Food Prep & Nutrition

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."

^{François de la Rochefoucauld}

Why we teach Food Preparation and Nutrition at Harris Academy Purley

Food is a vital part of our daily lives and is essential for life. As our students become adults and have busy lives, it is easy to choose food which has been ready prepared. However, it is more nutritious and often cheaper to cook simple, delicious food. Throughout a student’s time at Harris Academy Purley, they will develop their knowledge and understanding of nutrition, healthy eating, food preparation, hygiene, cooking techniques, and sensory characteristics. 

At KS3 we aim to; 

• Give our students vital life skills that enable them to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life. 
• Encourage the development of high skills and resilience in a safe environment, allowing students to demonstrate commitment and act on feedback.
• Empower students to enable them to follow a recipe and substitute ingredients and cooking methods as appropriate, demonstrating an understanding of food choices e.g. veganism, allergies and healthy eating. 
• Develop understanding that will allow students to become discriminating consumers of food products, enabling them to participate in society in an active and informed manner. 
• Engage with students to encourage them to understand the environmental factors which affect the inequalities in food distribution on a global scale and give them an understanding of the need to minimise ‘food waste’ starting with their own practise. 
• Allow students to explore a number of multicultural perspectives concerning food. Students will enhance their understanding, appreciation and acceptance of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds through the preparation of food from different countries. 
• Encourage our students to develop an awareness and acceptance of diversity within our community. 

At KS4, Food Preparation and Nutrition equips learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating.

The layout of the content into six areas of content promotes flexibility of delivery and releasing two tasks for each of the assessments that constitute the non-examination assessment will ensure students are able to complete assessments suitable to their needs.

By studying food preparation and nutrition learners 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 
• 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 
• Understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health 
• Understand the economic, environmental, ethical and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, and diet and health choices 
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food 
• 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.  
• The textbook and revision guide we recommend to support students’ progress are:
  • Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition: Student Book - Can be purchased here.
  • Collins GCSE Grade 9-1 Revision - WJEC Eduqas GCSE 9-1 Food Preparation and Nutrition Workbook - Can be purchased here.

What exam board do we follow?

Students follow the Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification.

Eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/food-preparation

Our hope is that through Food lessons, students are provided with a context through which to explore the richness, pleasure and variety that food adds to life.