Curriculum

At Moorside the intention of Food and nutrition is to enrich our students to develop and foster an inquisitiveness and passion for food. Moreover, to equip learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. 

The study of food and nutrition is integral to developing a healthy lifestyle. We aim to encourage learners to cook, make informed decisions about food and nutrition, and provide learning opportunities that enable them to acquire knowledge to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life. 

Specifically: 

• To develop crucial life skills which allow students to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health. 

• To become competent in a range of cooking techniques; selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes.  

• To understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients. 

• To be able demonstrate great expressions of human creativity when combining flavours and presenting food. 

• Develop their knowledge about multicultural foods and enable students to increase their cultural capital by experiencing how different religions and ethical beliefs can impact our everyday food choices. 
• To understand the environmental impacts of the foods we consume; providing opportunity for students to access further opportunities in the catering industry. 
• To ensure students are challenged and stretched by developing their leadership, organisation, resilience, initiative and communication skills in order to provide foundations for every aspect of school life. 

In relation to the National Curriculum and to the stated aims of the department, the study of food and nutrition will: 

• Enable students to cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet from all of the food groups.  
• Encourage high aspiration and a love of learning so students in all key stages are challenged to exceed their own targets and to reflect on how to improve their work.  
• Practical work will foster a love of the subject and provide opportunity for students to apply their subject knowledge.  
• Enable students how to work safely in specialist food rooms, using potentially dangerous equipment in the correct and safe manner. They are taught about potential hazards, risk assessments and keeping themselves and others safe. 
• Apply knowledge and skills developed in lesson to their everyday personal experiences of food. The knowledge and skills developed by students is layered in that the next academic year builds on the previous.  
• Be provided with opportunities to evaluate their work and identify ways in which to improve the outcome and skill level.  Work is differentiated appropriately to ensure all students can access the curriculum, make maximum progress and fulfil their potential.  
• Be provided with a blend of practical and theoretical lessons which engage all types of learners. The lessons take place in subject specialist rooms providing an appropriate and positive learning environment in which to engage the students and deliver the curriculum.
• In a practical lesson students get to take away from each lesson a successful product to share at home and be proud of. The practical element of the curriculum allows for a lot of differentiation by outcome which ensures a rewarding learning experience for all students. 
• Praise is used regularly to promote a positive learning environment and experience.  
• Students are able to explore and make a wide range of multi-cultural foods and dishes throughout the food curriculum offering diverse opportunities. 
• Opportunities are provided for students at various stages to choose, plan, cook and present their practical work.  
• Students are provided with individual verbal feedback in practical which identifies the successes of their work and any possible areas to improve in order to develop and make further progress.  
• Students are encouraged to share their own successes with the group. This includes sometimes peer teaching and student demonstrations. 

KS3:

• Year 7 are taught once per week all year. 
• Year 8 are taught twice per week for 10 weeks with other rotations in DT and Music. 

KS4:

• Year 9 Hospitality and Catering are taught 5 lessons per fortnight 
• Year 10 Hospitality and Catering are taught 5 lessons per fortnight 
• Year 11 Hospitality and Catering are taught 5 lessons per fortnight 

Please see the learning journeys for content taught and practical lesson recipes. 

Students should arrive prepared for a theory lesson with all of their equipment. All practical cooking equipment and ingredients are provided and need to be paid for on parent pay. Students will be required to bring in a named container to take their food home in or they may eat it at break or lunchtime. Students will be required to wear an apron for practical lessons, remove their blazers and roll up their sleeves. 

At KS4 students will wear a chef’s white jacket and smart black apron.