Food Preparation & Nutrition
As part of their work with food, students at Harris Garrard Academy are taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition, healthy eating, and food science. Instilling a love of cooking in students will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity.
Key Stage 3 overview
At Key Stage 3, students at Harris Garrard Academy are taught to:
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health
- cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they can 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.
A Key Stage 3, the subject content enables the students to make the connections between theory and safe practice so that they can apply their understanding of food and nutrition to fortnightly practical cooking and skill development.
Key Stage 4 overview
At Key Stage 4, Food Preparation and Nutrition sets out the knowledge, understanding and skills in food preparation and nutrition to ensure progression from Key Stage 3 national curriculum requirements and the possibility of development to further study in Key Stage 4 and beyond. Aims and learning outcomes In studying Food Preparation and Nutrition at Key Stage 4, students:
- 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 chemical processes as well as 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 food
- Understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international), to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipe
At Key Stage 4, the subject content requires greater depth to build on previous knowledge and skills taught in Key Stage 3, such as cooking and preparation techniques, nutrition and provenance.
Assessments are completed termly and students complete detailed written theoretical assessments and practical evaluations of cooking outcomes.
Key Stage 4 Students are also assessed externally through the linear GCSE qualification where assessments are completed annually. Marking is completed in line with school policy documents and feedback is given from each assessment. Students and teacher also exchange written feedback in the form of termly surveys and feedback from Student voice. Changes are made with a view for improvement and reflection of schemes based on outcomes, knowledge and understanding of each tested unit. Knowledge is constantly re-visited and thus embedded into long term memory.
Once each half term, students complete an assessed piece of work which encompasses prior learning in previous knowledge organisers.
You can download Knowledge Organisers for each year group from our Knowledge Organisers page.
For queries about the Food Preparation and Nutrition curriculum please contact Marsha Miller-Peart m.miller-peart@harrisgarrard.org.uk
Further details of the curriculum can be found below.
