GCSE FOOD PREPARATION AND NUTRITION (AQA)

The 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 food science, nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food material.  At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students’ practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.  Students must be able to make the connections between theory and practice to apply their understanding of food and nutrition to practical preparation.  The main topics covered are:

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

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

• Bread, cereals, flour, oats, rice, potatoes and pasta
• Fruit and vegetables
• Milk, cheese and yoghurt
• Meat, fish, eggs, soya, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds
• Butter, oil, margarine, sugar and syrup

Non-exam assessment:

Task 1: Food investigation

This assesses students’ understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.  It is presented as a written report (1,500 – 2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.

Task 2: Food preparation assessment

This assesses students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking, presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task.  Students 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.  It is presented as a written portfolio including photographic evidence.

Exam:

There is one final examination paper (1 hour 45 minutes) which is based on the theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition.  The exam is made up of multiple choice questions (20 marks) and 5 questions each with a number of sub questions (80 marks)

 

Eduqas Level 1&2 Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering (Technical Award)

This course enables students to gain knowledge and understanding related to a range of hospitality and catering providers.  They learn how these operate and what they must consider to be successful.  There is the opportunity to learn about issues related to nutrition and food safety and how they affect successful hospitality and catering operations.  In this qualification, students will also develop their food preparation and cooking skills as well as transferable skills of problem solving, organisation, time management, planning and communication.

The course divided into two units:

Unit 1 The Hospitality and Catering Industry

• 1.1 Hospitality and catering provision.
• 1.2 How hospitality and catering providers operate.
• 1.3 Health and safety in hospitality and catering.
• 1.4 Food safety in hospitality and catering.

Unit 2 Hospitality and Catering in Action

• 2.1 The importance of nutrition.
• 2.2 Menu planning.
• 2.3 The skills and techniques of preparation, cooking, and presentation of dishes.
• 2.4 Evaluating cooking skills.

ASSESSMENT

The final grade is made up by: 

Exam paper: (40%)

There is one final examination paper (1 hour 20 minutes) which is based on the theoretical knowledge of the hospitality and catering industry (Unit 1).

Non-exam assessment: (60%)

Students work through an assignment brief (12 hours) which includes a scenario and several tasks.