Food & Nutrition At The Levels School
The preparation of food is an essential life skill for all. At Prep and KS3, students at The Levels School will have a six-week programme of study to give confidence and strategies to prepare food for themselves in our fully equipped kitchen. At all key stages, there is a strong emphasis on promoting hygiene, a well-balanced diet and good kitchen practice.
Students will start at Prep, practising cutting, spreading, pouring, grating and toasting. Preparation skills are extended at KS3 where students learn to use the oven and hob safely, alongside investigating ingredients and tastes from around the world to extend their interest and palate. Year 9 introduces some of the GCSE curriculum skills, with students linking foods to health and lifestyle. This gives them a head start should they choose to study Food Preparation and Nutrition at GCSE.
Prep
Prep students are taught in two classes, The Nest and Fledglings. Food Skills is taught to the two classes separately in different half-terms during time otherwise allocated to science lessons.
Students focus on the following areas;
-
Understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
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Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
-
Understand seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed
Key Stage Three
Food Skills is taught in KS3 separately in different half-terms during time otherwise allocated to science lessons.
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Food skills - hygiene, safety; Using and cooking raw protein based foods, safely | ||
| Summer | Food Skills - hygiene, safety. Planning and preparing a healthy balanced diet | Food Skills - foods for energy and good heart health |
GCSE
At The Levels School, food & nutrition is an option which any student may choose to take at KS4. We offer AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. The GCSE teaches the following skills:
- Food, nutrition and health
- Food science
- Food safety
- Food choice
- Food provenance
| Exam |
|---|
Food Preparation & NutritionThere is one exam at the end of the 2 years study, which is worth 50% of the total GCSE. The exam is 1 hour 45 minutes long and assesses all five of the skills listed above. There are some multiple choice questions in addition to questions which require written answers. |
| Non-Exam Assessment |
|
Worth 50% of the total GCSE, there are two tasks in the non-exam assessment (NEA). Task one: Food investigation, testing students' understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients. This is assessed in the form of a written or electronic report (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation. (Worth 30% of NEA.) Task two: Food preparation assessment in which 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. This is assessed in the form of a written or electronic portfolio including photographic evidence. Photographic evidence of the three final dishes must be included. (Worth 70% of NEA.) |
External Links
| AQA Food | BBC Good Food |
| Great British Bake Off | Junior Bake Off |
| Time To Eat |
Holiday Activities
If you're looking to support your child's food skills studies at home, try the following activities:
Cook and bake with your children, and encourage them to get involved in all stages of food preparation and cooking.
Involve children in planning grocery shopping and in weekly meal planning. Encourage children to consider how to ensure a balanced diet over the course of the week.
Watch cooking shows, such as Great British Bake Off or Nadiya's Time to Eat. You could ask your children which recipes they want to try cooking, and then have a go at them!
