Food & Nutrition
Our Food Preparation and Nutrition curriculum ensures that all students are equipped with the practical skills to prepare food confidently, creatively and knowledgeably. We aim for all our students to have the understanding needed to make informed choices about food, nutrition and health.
Through careful sequencing, students build the knowledge to prepare food safely, skilfully and independently. They study nutrition and health, food science, food safety, food choice and food provenance, while learning how ingredients behave and why particular techniques produce different outcomes.
We know that secure practical competence must be underpinned by strong theoretical knowledge. Students develop their understanding of nutrition, the working characteristics of ingredients and the principles of safe food preparation, before applying this knowledge through increasingly complex practical work. Students plan balanced menus and prepare, cook and present a range of dishes with accuracy, creativity and care.
Food Preparation and Nutrition equips students with essential life skills and the confidence to make healthy and sustainable choices. It also provides a valuable foundation for further study and careers in nutrition and dietetics, food science, hospitality, catering, health and social care, and professional cookery.
Students study five core areas:
Food, nutrition, and health
- Food science
- Food safety
- Food choice
- Food provenance
- Course Assessment
The course is assessed through two components:
- Written Exam – 50% of GCSE (1 hour 45 minutes)
A written paper testing theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition, including multiple-choice questions and extended responses.
- Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) – 50% of GCSE
Split into two tasks:
NEA 1: Food Investigation Task (15%)
Students carry out a scientific investigation into the working characteristics of ingredients (e.g., the function of raising agents in baking).
NEA 2: Food Preparation Task (35%)
Students plan, prepare, cook, and present a final menu of three dishes within a set time, showcasing their practical skills, creativity, and understanding of nutrition.