Award: GCSE

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 8585

Specification Website: Food Preparation and Nutrition

Award: GCSE

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 8585

Specification Website: Food Preparation and Nutrition

The heart of this qualification focuses on nurturing students' practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.

Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:

• Food, nutrition and health

• Food science

• Food safety

• Food choice

• Food provenance.

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Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition

Written exam

Theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• Multiple choice questions (20 marks)

• Five questions, each with a number of sub questions (80 marks)

• 100 marks

• 50% of GCSE 

Non- Examination Assessments: 

Task 1: Food investigation 

• (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.

• Assessment of the understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.

• 30 marks

• 15% of GCSE

Practical investigations are a compulsory element of this NEA task. 

Task 2: Food preparation assessment

• Including photographic evidence.

• Assessment of knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking,

• Presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task.

• 70 marks

• 35% of GCSE

Students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than 3 hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved. 

Alternative:

• ASDAN Foodwise and Living Independently