Redwood ParkFood Technology
What is the subject objective?
At Redwood Park, our aim is for pupils to become competent in a range of cooking processes such as selecting and preparing ingredients, using utensils and electrical equipment and how to adapt their own recipes.
The planning within Food Technology considers current educational thinking, best practice, national policies and statutory requirements, for example, the national curriculum programme of study, advice from professional associations (such as the Design and Technology Association), School Food Plan, Ofsted guidance, Public Health England, current healthy eating advice, food safety advice and examination specifications.
Food Technology aims to equip pupils with the ability to prepare ingredients and cook a meal. Within our KS4 options groups the objective is to gain a recognised qualification in food. These qualifications are BTEC Level 1 Home Cooking, BTEC Level 2 Home Cooking and WJEC Preparing for Work.
The main reason we teach Food Technology at Redwood Park is because being able to plan a meal, prepare ingredients, use kitchen equipment and understand how food effects our health, is a life skill that we all use often without thinking. Teaching the pupils Food Technology gives them a head start in life to be able to look after themselves independently.
We want the children to learn how to prepare ingredients, use equipment and utensils, use the hob, grill and oven, prepare a visually appealing dish, understand basic nutrition and the Eatwell plate, work hygienically, wash up, dry up and put everything away in the correct place.
Food is always popular at Redwood Park , not only do the pupils enjoy the practical nature of the subject but they LOVE eating what they have produced! In the future, Food Technology will continue to make interesting and delicious food but will also look at sustainability and budgeting.
The main purpose of food technology lessons is to help the pupils live more independently in their future lives.
How is the subject delivered?
Food Technology is currently taught in small groups on a carousel of 6 weeks with a very practical and life skill nature to it. Groups are taught for a 6-week period and then move to Design Technology for 6 weeks, in rotation. Pupils are expected to complete tasks to the best of their ability but to ask any questions they need answering.
Progress in Food Technology is mapped in two ways. We use the pupil's individual EHCP targets to ensure the curriculum is relevant and accessible. We also use planning of key skills to ensure the pupils have the confidence to use certain equipment and produce certain dishes
We show the sequence of learning through our long-term plans (LTP) these set out different stages of development through the topics and help the pupils understand what they will need to achieve.
The subject is timetabled in key stage 3 (KS3) for one session per week on a rotation. This means that pupils will get a 6-week block of food tech sessions per term. In key stage 4 (KS4) Catering and Home cooking are offered as options which the pupils opt for in year 10. These sessions are timetabled as one double lesson per week which equates to 1hr 20minutes a week.
We use a vast range of ways to record evidence of pupils achieving their targets, self-assessment, worksheets in booklets and videos.
Impact and accreditation
The impact of food technology as a taught subject in school is to give the pupils knowledge of food, nutrition and health, along with food safety and making healthy choices.
The impact of the curriculum is shown by the skills the pupils leave with. Some will be able to peel a potato, others will be able to produce a 2-course meal.
We monitor progress made by pupils and record against the skills the pupils will need to learn and the extent they need to learn it, for example, the skill might be using an electric whisk, the progression of skills would show the different stages of being able to use this equipment independently.
In KS4 the pupils can gain a BTEC Level 1 or Level 2 in Home Cooking or a WJEC Certificate (entry level 3) in Preparing for work. In year 11 the pupils also gain a Level 2 Certificate in food hygiene (through their Work-Related Learning lessons).
Reading across the curriculum
Food Technology provides many ways for pupils to practice their reading, including, reading recipes, both in typed text and using symbols, reading packaging to work out how long something needs to be cooked, reading the dials on both the cookers and the washing machine.
Linking with our vision
Food Technology is a very social subject where pupils can learn from any mistakes they have made, speak to their friends for conversation and learning and contribute to the school. All these things are echoed in our vision. Food Technology works on all the EHCP strands but particularly being healthy. We strive to promote healthy eating in school and at home.
