CHRISTOPHER WHITEHEAD
LANGUAGE COLLEGE AND SIXTH FORM
Welcome to Food & Nutrition
Mrs K Johnson
Teacher of KS3 Food and Nutrition Teacher of GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
- k.johnson@cwlc.email
Miss E Smith
Teacher of GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
- e.smith@cwlc.email
Mrs S Sherriff
Department Technician
- s.sherriff@cwlc.email
The Food and Nutrition department strives to see students aspire to and achieve success at key stage 3 and 4. Students will gain essential life skills to carry forward that will enable them to make informed choices about the food they eat and how to live a healthy, economical and sustainable lifestyle.
Key stage 3 students are first introduced to the importance of hygiene and safety rules to ensure that they work safely and that the food they produce is safe to eat. Students will learn about the names and uses of kitchen utensils and equipment. They are then introduced to nutrition and will learn about macronutrients and micronutrients with the addition of fibre and water. Students aim to gain a thorough understanding of the Eatwell Guide and healthy eating. In practical lessons, students make a range of products that enable them to develop their skills and increase their confidence in food preparation. Students are encouraged to independently follow a recipe and will make progress towards making higher skilled dishes.
Key stage 4 students can continue their food studies on the GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition course. Students develop a higher level of skills in cooking and presentation as well as a greater knowledge about: balanced diets, food choices, healthy lifestyle for themselves, different needs, lifestyles and cultures. They also explore different food production and processes as well as food science, including experiments.
The Food and Nutrition department delivers excellent teaching and achieves exceptional outcomes and results at key stages 3 and 4. In 2022 our GCSE results were above the national and county averages for grade 7-9 and 4-9.
Food and Nutrition year 7, 8 and 9
Design and technology is delivered by a carousel system so students will spend part of the year studying each element of the subject.
There are three core threads that run through our curriculum to enable our students to become confident cooks:
- The practical skills and techniques of cooking
- The underlying principles of food science, nutrition and food safety.
- Food traditions and provenance
Year 7
Rotation 1: Discovering Food and Nutrition
Students will learn about hygiene and safety, utensils and equipment, parts of the cooker and heat transfer, basic nutrients, healthy eating and the Eatwell Guide, seasonality and provenance, sensory analysis. Students will develop their food preparation knowledge and skills through teacher demonstrations and practical lessons.
Rotation 2: Breakfast and Healthy Eating
Students will learn about commodities including cereals and beans, how to adapt recipes for good health. They will become confident in all aspects of the Eatwell Guide and will experience more sensory analysis of products. Students will continue to develop their food preparation knowledge and skills through teacher demonstrations and practical lessons where they will make a range of products suitable for breakfast, light meal or snack.
Year 8
Rotation 1: Multicultural Meals
Students will broaden their nutritional knowledge by learning about the function and sources of the macronutrients and some micronutrients. Students will cook a range of multicultural meals that cover a variety of different skills, often using high risk ingredients such as meat and chicken. Dietary needs are considered throughout with freedom given to adapt and develop recipes. Students will gain an introduction to bread making and will get to carry out a food science investigation.
Rotation 2: Diet and Health
Students will gain confidence in relating nutrients to different meals and recipes and will look further at water and hydration. They will learn about energy needs and energy balance and will use a nutritional analysis programme to review the nutrition in a product. Students will consider the factors that affect food choice with a focus on the dietary needs and choices of young people and will investigate meal planning that considers local and seasonal produce.
Course title: GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
Exam board: AQA
Teachers: Mrs K Johnson and Miss E Smith
Units covered
- Food Preparation Skills: students will practice knife skills, prepare fish and meat, gain confidence in general preparation skills, learn how to combine ingredients and shape/finish products. They will also learn how to make different doughs (pastry, pasta, bread).
- Food Nutrition and Health: students will continue to develop confidence in their knowledge of macronutrients, micronutrients, fibre and water. They will understand how people can make informed choices and the relationship between diet/nutrition and health.
- Food Science: students will revisit heat transfer and will learn how to select appropriate cooking methods. Students will learn about the chemical properties and functions of carbohydrates, protein and fats/oils. They will understand raising agents and enzymic browning.
- Food Safety: students will learn about microorganisms, enzymes and food spoilage. They will understand how microorganisms are used in food production. Students will consider bacterial contamination and will understand the rules for buying/storing food and preparing/cooking food.
- Food Choice: students will learn about British and international cuisines. They will look at more detailed methods of sensory evaluation, food labelling, factors affecting food choice.
- Food Provenance: students will understand the relationship between food and the environment, food provenance and production methods, sustainability of food and food processing.
How is it assessed?
Written Exam = 1 hour 45 minutes (50% of total GCSE) 100 marks
Non Exam Assessment (NEA) Coursework
NEA1: Food Investigation Task (15% of total GCSE) 30 marks
Students will write a report on their understanding of the scientific principles that underpin the preparation and cooking of food.
NEA2: Food Preparation Task (35% of total GCSE) 70 marks
Students will carry out research, develop technical skills through the cooking of trial dishes that are later developed into a final menu. Student will plan, prepare, cook and present three dishes within 3 hours. A portfolio is produced that will include a detailed time plan, along with costings, nutritional analysis and sensory review of each dish.