Food technology

Food and Catering at Shotton Hall allows students to become well-rounded and confident citizens, who can make their own informed choices on what they feed themselves, and in future years their families.  

Students develop essential life skills such as the ability to prepare and cook dishes from a range of countries and cultures, developing curiosity about the world around them. They learn about the importance of nutrient-dense foods and the effect an unbalanced diet can have upon health. Students carry out tasks hygienically and learn about the correct storage of different commodities, alongside the legislation followed in the food industry.

Students become eco-friendly cooks ensuring their practices are sustainable and have an understanding of how menus are constantly changing to ensure the needs of all customers are met for example customers with special dietary needs or choices. They also consider how to plan menus to adhere to a design brief and budget, making them more considerate consumers in the process.

Students use knowledge and skills from other areas of the curriculum, such as presenting data linked to nutrition and scaling a recipe, confidently communicating using French terminology and researching the history of dishes.

Students learn about the diverse and exciting hospitality/food industry and the skills required in the myriad of roles within different establishments and settings. 

Curriculum information

Year group	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 8	Nutrition Food Safety Food Hygiene Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities	Food Science Commodities Functions of ingredients Cookery methods Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities	Preparation Methods Provenance & Sustainability Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities
Year 9	Research products from a design brief Special diets How menu dishes meet customer needs Plan production of dishes for a menu Use techniques in preparation of commodities	Research products from a design brief Functions of macro nutrients in the human body Compare nutritional needs of specific groups at different life stages Characteristics of unsatisfactory nutritional intake How cooking methods impact on nutritional value Use techniques in preparation of commodities	Research products from a design brief Food related causes of ill healt The role and responsibilities of the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Food safety legislatio Common types of food poisoning The symptoms of food induced ill health Use techniques in preparation of commodities
Year 10 Hospitality and Catering	The structure of the hospitality and catering industry Job requirements within the hospitality and catering industry Personal safety responsibilities in the workplace Risks to personal safety in hospitality and catering Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities Nutrition	The operation of the kitchen The operation of front of house How hospitality and catering provision meet customer requirement Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities Nutrition and the customer	Food safety and legislation Review option for hospitality and catering provision Recommend options for hospitality provision Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities Effect on nutrition once cooked
Year 11	NEA unit 2 brief Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities Unit 1 preparation: Hospitality and Catering Industry Health and safety in the workplace	HACCP and Bacteria types Job roles in hospitality and Catering Environmental factors linked to food and menu choices NEA unit 2 brief Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities	Plan the production of dishes to meet the needs of all customers Assessing customer needs Use techniques in preparation and cookery of commodities

In food, we follow a realistic design brief and research and cook dishes that interest us.

Year 9 student

Food teaches us to cook a wide range of dishes that we can create at home independently.

Year 8 student