Our Vision for Food Technology 

Our vision for Food Technology is to instil a love of food in pupils and to open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life. We want our students to learn the nutritional elements of food preparation as well as what impact their food or consumer choice might have on the environment and their own health.   

As part of their work with food, pupils are taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. We promote the importance of being able to enjoy a balanced diet and educate students on what constitutes to a healthy and varied diet. We also aim to broaden our students’ experience of food by developing their repertoire of recipes, exposing them to an abundance of textures and flavour.  

As a department we continuously reflect on the curriculum to ensure that students are engaged and being challenged. Our specialised staff constantly develop their own skills by exploring new recipes as well as keeping up to date with the latest food trends and health issues, liaising with university of Worcester and Food Teachers Centre to utilise new and innovative ideas. 

The content of our Curriculum for Food Technology 

Food Technology curriculum is built with a combination of both theoretical and practical lessons, providing students with a wealth of knowledge and skills that empowers them to independently cook for themselves. The learning journey in Food Technology is sequential; The initial skills that are acquired in Year 7 are then revisited and built on during Year 8 and then again in Year 9 as the content becomes more challenging. This learning process allows students to practice and refine their skills in: Food preparation, knife skills, kitchen and food safety, selecting and preparing ingredients, using utensils, using electrical equipment, applying heat in different ways and using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients.  

At KS4 we offer GCSE ‘Food Preparation and Nutrition’ as an option. The Key Stage 4 learning journey begins with a unit on ‘Food Safety’ to allow students to understand the importance of hygiene and contamination. This unit then enables students to apply theory to practical skills. Food safety is a thread that runs throughout the whole GCSE with double lessons to ensure students can show the expected level to achieve well at the end of Year 11. Students then cover ‘Food, Nutrition and Health’ which includes the food science behind nutrients and how they are beneficial. Students then explore ‘Food choice’ which includes special diets and international cuisine, both of which are topics in NEA 2, worth 35% of the final GCSE. During this time, students complete a mock NEA 2 about preparing foods for a specific client so that we can model the expectations for the assessment in Year 11. ‘Food provenance’ is the final topic, and students realise that this topic, including food waste, environment and food sources, is constantly evolving. ‘Food science’ is taught continuously throughout which leads to a mock NEA 1. At the start of Year 11 they finish off ‘Food Provenance’ and then start their NEAs. The knowledge in Year 10 is required for both NEAs. Practical skills are developed even further and students are challenged so they are ready for their practical exam. We also benefit from visits by external speakers such as the fishmonger from Morrisons and post 16 colleges.  

KASE 

The Food Technology curriculum really develops the ‘skills’ element of KASE. Practical skills are reinforced through knowledge that is taught in dedicated theory lessons. Food Technology also builds on student’s attributes as quite often students must work out of their comfort zone which can strengthen their resilience and build their confidence. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. We strive for our lessons to be engaging, relevant to real life and most of all fun. We give them the experience of being able to cook for themselves and others. Our subject is always popular, and the pride shown by students at every level regarding their achievements is clear to see.  

Inclusion 

Students of all abilities are supported in Food Technology. Allergies and dietary requirements are considered when practical lessons are delivered, and we strive to provide alternative food options where available. A safe environment is provided for students to test out new skills and they are encouraged to take risks in order to foster confidence and independence within the kitchen. We also have a dedicated technician who is on hand to support with the safe delivery of the curriculum.   

Overview and Assessment Information 

Please refer to the subject Curriculum and Assessment Overview document for an overview of specific topics and assessments.   

Assessment timeframes can be found in the subject Scheme of Assessment.