Welcome to the Food Department

• Miss K Ridgers – Curriculum Leader for Design and Technology
• Mrs J Meader
• Mrs L Lewis

As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also 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.

Key stage 3

Pupils will be taught to:

• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health
• cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet
• become competent in a range of cooking techniques for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes
• understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients

Key stage 4

The Level 1/2 Award in Hospitality and Catering has been designed to support learners in schools and colleges who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study.

It is most suitable as a foundation for further study, providing learners with a core depth of knowledge and a range of specialist and general skills that will support their progression to further learning and employment.

This course must equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles or safety, nutrition and healthy eating. They should encourage students to cook and enable them to make informed decisions about a wide range of further learning opportunities and career pathways as well as develop vital life skills that enable them to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life.

In studying hospitality and catering, students must:

• demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing and cooking using a variety of food commodities, cooking techniques and equipment
• develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties and the nutritional content of food and drinks
• understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health 
• understand the economic, environmental, ethical, and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, and diet and health choices 
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving foo
• understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international), to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipes
• develop knowledge and understanding of job roles available within the hospitality and catering sector including health and safety law, employment law along with the needs and wants of customers and factors that affect business success.

WJEC Level 1/2 Assessment Details:
In industry: Each student has a written exam 1 hour and 30 minutes, this makes up 40% of the marks.
In action: Pupils also carry out a piece of written coursework based on a given brief. The assignment will as pupils to, prepare, cook and present a final menu of two dishes, within a 4 hour period, planning in advance what meals would best suit their customers, and how this practical will be achieved.

September 2022