Department Leader: Matthew Hounslow

What will I need before taking this course?

Students will require a GCSE/Btec in Food or Catering.

Students should also need experience and interest in food, nutrition, and science.

What will I do?

Unit 1 and 2 are mandatory and will be completed in Year 12 and 13 respectively.

You will then complete one additional unit from either 3 or 4.

Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups

External assessment

• Written exam.
• 90 marks.
• 90 minutes, plus 15 minutes reading time.

1. Section A: Short answer questions
2. Section B:Extended answer questions
3. Section C: Case study analysis

Internal assessment

• Controlled assessment.
• 9 hours 30 minutes
• 3 Model assignments to choose from.

1. Select and justify suitable dishes to a brief.
2. Plan a 3-course meal.
3. Attend an interview to justify your meal choice.

Unit 2 Ensuring Food is Safe to Eat

External assessment

• Written examination.
• 8 hours.
• Brief released each May, 3 weeks to submit.

1. Produce a food safety resource for training.
2. Produce a risk assessment meeting the needs of the brief.

Example projects:

• You are a full-time permanent employee of Easy eats and have recently been promoted to  the Catering manager.
• As Unit Manager it is your responsibility to train staff and produce a risk assessment.
• You will need to produce resources for a Food safety training session.

Unit 3: Experimenting to Solve Food Production Problems

External assessment

• Controlled assessment.
• 12 hours.

1. Identify issues in food production.
2. Investigate the problems.
3. Carry out experimental work to prove theories.
4. Process data and justify findings.

Example projects:

5. Development of a heavy dough and lack of flavour in baked goods.
5. Development of ice crystals and a grainy texture in Ice cream.
5. Development of soggy pastry with a bland flavour.

Unit 4: Current issues in Food Science and Nutrition

External assessment

• Controlled assessment.
• 14 hours.

1. Plan research into a current issue affecting consumer food choice.
2. Investigate current consumer food choice issues.

Example projects:

5. Is it easier to avoid obesity by following a vegetarian diet ?
5. Does the provision of a school breakfast club improve concentration levels?
5. Is it possible to have a balanced diet on a low  budget?
5. Does the current trend for juicing provide a healthy balanced diet?

Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at students interested in a career in the Catering industry. It will also support students with university applications including PE, Child development and Science.

Progression-What can I do at the end of the course?

Together with other relevant qualifications at Level 3, such as A levels in Biology, Chemistry, Sociology and PE, learners will be supported in reaching higher education courses such as:

• BSc Food and Nutrition
• BSc Human Nutrition
• BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition
• BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology

Minimum requirements

Students will need to have studied food or a catering course at GCSE and achieved a grade 5/Merit or above.

Students will also require at least a 5 in Science.