Food Preparation and Nutrition

Why should I choose it?

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. If you are considering any type of “hands on” career the skills you learn on this course are transferable. It is also 50% coursework so if you work hard throughout the 2 years this will put less pressure on the examination.

What does the course involve?

1. Food, nutrition and health – Macro Nutrients, Micro Nutrients, Nutritional Needs and Health.
2. Food science – Cooking of food, Heat Transfer and the Functional and Chemical Properties of Food.
3. Food safety – Food Spoilage, Contamination and the Principles of Food Safety.
4. Food choice – Factors affecting Food Choice, British and International Cuisines, Sensory Evaluation, Food Labelling and Marketing.
5. Food provenance – Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Food, Food Processing and Production.

How will I be assessed?

• Assessments: EXAM: Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition (50%) Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes - the paper will be made up of 20 multiple choice questions worth 20 marks and 5 questions each with a number of sub questions worth 80 marks.
• NON- EXAM ASSESSMENT (NEA): Task 1 Food investigation (15%) Written Report Pupils’ understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients. Pupils will submit a written report (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.
• NON-EXAM ASSESSMENT (NEA): Task 2 Food preparation assessment (35%) Written Portfolio Pupils will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than three hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved. Pupils will submit a written portfolio (15 A4 pages) including photographic evidence.

What could a qualification lead to?

Studying food preparation and nutrition can lead to exciting and well-paid career options. This course could lead you into roles such as Chef, Food Product Developer, Buyer (who travels the world sourcing new food products for manufacturers), Food Safety Inspector, Nutritionist, Dietician, Quality Manager, Teacher, Food Engineer, Food Scientist, Food Technologist, Food Photographer, Food Stylist, Home Economist, Hotel and Restaurant Manager, Microbiologist, working in food journalism.