Food Preparation & Nutrition
Food Preparation & Nutrition
GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition is an exciting and creative course that focuses on building confident, independent practical cookery skills, alongside a strong understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of ingredients.
Throughout the course, students develop the knowledge and skills to plan, prepare and cook a wide range of dishes safely and successfully, while considering health, budget, culture, ethics, sustainability and the wider impact of food choices.
Year 10 focuses on developing practical competence and food science understanding through regular cooking. Food preparation skills are integrated throughout five core topics:
Food, nutrition and health – balanced diets, life stages, special diets, portioning and meal planning.
Food science – how ingredients behave during preparation and cooking (e.g. gelatinisation, emulsification, caramelisation).
Food safety – safe storage, preparation, cooking and the causes/prevention of contamination and food poisoning.
Food choice – factors affecting choices (culture, religion, ethics, allergies/intolerances, marketing and labelling), plus British and international cuisines.
Food provenance – where food comes from, processing and production, environmental impact and sustainability.
Practical work is designed to cover AQA’s 12 integrated skill groups, including (for example): accurate weighing/measuring; knife skills; preparation of fruit/veg; using the hob/oven/grill and kitchen equipment; a range of cooking methods; shaping/binding mixtures; sauce-making (gelatinisation, reduction, emulsion); marinades/tenderising; doughs (bread/pastry/pasta); raising agents; and setting mixtures.
In Year 11, the main focus of the first part of the year will be the Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) tasks, completed under controlled conditions.
NEA Task 1: Food Investigation (30 marks) – a scientific investigation into ingredients and their functional/chemical properties, written up in a report (typically 1,500–2,000 words) with photographic evidence.
NEA Task 2: Food Preparation Assessment (70 marks) – students plan, prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes in a single session of no more than three hours, with a supporting portfolio including photographic evidence.
After the NEA is completed, lessons focus on revision and exam technique to prepare for the written examination.
This qualification is linear, meaning students sit the exam and submit all NEA work at the end of the course.
Paper 1: Food Ppreparation & Nutrition
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
100 marks
50% of the GCSE
Includes multiple choice (20 marks) and five structured questions (80 marks)
Non-Exam Assessment (NEA)
Task 1: Food Investigation (30 marks)
Task 2: Food Preparation Assessment (70 marks)
Together worth 50% of the GCSE
Food Preparation & Nutrition helps students develop essential lifelong skills, including:
Cooking confidently and independently using a wide range of techniques
Applying nutrition knowledge to make informed choices and plan balanced meals for different needs
Understanding the science behind ingredients and processes in cooking
Working safely and hygienically, using guidance aligned to Food Standards Agency recommendations for safe practice
Considering sustainability, provenance, and the environmental impact of food and packaging
Developing awareness of cultural and ethical influences on what we eat
The examination board is AQA and the specification number is 8585.
If you have any queries about this curriculum, please contact: Mr Jamie Morris, Head of D&T, Computer Science and Food & Nutrition, on jm@farlingtonschool.com