Subject knowledge 

Taught 

BASIC FOOD SKILLS – Healthy Lunchbox Products 

• The importance of food hygiene and safety 
• How to use kitchen equipment safely and accurately 
• How to weigh and measure accurately 
• Metric weights and measurements of liquids  
• How to use an oven and a hob 
• How to make a range of lunchbox products/ snacks (e.g. pasta salad, flapjacks, pizza, apple puffs, cheese straws, bran biscuits) 
• Basic functions of a range of ingredients in dishes 
• Seasonality of fruits and vegetables 

Rationale 

Students have varied experience of working in a kitchen, for some this will be none. The aim is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience working with a variety of small and large kitchen equipment, safely and hygienically. 

We want all students to be able to prepare and cook a range of dishes safely and hygienically and to have the confidence to replicate these in future life. The Health curriculum will discuss the connection between food and nutrition. Students will be able to make connections with the ingredients and their basic functions in recipes (e.g. self-raising flour makes baked foods rise by trapping air bubbles, eggs set hard) This understanding will then be able to be used when preparing and cooking other dishes in future years and outside of school. These are also key skills required for progression to the KS4 Food Preparation and Nutrition Curriculum. 

The recipes selected mirror the need in the community for affordable, nutritious choices that appeal to teenagers. Students will consider how locally sourced ingredients and ingredients in season make dishes environmentally friendly and more cost effective. 

The AQA syllabus stipulates that recipes should concentrate on savoury dishes (reflected in the recipe choices) 

Home Learning – ingredient preparation, weighing and measuring, hygiene and safety. 

Subject knowledge taught 

Foods From Around The World - Multicultural Dishes 

• How to use specialist equipment safely and accurately 
• How to make a range of multicultural products (e.g cheesecake. fajitas, carrot/banana muffins, chow mein, pasta bake, scones) 
• Meat preparation and safety 
• Cooking techniques for quality of outcome, e.g pasta being cooked al dente, cheese not being overcooked due to syneresis 
• The importance of food hygiene and safety 
• How to use kitchen equipment safely and accurately 
• How to weigh and measure accurately 
• Metric weights and measurements of liquids  
• How to use an oven and a hob 

Rationale 

Students will build on year 7 knowledge of hygiene, safety and functions of ingredients, thus strengthening their ability to perform in the kitchen with more independence and accuracy. 

The year 8 Health module will continue to address the healthy eating guidelines, the functions and sources of macro and micro nutrients. They will have the opportunity to investigate a range of foods from different countries and cultures. Religious beliefs and dietary needs resulting from these will be explored. Cost implications of ingredients and less expensive alternatives will also be discussed. 

The AQA syllabus stipulates that recipes should concentrate on savoury dishes (reflected in the recipe choices) 

These practical lessons will enable students to replicate these dishes and other similar dishes in later life. These are also key skills required for progression to the KS4 Food Preparation and Nutrition Curriculum. 

Home Learning- ingredient preparation, recipe adaptation, hygiene and safety. 

Subject knowledge taught 

Skills – breads, pastries and cakes 

• How to use quality and portion control equipment correctly (cutters, shapers, trays, moulds, piping bags and nozzles) 
• How to make a range of skills based products (e.g shortcrust pastry, a pastry case, puff pastry, cakes using the creaming, all in one and whisking methods, sweet and savoury bread recipes) 
• Cooking techniques for quality of outcome and presentation skills (importance of blind baking in pastry, preparation of cake tins, kneading and proving of dough) 
• The importance of food hygiene and safety 
• How to use kitchen equipment safely and accurately 
• How to weigh and measure accurately 
• Metric weights and measurements of liquids  

How to use an oven and a hob 

Rationale 

Students will build on year 8 knowledge of hygiene, safety and functions of ingredients, thus strengthening their ability to perform in the kitchen with more independence and accuracy. 

The year 9 Health module will continue to address the healthy eating guidelines, the functions and sources of macro and micro nutrients. They will have the opportunity to investigate a range of foods from different countries and cultures. Religious beliefs and dietary needs resulting from these will be explored. Cost implications of ingredients and less expensive alternatives will also be discussed. 

The AQA syllabus stipulates that recipes should concentrate on savoury dishes (reflected in the recipe choices) 

These practical lessons will enable students to replicate these dishes and other similar dishes in later life. These are also key skills required for progression to the KS4 Food Preparation and Nutrition Curriculum. 

 Home Learning- ingredient  preparation, recipe adaptation, hygiene and safety.