Food Preparation & Nutrition

GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition

 Examining board: AQA

Aim of course

 This new GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course which 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.

Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:

• Food, nutrition and health
• Food science
• Food safety
• Food choice
• Food provenance.

The range of food and ingredients studied in lessons will reflect the recommended guidelines for a healthy diet based on the main food commodity groups:

• bread, cereals, flour, oats, rice, potatoes and pasta
• fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned and juiced)
• milk, cheese and yoghurt
• meat, fish, eggs, soya, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds
• butter, oil, margarine, sugar and syrup.

Upon completion of this course, students will be qualified to go on to further study or embark on an apprenticeship or full-time career in the catering or food industries.

Throughout Year 9 students focus on further developing their practical skills with each half term focused on a particular skills and techniques. Year 9 students also get the opportunity to practice a number of short coursework tasks in order to develop the skills needed to achieve high marks when completing their NEA tasks in Year 11.

 Method of assessment

Written exam: Food preparation and nutrition (50% of GCSE)

1 hour 30 minutes (100 marks)

Non-exam assessment (50% of GCSE)

1. Task 1: Food Science Investigation
   Written report (1,500 – 2,000) words including research, planning and photographic evidence of practical work. (45 marks)
2. Task 2: Food Preparation
   Written portfolio including photographic evidence of the practical work (70 Marks)
   Maximum 20 pages included in portfolio 3 hour practical exam completed as part of the task.

Key Stage 5 progression/Career prospects

There is a wide range of careers and interests for which GCSE Food and Nutrition is relevant including Nutritionist, Dietician, Food Technologist, Food Scientist, Food Biotechnologist, Head Chef, Caterer, Development Chef, Hospitality Management, Food Product Buyer, Food Manufacturer, Government Researcher, and Environmental Health Officer.

Enrichment

• International Food Day
• Billingsgate Seafood School
• Springboard Future Chef

 Recommended Reading

• The Science of Cooking: Every Questioned Answered to Your Perfect Cooking (Dr, Stuart Farrimond)
• How Food works: The Facts Visually Explained (DK)
• The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science (J.Kenji Lopez-alt)
• The Cook’s book of Ingredients (DK)
• The Cook’s Book: Recipes and Step-by-Step Techniques from Top Chefs: (Shaun Hill, Ken Hom and Charlie Trotter)

Revision Guides

•  GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition – AQA Revision Guide
•  AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition: Revision Guide (Anita Tull)
• Grade 9-1 GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition – Complete Revision & Practice