The Year 7 Food and Nutrition curriculum introduces pupils to the foundations of healthy eating, food safety and basic nutrition. The curriculum is designed to help pupils understand how food supports growth, energy, health and wellbeing while developing confidence and independence in the kitchen. Throughout the unit, pupils explore the importance of making informed food choices using the Eatwell Guide as the central framework for healthy eating.
The course begins with health and safety in the kitchen, where pupils learn essential hygiene routines, safe food handling and the dangers of cross-contamination and allergens. Pupils investigate how poor hygiene can affect health and practise identifying hazards in practical situations such as the “Dirty Café” activity. This supports pupils in understanding personal responsibility and safe working practices within food preparation environments.
Pupils then study the Eatwell Guide and the role of nutrients within the body. Key nutritional topics include carbohydrates for energy, protein for growth and repair, fats and dairy for health and energy storage, and fruit and vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Pupils learn the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients while developing knowledge of balanced diets and the effects of poor nutrition. Exam-style questioning and written tasks build literacy, recall and analytical skills alongside nutritional understanding.
Practical cooking lessons are embedded throughout the curriculum and include making vegetable soup, plant-based chilli, fruit salad, couscous salad and healthy pizza. These practical tasks help pupils develop core food preparation skills such as knife safety, measuring, mixing, peeling, chopping and evaluating outcomes. Pupils are encouraged to adapt recipes to improve nutritional value and apply healthy eating principles independently.
The curriculum also develops wider curriculum links including literacy, scientific understanding and personal development. Pupils evaluate food choices, complete extended written responses and justify decisions using subject-specific vocabulary. Catholic Social Teaching themes such as stewardship and care for creation are woven throughout the unit, encouraging pupils to think responsibly about health, food and sustainability. Careers linked to nutrition, dietetics and food science are also introduced to broaden awareness of future opportunities.
By the end of Year 7, pupils are expected to understand the principles of a balanced diet, explain the function of key nutrients and demonstrate safe and confident practical cooking skills. The final assessment measures both knowledge recall and the ability to apply learning to real-life dietary choices.
Year 8 Food and Nutrition
Where Does Our Food Come From?
The Year 8 Food and Nutrition curriculum builds upon prior learning from Year 7 by exploring food provenance, sustainability and ethical food production. The curriculum encourages pupils to think more critically about where food comes from, how it is produced and the environmental and social impact of food choices. The curriculum combines nutritional understanding with wider global, environmental and ethical issues linked to modern food systems.
The unit begins by introducing food origins and provenance, helping pupils understand the journey food takes from farm to plate. Pupils learn about local and imported foods, food systems and the concept of food miles. Farming methods are then explored in detail, including arable farming, livestock farming, intensive and free-range systems and organic farming. Pupils compare farming practices and evaluate their environmental impact while considering sustainability and animal welfare.
As the course progresses, pupils investigate seasonality, dairy and meat production, food processing and food waste. They learn about pasteurisation, preservation methods, primary and secondary food processing and the role of packaging in food production. Lessons also encourage pupils to consider how processed foods affect both health and the environment. Through topics such as Fairtrade and ethical food choices, pupils examine how customer decisions can support farmers, reduce environmental damage and promote sustainability.
Practical lessons remain a key feature of the curriculum and include dishes such as dauphinoise potatoes, spring rolls, Bolognese sauce, potato salad, leftovers stir fry and sustainable meals of choice. These activities continue to develop practical food preparation skills while encouraging pupils to apply knowledge of seasonality, sustainability and nutrition when planning and evaluating dishes. Pupils refine skills such as food preparation, organisation, time management, evaluation and recipe adaptation.
The curriculum also strengthens analytical and evaluative skills through exam-style questions, extended writing and discussion-based activities. Pupils use key terminology confidently and make links between nutrition, sustainability and environmental responsibility. Catholic Social Teaching themes, including stewardship and dignity of work, encourage pupils to reflect on fairness, reducing waste and caring for the planet. Careers linked to farming, environmental science and food technology are highlighted throughout the course.
By the end of Year 8, pupils are expected to explain how food production impacts people and the environment, evaluate sustainable food choices and apply knowledge when designing balanced and environmentally responsible meals. The end-of-unit assessment tests pupils’ understanding of provenance, sustainability, ethical food choices and interleaved nutrition knowledge from Year 7.
Year 9 Food and Nutrition
Food and Culture
The Year 9 Food and Nutrition curriculum, Food and Culture, supports the Key Stage 3 Design and Technology curriculum by developing students’ understanding of how food is influenced by culture, geography, religion and sustainability. The booklet encourages pupils to explore the relationship between food and identity while building practical cooking skills, nutritional knowledge and cultural awareness.
