Food, Nutrition and Catering

Department Staff: R. Taylor – Catering Co-ordinator

Subject intent

Our intent is that all students will develop the knowledge and understanding related to a range of hospitality and catering providers; how they operate and what they have to take into account to be successful. Students will have the opportunity to discover the working world of hospitality through inspiring visits to industry based establishments.

In lessons, students will be challenged in developing their knowledge in key areas such as nutrition, food commodities and food safety. The broad and enriching curriculum will encourage the students to prepare and cook a variety of foods from around the world. They will develop their problem solving, organisation and time-management skills which will be transferable in any career they wish to pursue. They can connect their food and nutrition learning with their physical education studies and with keepig themselves healthy and well.

Students will leave Falconer School with a repertoire of healthy recipes they can cook at home and continue their learning way beyond the school day.

Our Curriculum

At KS4 we are developing new courses to engage students in this subject and to support their aspirations.

Key Stage 3 overview

At Key Stage 3, the students will learn the essential skills which underpins the basics of cooking. The students will explore different cuisines from around the world with carefully selected themes. Students will develop an understanding of the different customs and cultures in different countries relating to food as well as using a variety of preparation and cooking techniques. The complexity of the dishes being produced will increase as the students move through Key Stage 3 in preparation for a potential course in Hospitality and Catering which they may wish to pursue at Key Stage 4.

Key Stage 4 overview

Hospitality and Catering Curriculum Intent

The Hospitality and Catering department will bring out the best by ensuring students develop knowledge of practical skills and processes in order for them to become resilient and independent young adults in the world of hospitality and catering. These skills will be recalled upon, throughout both units, continually building on prior learning. This allows for innovation and creative development, to meet the design brief set by the exam board when undertaking the Hospitality and Catering Vocational Award. This gives our students vital life skills that enable them to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now, and later in life. We engage with students to encourage them to understand the environmental factors which affect the inequalities in food distribution on a global scale and give them an understanding of the need to minimise ‘food waste’ starting with their own practice.

Food and Nutrition Curriculum Intent

Our curriculum aims to furnish our young people with an appreciation of nutrition and healthy eating; a deep and broad understanding of food, as well as instilling a love of cooking. Learning how to cook healthy, tasty and economical meals is a crucial life skill everyone should be taught.

Throughout their time at school, we aim to encourage increasingly independent learning and responsibility through practical participation. The department teaches students a wider understanding of environmental impacts of food production and an understanding of sustainable choices such as: seasonal, local foods, the importance of food provenance, as well as the scourge of food waste.

Our students also learn about multicultural foods which enhances students’ understanding of different cultures and religions in the UK, leading to a more liberal and tolerant attitude towards others