Year 7

By the end of Year 7, students will have an understanding of Food Science and Safety so that they can start to understand the requirements of bacteria to survive and the effects they can have on health.  They will have an overview of Food Safety and Hygiene, including pathogenic bacteria and cross contamination and develop safe and hygienic practices in the kitchen that are transferable to home and a workplace. 

Studying aspects of Nutrition and Health will help students to understand the Eatwell guide and its role in daily life, develop their understanding of a Healthy Diet and be able to identify macro- and micro-nutrients and their role within the body. 

Students’ time in the kitchen classroom will help them to develop knife skills including the Bridge and Claw hold, and so gain confidence in using sharp knives safely and accurately. 

Students will understand the technical aspects behind the use of some ingredients.  They will understand types of heat sources and where they apply (convection, conduction and radiation) and be able to apply that knowledge to use dry and moist methods of cooking. 

We will encourage students to explore their creativity when developing recipes and products for specific occasions or people. 

Year 7 Food Practicals - Autumn Term 2025

Year 8

By the end of Year 8, students will have a deeper understanding of the nutrients within the diet, and what these do for our body. They will understand the health impact of too little or too much of each of the macronutrients.

Each half term the work will be split into mini projects giving pupils the opportunity to enhance and develop their understanding of each topic.

The practical lessons will be linked to each topic. These will allow pupils to gain a wider range of skills using more complex recipes. Pupils will develop their chopping skills and understanding of specific cooking related vocabulary linked to chopping ingredients and different cooking methods. All the recipes are budget friendly to ensure that the curriculum is accessible to all learners. The recipes use different pieces of equipment to develop pupils' skills. The building of skills and knowledge will ensure that pupils are prepared to tackle the topic at KS4.

Year 8 Food Practicals - Autumn Term 2025

Year 9

By the end of Year 9, students will be aware of Food waste and the environmental impact and know what steps they can take to minimise it. 

With increased technical and scientific understanding, students will be able to explain the denaturation of proteins in relation to food and be able to explain the terms emulsification and gelatanisation. 

Through practical experimentation, students will understand the role of gluten and how its properties can be used in a recipe; and be able to identify factors affecting the technical function of raising agents. 

With a continued focus on health and nutrition, students will use the Eatwell guide and along with an understanding of BMI, BMR, PAL to create a healthy and balanced diet for targeted groups and specific dietary needs e.g., Coeliac, Vegetarian, Lactose free, Vegan. 

Students will research and investigate food trends and assess their impact on health and wellbeing and understand how supposed ‘superfoods’ can naturally support health. 

Students will gain an awareness of the cost of food and be able to create a family recipe to a budget. 

They will become competent in dry, moist and frying cooking methods. 

Using research, students will create dishes based on current food trends – influencers, diets, celebrities. 

They will further explore their creativity when developing recipes and products for specific occasions or people and become more adventurous. 

Year 9 Food Practicals - Autumn Term 2025

Year 10

The WJEC Eduqas GCSE in Food Preparation and Nutrition equips students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition, and healthy eating.  

It encourages students to cook, enables them to make informed decisions about food and nutrition and allows them to acquire knowledge to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now, and later in life. 

At the end of KS4, students will be able to demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing, and cooking a variety of food commodities whilst using different cooking techniques and equipment.   

They will develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties and chemical characteristics of food as well as a sound knowledge of the nutritional content of food and drinks. 

Students will understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health; as well as understanding the economic, environmental, ethical and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, diet and health choices. 

Through practical skills in conjunction with theory lessons, students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking, and serving food. 

The students will understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international) to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipes. 

Year 11

The qualification is made up of 2 units

Unit 1: The Hospitality and Catering industry

Students will

• Learn about the hospitality and catering industry, the types of hospitality and catering providers and about working in the industry.
• Learn about health and safety, and food safety in hospitality and catering, as well as food related causes of ill health.

Unit 1 enables students to gain and develop comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the hospitality and catering industry including provision, health and safety, and food safety. This is unit is assessed by a written exam and is worth 40% of the student’s overall grade

Unit 2: Hospitality and catering in action

Students will:

• Learn about the importance of nutrition and how cooking methods can impact on nutritional value.
• Learn how to plan nutritious menus as well as factors which affect menu planning.

Students will learn the skills and techniques needed to prepare, cook and present dishes as well as learning how to review their work effectively. They will be given an exam brief from the exam board to use to create their work.

If you would like any more information about our Food Technology curriculum, please contact Mrs S Goldie, Head of Creative Arts & Technology, by emailing sgoldie@colneprimet.co.uk, filling in the form on our contact us page or phoning the main office to arrange a call back.