Throughout the unit, students investigate a range of global cuisines including South Asian, Mediterranean, East and Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern and African foods. They learn how climate, geography and available ingredients shape traditional dishes and cooking methods. This directly links to the KS3 curriculum aim of understanding where food comes from and how ingredients are produced, processed and prepared.
The curriculum also supports learning about healthy eating and responsible food choices. Students apply knowledge from the Eatwell Guide and sustainability topics to practical tasks and food evaluations. Activities such as designing sustainable meals and adapting cultural dishes help pupils develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, which are key components of the Food and Nutrition curriculum.
Religion and ethics are important themes within this unit. Students explore how beliefs such as halal, kosher, vegetarian and vegan practices influence food choices and traditions. This promotes respect, inclusion and cultural appreciation, while supporting wider curriculum objectives linked to personal development, diversity and British values.
Practical lessons including samosas, pasta, koftas and fusion dishes allow students to develop technical cooking skills safely and confidently. Evaluation activities encourage reflection on taste, nutrition, presentation and sustainability, helping students build independence and critical thinking. These tasks reflect the curriculum expectation that students can prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of techniques.
There is focus on Catholic Social Teaching themes such as stewardship and solidarity, encouraging students to think about ethical food production, food waste and caring for others and the environment. Careers links introduce students to roles such as chefs, nutritionists and food writers, helping them understand how food education connects to future opportunities.
Overall, this unit provides a broad and engaging curriculum experience that combines cultural understanding, nutrition, sustainability and practical food preparation, while meeting the aims of the KS3 Food and Nutrition curriculum.
Y7: Personal Hygiene, Food Safety and Healthy Eating
Learners will be introduced to Cookery and Nutrition and will learn about personal hygiene and food safety, key food temperatures (including the danger zone); healthy eating and the Eatwell Guide, sensory analysis; where food comes and whether eating insects can save the world.
They will also learn how to prepare and make a variety of food products such as scones, home-made butter, fruit salad, seasonal cous cous salad, chicken/haloumi goujons, muffins, vegetable soup, pasta bake, and bolognese sauce.
The rotation also consists of a practical food investigation and a design and make activity.
Food Science Investigation: Learners will investigate emulsification through the production of home-made butter.
Design and Make Activity: Learners will design and make a nutritious, healthy packed lunch that is suitable for a child 11-14 years of age. Some seasonal ingredients and local produce can be used.
Y8: Baking and Nutrition
Learners will build on the skills taught in Y7 to develop their practical skills and understanding of nutrition. They will learn about macronutrients and micronutrients; the implications of a diet high in fat and/or sugar, fats and oils (the difference between saturated and unsaturated fat); how to establish good eating habits, Reference Intakes (RIs), and how to interpret RIs on food labels to make informed decisions about foods.
Pupils will touch on how to apply costing and nutrition to plan affordable and nutritious meals, develop their practical skills and produce baked goods acquiring an understanding of the food science used in bread making and cakes.
The food products made in Y8 are smarties cookies, bread rolls, pizza, Swiss roll, vegetable stir-fry, paella, and chilli con carne. Knife skills will be developed by practising different types of Vegetable Cuts (e.g., julienne, brunoise).
The rotation also consists of a practical food investigation and a design and make activity.
Food Investigation: In groups, learners will investigate the functions of ingredients used in a basic sponge cake recipe. They will produce a control recipe and four variables; each variable will miss out a key ingredient. By comparing each variable against the control, learners can work out the function/s of each ingredient.
Design and Make Activity: Learners will Design and make a nutritious canteen meal on a budget. One portion of the meal should cost no more than £2.00 to make.
Y9 Multicultural Food
Pupils will expand their repertoire of recipes by producing dishes with a multicultural theme that have more skill and challenge.
Learners will study the different factors that affect people’s food choices such as allergies and intolerances. They will also learn how an unhealthy diet can lead to obesity and cardiovascular disease.
A variety of multicultural food products will be made in Y9 such as cheesecake, Danish pastries, chickpea curry, risotto, beef or mushroom stroganoff, meatballs in tomato sauce and Puerto Rican casserole. Knife skills will be extended by practising how to make complex garnishes such as a strawberry fan, strawberry rose and an apple swan.
The rotation also consists of a practical food investigation and a design and make activity.
Food Science Investigation: In groups, learners will investigate the best starch-based thickening agent to use in a roux-based sauce.
Design and Make Activity:
Learners will design and make a nutritious multicultural dish for a festival that must cater for a specific dietary need such as vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-free diet.
Key Stage 4 –WJEC GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
Introduction:
The EDUQAS GCSE in 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. It encourages learners to cook, enables them to
make informed decisions about food and nutrition and allows them to acquire
knowledge in order to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and
nutritiously, now and later in life.
