Food Technology

Curriculum Area: Food Technology

Subject Leaders: Miss Kinsella and Miss Phung

Intent

Cooking is an essential life skill that should empower us to make lifestyle and personal changes to benefit our health and wellbeing. Learning to cook used to be passed down through the generations, but there is now a heavy reliance on pre-prepared or ready-cooked food, a major cause of the obesity epidemic affecting our nation’s health.

This engaging curriculum aims to change all that. For some, it may be the start of a career in cooking; for others, it will help them to learn the basic skills and recipes that will help them to make healthy choices throughout their lives. Our curriculum intends to provide a holistic and inclusive learning experience that empowers pupils with essential life skills, practical knowledge, and a renewed sense of belonging within the educational system. We aim to re-engage our pupils by fostering their interest in food, cooking and nutrition, thereby promoting their personal and academic growth.

Implementation

The department provides a safe, welcoming and supportive environment where all pupils are expected to work to a high standard in their weekly lessons.  Skills and knowledge are mapped throughout the scheme of work to ensure consolidation and progression.

All pupils develop essential knowledge and skills such as:

• kitchen basics: what equipment you need and the best way to stock your store cupboard, fridge and freezer
• food safety and hygiene: knife safety, fridge management and rotation
• how to shop cleverly: shopping lists, seasonal food and planning ahead
• preparing ingredients and understanding confusing food labels.

In KS3, we cover the following topics:

• Hygiene and Safety
  • Working safely in a kitchen
  • Hazards in a kitchen
  • Knife Safety
  • Hand washing
  • Cross Contamination
• The Eatwell Guide
  • Your five a day
  • Meats and Poultry
  • Fruits and Vegetables
• Healthy Meal Planning
  • Meal planning throughout life
  • Special Diets
  • Getting your five day
• Nutrients in foods
  • Proteins
  • Carbohydrates
  • Vitamins and Minerals
• World Foods
  • Around the world in 80 dishes
  • Celebration meals from around the world
  • Countries Speciality
• Energy
  • How much should we be eating
  • Athletes’ meals
  • Staying active
  • Burning calories

In KS4, we offer includes two single-unit BTEC Home Cooking Skills qualifications, one at Level 1 and one at Level 2.

Impact

The curriculum gives our pupils a sense of achievement, pride and self-worth in their practical work, increasing their self-confidence.  It equips them with the ability to make informed food choices that will have a lasting impact on their well-being.  They often carry forward the lessons learned about nutrition, budgeting and cooking, leading to healthier lifestyles.  The curriculum nurtures a renewed interest in learning and personal growth that carries on beyond the classroom.

Most of our pupils achieve both their Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications from the Home Cooking Skills course that we offer through Pearson.  The qualifications enhance their employability and open doors to a range of culinary and hospitality-related careers in their Post-16 pathways.