. In the NEA, students must use and apply a variety of food preparation skills to achieve a range of different outcomes. The choice of recipes to demonstrate the skills.
Assessment for AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (8585)
Assessment is by a Non-exam assessment (NEA, undertaken in year 11) which forms 50% of the marks, the remaining 50% will be by a one hour 45 minutes written examination.
Link to the AQA Food Preparation and Nutrition homepage
Written Exam worth 50%
Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Marks: 100 marks
Coursework worth 50%
Task 1: Food investigation (30 marks)
Students' understanding of the working characteristics, and functional and chemical properties of ingredients.
Practical investigations are a compulsory element of this NEA task. Task 1: Written or electronic report (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.
Task 2: Food preparation assessment (70 marks)
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 no more than three hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved. This task can be written or electronic portfolio including photographic evidence. Photographic evidence of the three final dishes must be included.
Long Term Curriculum Overviews
Long Term Curriculum Plan - Food and Nutrition - Year 7
Long Term Curriculum Plan - Food and Nutrition - Year 8
Long Term Curriculum Plan - Food and Nutrition - Year 9
'The Big Picture' Curriculum Map
'The Big Picture Curriculum Map
This document will provide a visual overview of the department's curriculum from Key Stages 3 to 5. This is in a student-friendly format to support them in their understanding of the department's curriculum.
Assessment Matrix - Food Preparation and Nutrition
Department Assessment Matrix
This document will provide an overview for assessment for Key Stages 3 and 4.
Home Learning
Home learning at Key Stage 3 contributes and feeds into the scheme for learning. Feedback on home learning is given digitally as all students will be working on a digital workbook for their rotation.
Home learning is set once every half term at KS3. The frequency of home learning will increase at Key Stage 4 and 5 and represent work for students’ examined assessments.
How can you help your child succeed in food technology?
KS3/KS4
We recommend the students cook as much as possible to practice all their skills as well as developing a love for cooking skills.
KS4
We recommend that students use the AQA revision guide as their source of revision. The AQA guide along with past papers is a fantastic way to prepare for the exam. The AQA can be purchased on amazon.
