Food & Nutrition

Food Preparation & Nutrition - An insight into what the subject is all about at GCSE. 

Programme of study Y7

Practical cooking skills, food hygiene and safety and nutrition.

Programme of study Y8

Practical cooking skills and nutrition.

Programme of study Y9

Practical cooking skills, food science, nutrition and the food industry.

Assessment

Not applicable.

Award: GCSE

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 8585

Specification Website: Food Preparation and Nutrition

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 and the science behind it.

The heart of 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.

Have a look out our Resource Centre

Assessments

Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition

Written exam

Theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• Multiple choice questions (20 marks)

• Five questions, each with a number of sub questions (80 marks)

• 100 marks

• 50% of GCSE 

Non - Examination Assessments: 

Task 1: Food investigation 

• (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.

• Assessment of the understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.

• 30 marks

• 15% of GCSE

Practical investigations are a compulsory element of this NEA task. 

Task 2: Food preparation assessment

• Including photographic evidence.

• Assessment of knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking,

• Presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task.

• 70 marks

• 35% of GCSE

Students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than 3 hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved. 

Award:  Level 3 Diploma

Awarding Body: WJEC

AS Offered: Level 3 Certificate

Specification Code: 601/4552/3 

Specification Website: https://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/food-science-and-nutrition-level-3/#tab_keydocuments

Institution: Westside

An understanding of food science and nutrition is relevant to many industries and job roles. Care providers and nutritionists in hospitals use this knowledge, as do sports coaches and fitness instructors. Hotels and restaurants, food manufacturers and government agencies also use this understanding to develop menus, food products and policies that that support healthy eating initiatives. Many employment opportunities within the field of food science and nutrition are available to graduates.

This is an Applied General qualification. This means it is designed primarily to support learners progressing to university. It has been designed to offer exciting, interesting experiences that focus learning for 16 - 19 year old learners through applied learning, i.e. through the acquisition of knowledge and understanding in purposeful, work-related contexts, linked to the food production industry. 

Subject Content

This Level 3 course has three units:

Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups, completed in Year 12 involves a controlled assessment and a written examination. The unit deals with real life scenarios and case studies involving a spa, care home, café or hotel and there is an examined practical where food suitable for a specific nutritional need is prepared.

Unit 2: Ensuring Food is Safe to Eat, is completed in Year 13 has an internal assessment completed under timed conditions. This involves analysing all the risks in a particular food setting such as a food festival or buffet.

Unit 3: Experimenting to Solve Food Production Problems or Unit 4: Current Issues in Food Science and Nutrition is completed in Year 13 and is chosen by the student. It involves a controlled assessment. Unit 3 deals with a problem such as how to avoid soggy pastry or meringues that break too easily, and the work involves carrying out experiments which would result in how to make the best pastry or meringue. Unit 4 could be an investigation into a contemporary issue such as vegan foods, healthy school meals or eating healthily on a budget.

If you choose to complete Unit 1 only in Year 12 you will be awarded a Certificate of Food Science and Nutrition.

The course covers the following topics: Nutritional needs; Nutrient structure; Energy balance; Dietary planning; Current health factors and concerns; Health promotion; Dietary needs of individuals; Influences of Culture; Food choice; Current issues; Food safety and hygiene; Food science; Food Production; Food poisoning; Risk Assessment and Sensory Analysis.

Assessment

Internal assessment

Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups. (This unit is also externally assessed.)

Unit 3: Experimenting to Solve Food Production Problems.

Unit 4: Current issues in Food Science and Nutrition.

External assessment

Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups will be both internally and externally assessed. 

Details of the external assessment are as follows:

90 minute examination; plus 15 minutes reading time

Total of 90 marks

Three sections on each paper:

Section A is short answer questions .

Section B is extended answer questions.

Section C relates to a case study.

Each paper will be available in June of each year.

Learners are allowed two resit opportunities. The highest grade will contribute towards the overall grade for the qualification.

WJEC will produce a mark scheme which will be used as the basis for marking the examination papers 

The paper will be graded Level 3 Pass, Level 3 Merit and Level 3 Distinction.