Head of Department: Hannah Edwards (hannah.edwards@buxton.derbyshire.sch.uk)

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Key Stage 3

All pupils have the opportunity to study Food and Nutrition at KS3. In Year 7 pupils have a twenty lesson module which gives them a good introduction to the subject, and a further 20 lesson module later in the year. In practical lessons pupils will cook a range of simple dishes and will learn the basic food preparation skills.

At the beginning of the course they will be given a recipe book and are asked to provide the necessary ingredients , a container and an apron for each practical lesson. The recipes can also be seen below and are also downloadable at the bottom of the page, should you wish to view this way or print a copy. In addition to developing their practical skills, pupils will learn about choosing a healthy diet and the importance of Food Hygiene.

Students will study Food Technology for 40 lessons in year 8 and 9 on a rotation with other technology subjects. Practical cooking lessons will be once a week and students will be required to bring ingredients and an apron. During practical lessons students will prepare and cook a wide range of dishes which include a variety of traditional British (such as Shepherd’s Pie), foreign main meals (like Lasagne or Curry) and the occasional pudding! All are guaranteed to be delicious and will be enjoyed by families at home. Again, recipes can be seen below as a jpeg or as a PDF document at the bottom of the page.

During theory lessons students will cover a range of topics including the importance of healthy eating for teenagers, planning nutritious diets, food safety and hygiene, wise shopping and budgeting skills.

Key Stage 4 

V Cert Food and cookery

Why choose V Cert Food and Cookery? 

Practical Cookery at KS4

This course is called Food and Cookery because there is an emphasis on COOKERY!

If you choose Food and Cookery as one of your GCSE options you will be expected to bring in your cooking ingredients on a weekly basis. In year 10 we cook every week to build up your skills and repertoire of dishes. In Y11 this is spread out a bit more when we are doing the controlled assessment unit.

We try to vary the dishes so it is not too expensive every week!

You will also need the following equipment, apron, container, ovenproof dish and baking tray.

Sometimes we all cook the same dish to improve a particular skill or to learn about the function of an ingredients or to learn about a particular food group. Sometimes there is more of a free choice, for example cook a dish that will appeal to a teenager, or make a dish that is rich in calcium. On these occasions you will have to have a recipe and method to follow that you have researched and printed off.

We cook a wide range of dishes so it is really important that you will be prepared to cook with different ingredients and try new foods from lots of different cultures.

In year 11 you are given a brief and have to plan, cook, and evaluate 4 dishes. This forms 60% of your total GCSE. The other 40% is an exam taken at the end of Y11.

The Units in the exam are:

• Food Health and Safety
• Where does our food come from? How it is grown, reared and produced.
• Healthy eating, food groups, nutrition, balanced diets
• What factors affect the food that we choose to eat? E.g. Budget, religion
• How to prepare and cook different foods, cooking skills and techniques
• How to adapt recipes

The majority of this is taught through 2 hour practical sessions each week as well as a 1 hour theory session each week.

See Miss Edwards or Miss Hunter if you would like to discuss this course. 

More Information

The ability to plan, prepare and present food is an essential skill in life. The V Cert in Food and Cookery equips you with theoretical knowledge about nutrition, healthy eating and food provenance as well as enabling you to develop practical skills in planning, preparing and cooking a variety of dishes. Even if you don’t plan to have a career within the food industry you will learn many transferable, essential life skills. 

Level 1/2 Technical Award in Food and Cookery:

V Certs are designed in collaboration with employers to ensure they equip individuals with the skills the workforce needs.

They empower pupils with industry-relevant skills and knowledge appropriate to a range of growing sectors. V Certs are combined Level 1 and Level 2, to recognise the achievements of pupils of all abilities.

They’re graded from Level 1 Pass, Merit, Distinction, through to Level 2 Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction*, which is the equivalent to GCSE grades 8.5-1.

Studying our V Cert in Food and Cookery will give pupils the fundamental skills and knowledge they’ll need to prepare for a career in the hospitality and catering sector. This qualification covers key subject areas, from food health and safety and information on key food groups and key nutrients, to recipe development, amendment and evaluation.

What skills will I develop? 

You will develop food preparation and cooking skills as well as transferable skills of problem solving, organisation and time management, planning and communication. 

What will I study? 

Studying our V Cert in Food and Cookery will give pupils the fundamental skills and knowledge they’ll need to prepare for a career in the hospitality and catering sector. This qualification covers key subject areas, from food health and safety and information on key food groups and key nutrients, to recipe development, amendment and evaluation.

How will I be assessed? 

The V Cert is externally and internally assessed. 

Unit 1 : is assessed through a written examination and is worth 40% of qualification.

Unit 2  is worth 60% of qualification 

Is assessed through a Non-examination assessment task (NEA) controlled assessment which will be completed under controlled conditions, marked by your teacher, externally moderated. This will allow you to showcase the food preparation skills you have developed through your practical lessons. You will have to plan, cook and prepare 4 dishes for this work.

16 hours will be allocated for this assessment 

It will be marked as; Level 1 Pass, Level 2 Pass, Merit or Distinction.