The practical lessons are varied to teach new skills, develop a technique, carry out a food investigation or make a complete dish. Food investigations allow learners to understand the functional properties and working characteristics of ingredients. Lessons that focus on learning new skills and developing techniques equips pupils with higher level technical skills which can increase their marks when applied in the three-hour practical Food exam in Y11.
Y10
Learners will explore the principles of food preparation and nutrition in the following areas:
Food commodities
Principles of nutrition
Diet and good health
The science of food
Where food comes from
Cooking and food preparation
These areas are not taught as stand-alone topics but have been carefully sequenced into planned Schemes of Learning.
Term 1: September-December
Practical lessons have been sequenced to support theory work.
Learners will learn about Food Science and will make a range of food products that will enable them to identify the scientific changes that have taken place during the preparation and cooking of food, and why. They will use the rubbing-in, melting, whisking, and creaming methods to make a range of baked baked goods, whilst learning about aeration, dextrinization, caramelisation and gelatinisation. Their skills will be utilised by conducting a food investigation to examine the best method to use to make a basic sponge cake mixture.
The sequence of learning devised for this year group has been created to plug gaps in skills, knowledge and understanding from KS3, caused by Covid disruption. Learners will utilise these skills by conducting a food investigation to examine the best method to use to make a basic sponge mixture.
After the half term holiday, learners will prepare and cook a range of chicken-based dishes by deboning and portioning a chicken from scratch. They will develop their knife skills and learn how to use all the parts of a chicken to avoid food waste and make a variety of nutritious meals. Dishes to make include chicken Kiev, stuffed chicken breast, lemon chicken wings with potato wedges and homemade mayonnaise (emulsification) risotto (using the chicken stock), and arancini. Theory work will explore Food Safety and Food poisoning to ensure that learners know how to store, prepare and cook meat and poultry safely.
Term 2: January-April
Practical skills will progress to make higher level dishes such as panacotta with a coulis sauce, profiteroles (making the choux pastry from scratch) and homemade pasta and roux sauce. Learners will study the principles of nutrition, focussing on carbohydrates, fat, fibre, digestion and protein. They will also explore life stages and deficiencies; special diets and how cardiovascular disease can be caused by an unhealthy diet.
Term 3: April-July
Learners will carry out three assessments in the summer term of Y10:
Mock NEA 1 Food Investigation Task
Mock NEA 2 Food Preparation Assessment Task
Mock Written Exam
The mock exams will assess subject knowledge and understanding in preparation for the NEAs in Y11.
They will also study global food production, looking at food miles, food waste, carbon footprint, food security, climate change and food poverty.
Y11:
The following summative assessment will take place in Y11:
Non-examination Assessment 1: The Food Investigation Assessment
Non-examination Assessment 2: The Food Preparation Assessment
Written Examination: Principles of Food Preparation and Nutrition
Term 1:
September- October: NEA 1 Food Investigation
NEA 1 will be completed and submitted before the October half term holiday
October-December:
Practical lessons will prepare learners for the NEA 2 assessment by developing their technical skills.
Theory lessons will involve revision and exam techniques to prepare pupils for their mock exam in December, and written exam in the summer
December: There will be a written mock exam in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
Term 2:
January-April: NEA 2 The Food Preparation Assessment
January: Learners will select a task from the exam board to for the NEA 2. They will start the task with research.
4-6 cooking trials will be carried out as part of the research- three dishes must be selected from the cooking trials to make for the three-hour practical food exam, with reasons for choice given.
March: Three-hour practical Food Exam will be carried out at school and invigilated by the Food Teacher. The evaluation will be completed after the practical exam.
NEA 2 will be submitted before the Easter holiday.
Term 3:
April-June: The lessons will be used for revision and addressing any gaps in knowledge in readiness for the written GCSE exam in June
EDUQAS GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
The following assessments will be carried out in Y11:
A scientific food investigation which will assess the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to scientific principles underlying the preparation and cooking of food.
The NEA 1 will be conducted during the Autumn term.
Prepare, cook and present a menu which assesses the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food.
The NEA 2 will be conducted during the Spring term.
Written Examination: Principles of Food Preparation and Nutrition (1 hour 45 minutes)
50% of qualification
This component will consist of two sections both containing compulsory questions and will assess the six areas of content as listed in the specified GCSE content:
Section A: questions based on stimulus material.
Section B: structured, short and extended response questions to assess content related to food preparation and nutrition.
The written examination will take place during the summer term.
There is a wide range of revision materials available on ‘Show My Homework’ including a digital copy of the illuminate text book; and a class code to access SENECA.
Subject Overview
Subject Overview