The four specialisms within the Art and Design and Technology departments are studied on a carousel/rotation system. Each subject is studied for 90 minutes per week for half of the year. The Food department is based in the Bungalow and has a spacious, well designed kitchen. The room is well equipped with 7 sinks 13 cookers, fridges, freezers and a blast chiller. We have a large selection of electrical equipment including; microwaves, blenders, mixers and food processors to name but a few.
Years 7-9 (Key Stage 3)
In Year 7 we will go back to basics and will gradually build up a range of skills throughout a variety of practical tasks. We will learn about how to lead a healthy lifestyle, a range of food preparation and cooking techniques, how to use all of the parts of the cooker safely, how to adapt and follow recipes, the principles of food hygiene and safety, as well as an introduction to the science behind food.
We cook; fruit salad, rice/ potato layered salad, pizza toast, seasonal soup, fruit crumble, scones, pasta bake, energy bars, small cakes, biscuits.
Year 8 improves the skills learnt in Year 7 so that we will be able to cook more complex dishes and full meals. We will look more closely at how to adapt and follow recipes, food poisoning, the science behind food, sensory analysis, product evaluation and food labelling. We will also work more on developing our designs into new, improved dishes.
We cook; Macaroni Cheese Meat Sauce on a jacket potato (Chilli or bolognaise) Bread rolls Pizza Muffins Thai Green Curry and Rice Pancakes Pastry Tart, Chosen developed dish for the Westholme challenge competition (main meal for two from an international cuisine)
In Year 9 we want to ensure a good understanding of healthy eating, food hygiene, basic cooking skills, food allergies, vegetarianism, and the different protein sources. Students should be able to cook fairly independently by the end of the course and hopefully be cooking meals at home on a regular basis.
We cook; Savoury Cheesy Straws, Ratatouille, Spanish tortilla/omelette, Swiss Roll, Fish Cakes, Quick Moussaka or lasagne, Jam tarts or fruit pies, Lemony Cheese Cake, Pasties or a pie (own development savoury), Nann breads, Rogan Josh Curry.
Years 10-11 (GCSE)
Examination Board: AQA
GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is a new exciting and creative course which focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students’ practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.
Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:
- Food, nutrition and health – Macro Nutrients, Micro Nutrients, Nutritional Needs and Health.
- Food science – Cooking of food, Heat Transfer and the functional and Chemical Properties of Food.
- Food safety – Food Spoilage, Contamination and the Principles of Food Safety.
- Food choice – Factors affecting Food Choice, British and International Cuisines, Sensory Evaluation, Food Labelling and Marketing.
- Food provenance – Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Food, Food Processing and Production.